Pain is a common symptom that can result from injury or disease. It can last a short time and go away when the injury heals (acute pain) or it can be a constant feeling that doesn’t stop (chronic pain). Pain management specialists help regulate your pain through medications, procedures, exercises and therapy.
When you visit your primary care provider for pain, be open and honest about what you’re experiencing. Tell them when and where you feel it, what makes it better or worse, and how it changes through the day. This will allow your healthcare team to find a treatment plan that best helps you.
Pain can be very difficult to treat, especially when it persists for a long time. It can become chronic, causing you to miss work and social activities or lose sleep due to it. It can also affect your mood, making you more anxious or depressed. It can even impact your eating habits, which can lead to weight gain and other health problems.
Effective pain management is critical to improve a patient’s quality of life. However, many people are not receiving the treatment they need because of a lack of knowledge and stigma around chronic pain and the overuse of opioids.
If you or a loved one suffers from chronic pain, it’s important to know that you are not alone. You can seek treatment at a variety of locations and providers, including community health clinics and private practice physicians. The goal is to provide a comprehensive pain management program that includes behavioral, physical and pharmacological treatments to manage the underlying issues that cause your pain.
The goal of pain management is to decrease pain intensity and improve functional ability. To do this, your healthcare team will evaluate your pain’s location, quality and severity throughout the treatment process. This will include regular reassessments to monitor your progress.
To reduce your pain, your healthcare team will first try to identify the underlying issue. This may require a series of tests or imaging to confirm the root cause and determine the type of pain you’re experiencing. Generally, you’ll be classified as having either nociceptive pain (signaled to the brain by damaged nerve cell endings) or neuropathic pain (nerve damage).
Medications are the most commonly used method to control pain, but they have their limitations. These pills can only mask the symptoms of the pain, and they are not always safe for long-term use. Physical therapy can be a much more effective treatment for pain because it targets the source of the problem, and it is not limited by the amount of medication you’re taking. In addition, physical therapy is a much more cost-effective option than surgery or other invasive medical treatments. However, not all forms of physical therapy are created equal. It’s important to find a therapist who has experience treating your specific condition and is willing to work with you on your goals and concerns. The right therapist can make all the difference in your journey to pain management.
Chronic pain affects millions of people worldwide, impacting their quality of life and overall well-being. While conventional medicine often relies on medications and invasive procedures to manage pain, chiropractic therapy offers a safe and effective alternative. By focusing on the body’s musculoskeletal system and its connection to the nervous system, chiropractic care can provide lasting pain relief and promote holistic healing.