Quote:
Originally Posted by evandtwins
My question is: Could the stress of the new job account for a such a dramatic increase in symtoms (given that I had been stable more or less for 18 years)? If so, is it likely that the pain pathway has been "conditioned" such that finding a new, lower stress job would not result in a reduction of pain?
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Hi Jason,
Chronic pain really is a form/kind/type of stress.
There's also a concept associated with chronic pain called
the vicious cycle; which also involves one or more other factors (insomnia, anxiety, stress, depression...). Basically, these factors can exacerbate each other, spiraling downward into a... (drum roll...) vicious cycle.
So the answer to your question is a resounding YES.
It's
possible that the pain pathway has been conditioned; I don't know how
likely it is, or to what extent. I think one way to garner some information about that would be to change/interrupt the pattern and see what happens. My first thought runs to a vacation—as long and stress-free/reduced as practicable. As I type, the thought also occurs to me that a leave of absence under the
FMLA might work.
Quote:
The Act allows eligible employees to take up to 12 work weeks of unpaid leave during any 12-month period to attend to the serious health condition of the employee, parent, spouse or child, or for pregnancy or care of a newborn child, or for adoption or foster care of a child. In order to be eligible for FMLA leave, an employee must have been at the business at least 12 months, and worked at least 1,250 hours over the past 12 months, and work at a location where the company employs 50 or more employees within 75 miles. The FMLA covers both public- and private-sector employees, but certain categories of employees are excluded, including elected officials and their personal staff members.[3]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_...ve_Act_of_1993
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