Some Types of Pain Linked with Suicide Risk

People with pain caused by migraines, back issues or psychological distress may have an increased risk of suicide, a new study suggests. Researchers looked at records for more than 4.8 million people in the Veterans Affairs medical system. They focused on people with chronic (long-lasting) pain that was not related to cancer. In the next 3 years, more than 2,800 people with a pain-causing condition committed suicide. People with most pain conditions had higher rates of suicide than people without pain. Some people with pain also had mental-health conditions. Researchers adjusted the numbers to account for the effects this might have on suicide rates. Three causes of pain were still linked with a higher suicide risk. The increased risk was 13% with back pain and 34% with migraines. The highest increased risk was 58% for people with psychogenic pain.