A study published in the April 2018 edition of the Clinical Journal of Pain assessed whether higher chronic pain acceptance is related to lower use of pain medications in patients with chronic pain and spinal cord injury (SCI).
The researchers performed a cross-sectional survey study of 120 adults with chronic pain and SCI regarding pain medication use, pain severity and distribution, depressive symptoms, and chronic pain acceptance.
The results of the survey indicate that those with a more accepting orientation to pain are less reliant on pain medications, and therefore experience lower risks associated with medication consumption. The researchers conclude that longitudinal, daily process, and clinical trial studies are needed to better understand the association between pain acceptance and pain medication consumption.