From acute to chronic low back pain: the role of negative emotions.

Summary: Have you ever noticed that when your back hurts, your mood changes too? Scientists studied people with new (acute) back pain and long-lasting (chronic) back pain. They found that people with new back pain mostly feel anxious. But if the pain lasts a long time, people mostly feel depressed and angry, even though the actual pain level is exactly the same! By using smart computer programs, doctors learned that treating these emotions early might stop the pain from lasting forever. Treating both the mind and the body is the best way to help people feel better.