Catastrophizing and Pain in Military Personnel

Abstract

Combat-related injuries have been well documented for centuries. More recently, injuries suffered by US service members in Iraq and Afghanistan have resulted in a high number of survivable conditions. Polytrauma care in this setting must take into account both the physical and psychological injuries suffered by returning wounded warriors. Catastrophizing may occur when previously healthy individuals are faced with impairment and disfigurement. This is compounded with repeated operative procedures. Early detection and treatment of catastrophizing contributes to improved care of the wounded warrior. This article describes our experiences at Walter Reed Army Medical Center with catastrophizing in US service members returning from the current military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Evidence for Acute Central Sensitization to Prolonged Experimental Pain in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

“…Furthermore, these findings remained significant after controlling for childhood trauma, pain anxiety, and pain catastrophizing. Previous observational studies have implicated these as a link of PTSD and pain [14,15,29,68–70]. However, the current study design (i.e., pain‐ and medication‐free PTSD subjects, acute pain stimulus) may have isolated the unique contribution of PTSD.…”

Association between pain catastrophising and musculoskeletal disorders is modified by past injuries in Malaysian military recruits

“…A review of pain catastrophising in military settings suggested that early identification and intervention may improve care for wounded soldiers 17. Among the deployed US military, pain catastrophising was associated with depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and somatisation-like illness 18.…”

An Analysis of the Various Chronic Pain Conditions Captured in a Systematic Review of Active Self-Care Complementary and Integrative Medicine Therapies for the Management of Chronic Pain Symptoms: Table 1

“…Behavioral factors (e.g., pain behaviors and substance abuse), moreover, also play a significant role in the management of chronic pain [11]. Most notable is the impact of catastrophizing on the development of chronic pain [13].…”