What Happens if Chronic Pain is Left Untreated?

Pain is our built-in alarm system. It signals that something is wrong so we can take action to prevent harm to our bodies. Most pain is brief, lasting only a few seconds or minutes, and has an obvious cause, like a stubbed toe or paper cut. This is known as acute pain and most people experience it every day in some form. Acute pain can be a nuisance, but it is normal, and in fact necessary, for good health and almost always goes away on its own with basic home care.

But sometimes, pain continues longer than expected. If it persists for three months or more without signs of improvement, it becomes chronic pain. Unlike acute pain, chronic pain is not a normal function of the body and does not go away on its own. In many cases, it is the symptom of another underlying issue.

Chronic pain can often become debilitating and significantly impair quality of life. Luckily, there are many innovative therapies that can manage chronic pain and help patients live fulfilling lives, if they get treated.

But what happens when chronic pain goes untreated? Are there consequences if chronic pain continues unchecked? In this article we explore the potential health risks of delaying treatment for chronic pain and highlight the importance of seeking help early.

Physical health risks of untreated chronic pain

Chronic pain can cause a significant decline in overall physical health. The longer pain goes untreated, the more severe the consequences become.

Reduced mobility and muscle degeneration

Reduced mobility is one of the most common side-effects of chronic pain. The body requires regular exercise to sustain muscular strength and function. But when it hurts to move, it becomes difficult to maintain healthy levels of activity. If untreated chronic pain prevents an individual from getting adequate exercise, their muscles will begin to atrophy, resulting in weakness and substantial loss of mobility. Depending on where the atrophy occurs, it may be difficult to perform even basic tasks, such as standing, walking, using the stairs, or lifting even small amounts of weight.

Reduced effectiveness of future treatments

Untreated chronic pain can reduce the success rate of future treatments. Over time, persistent pain can change how the body perceives pain stimuli in a process called sensitization. According to a study published in the journal Pain Medicine, “With repeated stimuli, remodeling of the nervous system and alterations in gene expression can occur, resulting in long-term sensitization… which can become permanent [3].”

Put another way, think of chronic pain as causing PTSD of the nerves. Over time, the non-stop trauma of pain basically scars the nerves. This “scarring” impairs the nerves’ response to treatment, reducing the chance for successful outcomes.

So, if pain becomes concerning or unusual, seek medical care as soon as possible. If you wait, it may be too late.

Impact on cardiovascular health

When the brain receives pain signals from nerves, the heart tends to react aggressively. When the pain is persistent, as in the case of chronic pain, it can lead to serious cardiovascular complications.

Blood pressure and heart rate are both controlled by the autonomous nervous system, the system that controls involuntary actions of the body. When this system becomes stimulated by pain signals, blood pressure and heart rate become elevated. Additionally, pain signals cause the brain to trigger the natural “fight-or-flight” response, an important survival tactic. When activated, fight-or-flight causes the release of hormones like adrenaline, which make the heart pump harder and faster.

It is normal for these responses to happen periodically. But constant cardiac stimulation due to chronic pain can lead to tachycardia (high heart rate) and hypertension (high blood pressure). The longer these conditions continue without treatment, the greater the risk of heart attack, heart failure, and stroke.

Weakened immune system

When the body experiences pain, it releases elevated levels of the stress hormone, cortisol. Under normal conditions, cortisol plays important roles in the body’s anti-inflammatory processes and the fight-or-flight response. But studies show that continuously high cortisol levels can compromise the body’s immune response [6]. If these conditions persist due to lack of pain management care, the body becomes increasingly susceptible to disease and infection.

Mental and emotional risks of untreated chronic pain

Chronic pain has implications beyond physical suffering. Living in constant agony can trigger several mental and cognitive issues which can take a serious toll on overall health and wellbeing.

Depression and anxiety

Depression and anxiety are among the most common complications associated with chronic pain. When experiencing pain, it is common to become anxious over whether the pain will get worse, how long it will last, and how it is impacting day-to-day life. The loss of mobility and function can prevent pain sufferers from participating in life the way they want to. Many find it difficult to cope with these concerns and start feeling depressed.

Anxiety and depression can also trigger the release of inflammation-causing stress hormones, cause muscles to tense up, and overstimulate the nervous system. These issues can further aggravate pain symptoms while also increasing the body’s sensitivity to pain.

In short, chronic pain can cause anxiety and depression, while anxiety and depression can make pain worse. It’s a vicious cycle that can have disastrous consequences if the underlying causes are not treated.

