Less Optimistic Soldiers Could Have Chronic Pain Coming from Deployment

Being optimistic before being deployed could result in the veteran complaining less of pain, and in addition, his chances of even having chronic pain after deployment can be reduced find a new study.

Chronic pain experience after deployment can be reduced if the war veterans are more optimistic before deployment. In the study, it was found that higher levels of optimism before deployment were linked with a lower likelihood of reporting new pain after deployment.

Many veterans experience chronic pain after deployment. This study of almost 21,000 U.S. Army soldiers who deployed to Afghanistan or Iraq examined the association between feelings of optimism (such as expecting the best and believing good things will happen) before deployment and new reports of pain after deployment, including new back pain, joint pain, and frequent headaches.

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‘Soldiers with low levels of optimism before deployment can be benefited from programs designed to enhance feelings of optimism.’

Higher levels of optimism before deployment were linked with a lower likelihood of reporting new pain after deployment, even after accounting for demographic, military and combat factors.

The findings suggest soldiers with low levels of optimism before deployment may benefit from programs designed to enhance feelings of optimism. There are limitations to interpreting the study results because researchers didn't account for psychiatric disorders and assessments of pain were limited.

Source-Eurekalert

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