Pain Management -Types and Treatment

Pain is a signal from your nervous system that something is wrong in your body.Pain may be caused due to underlying disease,illness,trauma or invasion. You might experience pain due to trouble in the musculoskeletal system that can vary from acute to chronic. However, the intensity and duration of pain varies from person to person. Somebody suffering from cancer has a sharp stabbing pain while somebody else might have gastritis issues and encounter a dull pain. People have different tolerance levels . When exposed to similar pain , person A might be able to tolerate it while person B might be consumed by it . It can be concluded that pain is highly subjective. At Medharbour, we have tailored care for every patient which is a composition of medication, surgery , physiotherapy and rehabilitation programs.

What are the strategies to manage pain?

In order to manage pain you can use one or a combination of these strategies:

1. Pain medicine:Depending on the type of pain you are experiencing, you can use Acetaminophen, Topical Ointments or injections.

2. Physical therapy:Physical therapists render hands on care, assist in exercise and educate with techniques such as hot/cold packs, hydrotherapy etc., that reduce pain to a great extent.

3. Psychological therapy: The most common and widely used therapy in case of chronic pain is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).Other approaches are operant conditioning approach,classical conditioning approach ,social support methods , biofeedback, acceptance and commitment.

Five most common types of pain

In this article we will be discussing 5 most relevant types of pain .

• Acute pain: Acute pain starts suddenly and doesn’t last too long . Example : pain due to fever , sprains , cut ,bruise,burn etc .

• Chronic pain: It develops over a period of time and lasts for more than 12 weeks despite medication and therapy.Chronic pain can affect people suffering from diabetes,arthritis ,fibromyalgia ,irritable bowel and back pain.

• Neuropathic pain:Neuropathic pain can happen if your nervous system is damaged or not working correctly. You can feel pain from any of the various levels of the nervous system.

• Radicular pain:This pain occurs when the spinal nerve gets compressed.Radicular pain is a type of pain that radiates from back and hip into your legs through the spine.

• Nociceptive pain: A sharp,aching and throbbing pain due to damage to the tissue is called nociceptive pain.Example : pain in dental procedures.

Causes of normal pain

A pain is called normal when it’s bearable, last for a shorter duration and can be healed with over the counter medication.

While there are ‘n’ number of causes of normal pain , a few have been highlighted below :

• Muscle,tendon or bone injury
• Headache
• Postoperative pain at incision site
• Pulled or strained muscle
• Pain due to exertion
• Poor posture pain
• A minor burn or cut
• Sprain and strain
• Skinned elbow or knee

Causes of pain that need immediate medical attention

Certain pain needs urgent help from health care providers , if delayed can be fatal.

• Arthritis
• Fibromyalgia
• Diabetes
• A herniated disc in the neck or back
• Cancer
• Chronic migraine headaches
• A compressed or pinched nerve
• Sciatica
• Chronic fatigue syndrome
• Heart attack
• Stroke

How do doctors at Medharbour manage pain?

At Medharbour,we believe, It’s always better to err on the site of caution than to take the chance that your injury or illness gets worse.We diagnose the root cause of your pain at the earliest and take necessary measures to fix it as soon as possible.Following techniques are recommended to manage pain :

✅ Home remedies: Doctors at Medharbour, recommend you to practise home remedies in case of first degree pain. Use RICE therapy (Rest,icing, compression, elevation)to achieve best results at the comfort of your home .

✅ Counselling and Therapy: You need to change the outlook of your pain by counselling and optimistic therapies to overcome anxiety and depression.

✅ Exercise: Basic exercises such as swimming,yoga or walking must be adopted.The intensity of these can be increased slowly but gradually.

✅ Hands on treatment: Hands on treatment includes acupuncture, chiropractic fixation , osteopathic etc .

This treatment enhances mobility and reduces pain to a great extent.

✅ Medication: your healthcare provider might prescribe you antibiotics and anti inflammatory drugs.

✅ Lifestyle changes: Try to maintain a good posture and healthy weight .Set your biological clock ,eat well, manage stress,drink plenty of water.

Book your appointment at the pain management wing of Medharbour, Gurgaon and live a pain free , stress free life . Irrespective of the type of pain, our doctors have the best solution.

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