There needs to be increased awareness of the close links connecting diabetes, hypertension and myriad forms of chronic pain.
Diabetes and hypertension, often coexisting, synergistically heighten the risk of stroke, heart disease, kidney failure, and vision loss. Beyond organ damage, they fuel a parallel crisis chronic pain. Inflammatory arthritis, neuropathy, and diffuse body pains prevail in those with diabetes and hypertension, connected to obesity, inflammation, microvascular injury, and atherosclerosis. This triad elevates risks and, through ischemia and nerve damage, lowers pain thresholds, forming a self-perpetuating cycle hindering disease control. Multimodal treatment is crucial, transcending compartmentalized management for overall well-being and recognizing the significant overlap in risk factors and outcomes of diabetes, hypertension, and chronic pain.
