23 Apr 3 things you should know about Chronic Pain Management
Pain is a complex experience and chronic pain, even more so. While acute pain is the natural result of injury or damage to tissues, chronic pain may persist even after the injury has healed! Chronic pain may also be the result of wear and tear or degeneration of tissues. Here are five things you should know if you or a loved one is suffering from chronic pain.
The Underlying Cause
The root cause of chronic pain can be challenging to determine. A patient with an underlying problem in the hip may actually experience no pain in the hip but in the leg! Pain management specialists are trained and experienced in and accurately diagnosing and treating the underlying cause of a patient’s chronic pain.
Each Individual is Unique
Even if two people are experiencing pain in the same part of the body or the same type of pain (throbbing, burning etc.), they may be suffering from a different underlying condition. At the same time, one underlying problem, injury or pathology can produce different symptoms in different people. For example, a herniated disc may show up as sharp and shooting pains down the leg in one person but for another, the symptoms may be localized mostly to the back.
Pain Pills do NOT work
Self-medicating and over-the-counter medications, such as aspirin, may seem helpful in the short-term, but can cause serious side effects and even stop working after some time. Other medications, such as opioids, can lead to dangerous effects, such as tolerance and addiction. Your pain management doctor will develop a customized pain management plan including a combination of treatments, including minimally invasive interventions and physical therapy.
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