Pain Management
The most common types of pain are acute pain and chronic pain. Acute pain is caused by injuries, debilitating illnesses and surgery. This occurs because of the introduction of a stimulus to the body’s pain-sensing nerves, which send a message to the spinal cord and brain. This type of pain usually does not take a long time to treat. Chronic pain management deals with the type of pain that persists or worsens, even after surgery or healing and may not be caused by a stimulus. Unlike acute pain, chronic pain may not respond to pain management medication like analgesics and may become permanent. The kind of pain management treatment that is prescribed to a patient depends greatly on which type of pain is involved and there are many methods of treating and managing pain. Here are some methods that are commonly used: 1. Drug Therapy Probably the most common way of treating pain, drug therapy involves over-the-counter or prescription drugs to induce relief. Common pain relievers like acetaminophen, which can relieve minor aches and pains but will not alleviate swelling, are sometimes used in combination with other pain killers. Other medications used in drug therapy are anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin and aspirin combined with acetaminophen to combat swelling as well as pain. Non-steroidal drugs like naproxen and ibuprofen are also used. Prescription steroidal drugs like cortisol are often prescribed for the pain management of more serious inflammatory problems. Opioids, also called narcotics or narcotic analgesics, are morphine-like drugs. They are prescribed to treat acute pain, cancer pain, and occasionally for some chronic pain management. There is a downside to the use of opiods: they can cause side effects like respiratory depression and there are also concerns regarding tolerance and addiction. Anti-depressants and anti-seizure drugs may also be used to relieve certain pain. Anti-depressants help bring about sleep and anti-seizures can combat pain caused by damaged nerves. These drugs can also have side effects and withdrawal symptoms. They are only available through prescription. 2. Anesthetic Therapy Most people are familiar with anesthesia as a way to numb and relax a patient before and during surgery or childbirth, but it is also used to relieve painful non-surgical conditions. Some of the methods used are drug spinal cord stimulations and nerve blocks. Nerve blocks target a specific group of nerves called the plexus or ganglion and act as a numbing agent to relieve pain like tension headache or nerve irritation at the back of the head. Nerve blocks can either be temporary or permanent. Local anesthetics like Novocain may also be administered and can be injected into muscles, joints or around nerve roots. Anesthetics are very helpful pain management tools in reducing swelling and spasms. 3. Neurostimulatory Therapy One of the methods used in this type of therapy is TENS or transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation where mild electric current is applied at the site of the pain. This is not a painful method and utilizes a battery-operated device to stimulate nerve fibers under the skin. Other methods used are invasive stimulatory therapy for the brain and spinal cord and acupuncture, although the latter is discussed as an alternative therapy in this article. 4. Rehabilitation Therapy This type of pain management treatment has two main categories: physical therapy and occupational therapy. Physical therapy includes exercises, massages for the manipulation of body tissues, vibration and pressure therapies. Methods such as these aim to stimulate the nerves and muscles to relieve contractions and spasms, promoting relaxation and relief. Occupational therapy uses methods to get a patient back on his normal routine and may involve using splints, braces, supports and other corrective devices to improve the function of a certain body part while also relieving pain. Other methods used in a physical therapy are exercise programs that are tailored specifically for the type of condition that is being treated. These methods are aquatic therapy, deep muscle massages and ultrasound. 5. Psychological / Alternative Therapy Psychological therapy can cover such treatments as doctor-administered hypnosis, self-hypnosis, imagery, biofeedback, relaxation training, psychotherapy and distraction. These are very helpful in alleviating the emotional effects of pain, in conjunction with physical treatment. If anything else, these kinds of pain management not only help relax the patient, but the family members as well. Alternative therapy like acupuncture has been gaining popularity steadily. This method uses long, thin needles that pierce the skin at specific points to relieve certain conditions. It is an ancient Chinese medical practice that has been known to effectively help in pain management. Pain management is often a misunderstood problem because the feeling of pain is very subjective -- no two people can experience the same type of pain in the same way. It goes beyond age, gender, social and racial boundaries and is caused by many factors. There is no such thing as a single formula for pain management, but research and studies have advanced over the years, as more and more information about its causes and treatment are being discovered. To top of page – Pain Management |