Pain Management: What To Do And How To Do It

Know the types of pain

Pain is the first by-product of any injury or underlying issue with the body. It is an indicator that signifies a hidden problem that might require immediate attention. Pain management doctors categorize pain into three types:

1. Pain due to direct tissue injury.

Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid arthritis are perfect examples of direct tissue injury that occur due to wear and tear of the joints.

2. Pain due to injury of the nervous system

Any damage to the nervous system that is brought on by a stroke, multiple sclerosis, neuropathy or Spinal cord injury can cause acute or chronic nerve pain.

3. A combination of tissue and nerve injury.

Chronic or acute neck pain, back pain, and pain due to cancer occur due to tissue and nerve damage.

While there are many medicines available to help ease pain, pain management rehab is a highly effective way that teaches patients to handle pain without depending on medication.

Pain Management: A Multi-Pronged Approach

Advanced pain treatment requires a diverse, multi-pronged effort to thwart pain right from its source. This is imperative because in most cases, pain tends to spread to other parts of the body, thus rendering the person helpless and inefficient. Pain management doctors deploy three strategies to control and overcome pain:

1. Medication

Pain-relieving medication include :

• Muscle-relaxants

• Antidepressants

• Numbing injections

• Anti Inflammatory

• Spinal injections

• Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulators or TENS

2. Advanced pain-relieving procedures

• Radio frequency ablation or RFA- It is a procedure where heat or chemical agents are applied to the nerve to numb the pain.

• Viscosupplementation- Injecting lubricants into the joints to ease excruciating pain.

3. The third pain management strategy involves implants with a pain pump or spinal cord stimulator. Stem cell treatment is also one of the effective ways to reduce chronic pain.

Pain Management Rehabilitation: How To Make It A Long-term Solution

There are many circumstances which make pain a relentless, perpetual problem. Chronic pain hinders the process of recovery, thus making it imperative to alleviate pain for the patient. Rehabilitation for serious injuries like spinal cord injury, brain injury, and chronic arthritic problems necessitate the importance of pain management.

A pain management specialist is an important member of a rehab team who ought to have the following qualities:

• In-depth knowledge of pain disorders

• Ability to accurately diagnose the cause and source of pain

• Skill and ability to implement the latest tests to make accurate diagnoses.

• Skill to prescribe the right medication, treatment and rehab process to minimize pain.

Pain management rehab needs to be in coordination with the physical and psychological rehab to ensure that the progress is balanced and comprehensive. Pain management doctors retrieve vital information from prior medical records, medication list, family health history, diagnostic reports, and a thorough physical examination.

To kickstart an effective pain management rehab doctors will require the following information:

• Location of pain

• What the pain feels like (dull, mild, excruciating , tingling or numb)

• Duration and frequency of pain

• Factors that worsen or lessen pain

• Other symptoms that accompany the pain

Consistent pain rehab helps you gain control over pain to lead an easy life and make recovery quick and effective.

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