�Patients with accident or trauma related chronic painfulness often have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. What isn't clearly known, however, is how PTSD relates to mood disorders and pain severity in chronic pain patients.
University of Michigan researchers examined the contribution of PTSD to the pain experience, functional disability and frequency of depressive symptoms. They studied 241 patients referred to the university hospital's pain rehabilitation programme who reported their pain began subsequently a traumatic injury. The subjects accomplished the McGill Pain Questionnaire and were administered the Pain Disability Index and the Post-traumatic Chronic Pain Test.
Results showed PTSD and depression ar significantly correlated and both disorders ar associated with perceived disability attributed to chronic painfulness. Therefore, in cases of disabling accident-related chronic
