SEPTEMBER 2, 2024
Recently published data indicate that patients with a history of trauma have an increased likelihood of suffering from chronic pain.
“Specifically, we found that relative to those without a history of trauma, individuals with high levels of overall trauma, as well as those with a history of sexual trauma, were more likely to report worse pain symptoms over time,” said study author Scott G. Ravyts, PhD, a pain psychology fellow in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Recently published data indicate that patients with a history of trauma have an increased likelihood of suffering from chronic pain.
“Specifically, we found that relative to those without a history of trauma, individuals with high levels of overall trauma, as well as those with a history of sexual trauma, were more likely to report worse pain symptoms over time,” said study author Scott G. Ravyts, PhD, a pain psychology fellow in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, in Baltimore.
To evaluate pain intensity and inference, researchers had chronic pain patients participate in an online study and complete self-report questionnaires at baseline and at three-, 12- and 24-month follow-up (J Pain 2024:104621).
Participants with chronic pain in the longitudinal study (n=1,451) had various trauma histories: 16.3% had a history of diverse trauma, 18.4% reported high sexual trauma and 57.1% had experienced low/accidental trauma. The remainder (8.2%) reported no trauma history.
Individuals in the high- and diverse trauma group reported higher levels of pain severity and interference at three- and 12-month follow-up compared with the group without trauma (P<0.01). Additionally, relative to the no-trauma group, individuals in the high sexual trauma group reported higher levels of pain interference and more widespread pain at the three-month follow-up (P<0.05).
“Clinically, these findings highlight the value of inquiring about a patient's trauma history during initial intake assessments,” Ravyts told Pain Medicine News.
Although the study analyzed participants’ pain intensity and pain interference at three, 12 and 24 months, no statistically significant correlation between these variables and a history of trauma was identified. Ravyts noted that future studies should examine how trauma exposure type and trauma frequency interact to contribute to pain symptomatology.
—Myles Starr
Ravyts reported no relevant financial disclosures.
