Chronic Pain Management & Alexithymia: Importance of Pressure-Pain Threshold

For individuals who suffer from chronic pain, the complications are quite varied, extending from not only joint pain and tenderness but also secondary psychological complications. For some chronic pain sufferers, the complications of alexithymia are quite common. As a disorder that involves a combination of physical pain, a psychological component, as well as a psychosomatic condition, the development of alexithymia can complicate the life of the pain sufferer.

In managing chronic pain, there are a variety of health options on the market. For some individuals, there is a desire to manage chronic pain with the use of natural healing options; preferable over prescription medications. While not every chronic pain condition can be resolved without prescription medications, some patients are finding the use of treatments such that involve an assessment of pressure-pain thresholds is quite effective.

Pressure-pain threshold, PPT, is the term used to describe the smallest amount of force that can be applied to elicit a pain response. For patients with chronic pain, determining the PPT is important to managing alternative healing effectiveness, such as that found in acupuncture or hypnosis.

For individuals with more than a physical chronic pain complication, there is a need to obtain treatment that also manages the psychological component. When complications of alexithymia are of concern, the healthcare professional will want to ascertain your PPT level so as to gauge the success of treatment.