If you are experiencing pain, the kind of pain that stops you in your tracks, you may not know the steps to take to start feeling better. Knowing your options can help you get started in the right direction…back to a life without pain. Pain Management options range from medications, chiropractic adjustments and electrical stimulation to physical therapy and massage therapy.
Medications are one option for the treatment of pain issues that many people think of first and serve many purposes in the treatment of pain. Anti-inflammatory medications are just that, medications to help reduce inflammation in a muscle or joint that has been injured. These are often a first line of treatment and used in conjunction with other modalities. Muscle relaxers are another option used to help reduce muscle spasms and decrease pain.
Trigger point injections utilize a small amount of numbing medicine and a steroid that are injected into an area of muscle that is inflamed. Medication Injections inactivate the trigger point and thus relieve the pain.
Joint injections are performed using the same medications as trigger point injections but the medication is injected into the joint space. Joint injection sites include: shoulder, knee, hand, wrist, elbow, and hip.
Therapeutic nerve blocks can help patients who suffer from low back pain, neck pain, sciatica, reflex sympathetic dystrophy, also known as RSD or complex regional pain syndrom, shingles, painful peripheral vascular disease, and migraine headaches.
Chiropractic treatment is the most common non-surgical treatment for back pain. The examination of the spine, evaluating the structure and function, is what makes chiropractic care different from other health care procedures. The primary role of a chiropractor is to free the body of restrictions, both structural and neurological so that it can heal itself.
Physical Therapy uses specialized movements to strengthen weak areas of the body, often through resistance training. Physical therapy exercises help musculoskeletal pain, joint pain, and lower back pain by strengthening the muscles supporting joints, improving alignment and releasing endorphins. Physical therapists show people how to build up strength and improve range of motion as well as how to make sensible decisions about activities to prevent pain.
Matrix - electrical stimulation is an alternative treatment for the daily discomfort of back and neck soreness, headaches, shoulder, arm, hip and leg pain, carpal tunnel syndrom, and a host of similar ailments. The Matrix delivers soothing pulses of energy at extremely accurate frequencies to provide pain relief for both acute and chronic conditions. The process is comfortable and performed without needles, surgery or medication.
Massage Therapy is the manipulation of tissue to relax clumps of knotted muscle fiber, increase circulation and release patterns of chronic tension. Massage therapy helps musculoskeletal pain, pain from muscle underuse or overuse, and pain from adhesions or scares. It can restore mobility, improve circulation, and decrease blood pressure. Massage can reduce stress and relieve tension by enhancing blood flow.
It is important to note that any injection for pain is most effective when used in conjunction with other modalities such as electrical stimulation and physical therapy. One benefit of trying out alternative therapies is that you may find a pain relief option that works for you. Knowing your options is the first step on the path to living without pain.