"As a spine specialist, Dr. Kountis finds that patients come to him after years of dealing with their pain and having seen many physicians but having minimal improvement in their symptoms. As the source of pain becomes a chronic problem, it starts to affect other aspects of a patient’s health. The social, emotional and psychological impacts of chronic pain start to play a role in the perception of pain and thus start adding to the impact of pain in a person’s daily life and routine.
Limiting activity, restricting social engagements, and the stress and barriers that severe pain imposes start to change a patient’s outlook on improvement and hope for a pain free future. There are actually well documented physical and chemical changes that occur in a patient with chronic pain. Changes are seen in circulating cortisol levels, along with other neurotransmitters involved with sleep cycles and mood."
