With so many concerns about the dangers of the coronavirus (COVID-19) right now, you might wonder how chronic pain affects your ability to fight diseases in the immune system. It is the high time you talk to your pain management doctors often and find out various ways of staying safe indoors.

We learned from the fact that some people were more vulnerable to it than others after COVID-19 emerged a few months ago. Age, smoking, gender, chronic medical difficulties, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and the underlying lung problems of diseases such as COPD seem to have been some of the variables that seem to increase the seriousness of the disease. The general opinion is that the worst coronavirus outbreaks and a high rate of mortality are more likely to occur in those with more weakened immune systems.

The consequence of immune function may be chronic pain and continuing stress. Chronic pain can reprogram the way genes function in the immune system. Indeed, the way DNA is labeled in different immune cells known as T cells seems to be promptly changed in chronic pain. It appears to be a very strong link between chronic pain and DNA marker changes on these essential infection fighters, although it is still unclear how these changes influence the capacity of these T cells to defend against infection.

Continuous pain can certainly contribute to stress and, if the pain stays constant, a long-term stress in the body may occur. Consider stress response as a combination of changes in neurology, endocrine and the immune system to help the body avoid any potential danger or hazard. The level of the hormone cortisol starts to increase until the stress response continues. Long-term increases in Cortisol are associated with declines in the activity of the immune system. Older people, for example, have been shown to have lower immune cell rates including lymphocytes and slower injury healing times. Consulting a back specialist is the need of the hour for such situations.

Chronic pain may also be related to other chronic disorders that also impair the function of the immune system. Factors associated with pain such as stress responses and excessive inactivity may result in body changes that boost blood pressure and increase weight that in turn contribute to heart disease, stroke, diabetes and other chronic condition risk factors. In addition, studies have shown that in those with chronic pain the incidence of heart disease is substantially higher.

Do not rely on your immune system alone-first take action to reduce the risk of virus exposure:

• Wash your hands with soap for a minimum of 20 seconds, sometimes.

• Stop mouth, nose, and eye contact.

• Vacuum and disinfect home and vehicle surfaces.

• Distancing people from society. Keep away from public spaces and crowds as much as possible.

And don't miss the practical steps that make the immune system function as well as possible: eat healthy, try to sleep and stay active.

If the situation gets worse with your back pain, contact Oklahoma Pain Treatment. We are located in OKC and have been functional in the industry with top-rated pain management doctors.

**Disclaimer: This blog post does not establish terms of a doctor-patient relationship and is not intended to be taken as a doctor's advice.