Cognitive decline

Chronic pain has been linked to an accelerated decline in brain function. According to a 2023 study, “patients with chronic pain have difficulty adequately diverting attention and memory resources away from pain-related sensations, feelings, and thoughts, leaving fewer cognitive resources for other concurrent cognitive processes [2].”

Essentially, pain becomes so overwhelming that patients are unable to focus their attention on anything else, leading to complications with memory, attention, planning, and information processing. The longer this continues, the more pronounced the effects can become.

Sleep disturbance

Quality sleep is one of the most essential ingredients for a healthy life. Unfortunately, chronic pain can make sleep a challenge. Falling asleep is tricky enough with the constant nag of pain, but it can continue to cause problems even after getting to sleep. Studies show that chronic pain can completely change the “architecture” of how we sleep… resulting in shorter rapid eye movement sleep, microarousals, periodic leg movements, sweating, and heart palpitations [8].

Lack of sleep can cause deficiencies with memory and learning while also heightening sensitivity to pain [8]. Failure to obtain proper treatment for chronic pain can result in a continuous loop of agony, fatigue, and declining function.

Social and financial consequences of untreated chronic pain

Chronic pain can have consequences that reach beyond individual health. The impact of chronic pain on daily life can inhibit social interactions, cause productivity issues in the workplace, and result in future healthcare costs.

Social isolation

Chronic pain can make it challenging to engage and interact with friends and family. And though loved ones will likely provide care and support, they will also go on living their own lives while the patient is left behind, unable to participate. This often creates an emotional and social distance that can be detrimental to relationships, lead to resentment, and leave patients feeling alone and disconnected.

According to a 2022 study, “Chronic pain is associated with withdrawal from social activity, social isolation, feelings of loneliness, and the erosion of social identity… leading to feelings of guilt and worry which further heighten distress and impede pain self-care. Pain can also give rise to feelings of hostility, which may precipitate conflict between spouses and dysfunction within families [1].”

What it all boils down to is that when chronic pain goes untreated, it’s not only the patient who suffers.

Career consequences

Though everyone experiences and tolerates pain differently, chronic pain is almost always detrimental to workplace productivity. It can impair concentration and task effectiveness, increase stress, and impact relationships with colleagues.

Employees with chronic pain are found to miss work more regularly. And when they do make it into work, they tend to get far less done. Studies have shown that “musculoskeletal conditions… are the leading causes of disability in people during their working years… and back complaints are second only to upper respiratory conditions in accounting for work absenteeism [4].” Another study showed an average reported reduction in work productivity ranging from two to 10 hours per week, depending on the type of chronic pain [5].

All this can make it very difficult for employees with chronic pain to meet their workplace goals and advance their careers. Over time, it could even become difficult to hold down a job in the first place.

Financial burden

Untreated chronic pain can have numerous financial consequences which can be devastating for many patients.

The longer chronic pain goes unaddressed, the more difficult it can become to successfully treat. This could mean more clinical visits, evaluations, imaging appointments, and procedures are needed before an adequate solution can be found. As the appointments pile up, so do medical bills.

Unfortunately, those with chronic pain often have difficulty paying these medical bills. As we already mentioned, chronic pain can impact a person’s ability to work and earn a steady income. Even in cases of mild to moderate chronic pain, patients may have to work reduced hours or go on some form of disability, both of which result in lower pay. Individuals with high-impact chronic pain may be unable to perform their workplace tasks at all, which explains why approximately 74% of these individuals are unemployed [7]. As a result, many pain sufferers end up relying on government assistance and struggle to make even basic ends meet, let alone pay for mounting medical costs.

Why early intervention matters

Despite all the problems and issues chronic pain can cause, there is good news. The good news is that you can avoid the grim consequences of chronic pain if you take action. And the first and most important step is early intervention.

If you experience pain that is lingering longer than it should, new pain that is unusual or unfamiliar, or sudden, severe pain, get it looked at as soon as possible. In a best case scenario, there will be nothing to worry about and you can rest easy. But if there is an underlying issue causing your pain, you and your provider can begin a treatment plan right away. The sooner you address chronic pain, the higher your chances of successful treatment and the more likely you are to avoid the risks and long-term consequences.

Treating chronic pain at Twin Cities Pain Clinic

Twin Cities Pain Clinic is one of the largest and most distinguished interventional chronic pain management clinics in Minnesota. For over 20 years, we have been introducing innovative new treatments while expanding our geographic footprint to best serve the population of our state and beyond.

If you are expecting persistent or unexplained pain, schedule a consultation with one of our chronic pain specialists today. Together, we will help reduce your pain and ensure you continue living your best and most fulfilling life.

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