Pain Management

Acute pain begins suddenly and is usually sharp in quality. It serves as a warning of disease or a threat to the body, for example placing your hand on a hot stove.  Other examples of acute pain are surgical pain, laceration, broken bones etc.  Acute pain resolves over time as the underlying injury heals, usually not lasting more than 6 months.  Acute pain may lead to chronic pain.

Chronic pain is pain that persists despite the initial injury healing or persistent disease that leads to ongoing pain.  Pain signals may remain active or become hyperactive for weeks, months, or years.  Common causes of chronic pain are arthritis, back pain, headaches, cancer related pain, neuropathic pain (damaged nerves) and psychogenic pain.  In some cases, acute pain can become chronic pain if it lasts three months or more. For example, if surgical pain isn’t treated correctly, the nerves can become hypersensitive and can become chronic pain. 

Some of the physical effects include decrease mobility, weight changes, lack of energy, and / or sleep disturbances.  Chronic pain may also lead to depression, anger, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, and / or fear of activity due to pain.

In cases of chronic pain that cannot be fully removed or treated, the patient needs to follow a routine that helps them manage their pain effectively through a combination of physical therapy, medication, and counseling. Depending on the nature and severity of the pain, additional therapeutic practices may be recommended.

Conditions

• Complex Regional Pain
• Hip Pain
• Joints Arthritis
• Knee osteoarthritis
• Myofascial Pain Syndrome
• Chronic back pain
• Chronic neck pain
• Chronic shoulder pain
• Sciatica
• Foot pain
• Complex neuropathic pain and neuralgias
• Persistent pain after surgery

According to WHO, 1 in 5 people suffer from chronic pain worldwide. Lower back pain accounts for the majority of chronic pain cases. Effective pain management practices can go a long way in a majority of chronic pain cases, providing relief even without medication.

Pain medicine or pain management becomes the focus of medicine when it is not possible to fully treat or cure the underlying condition. In the absence of a diagnosis, or during the period of waiting between the start of treatment and its results, pain medicine is used to alleviate the discomfort of the patient. Pain management does not necessarily remove all pain, but it makes the pain manageable for the patient.