Pain Management/Pain Relief Treatment
What is Relief?
Relief, also known as pain management is simply the removal of pain, which can be either physical or mental.
It involves the process of alleviating or reducing pain by providing medical care and treatment. Medications, such as Paracetamol and Ibuprofen, can be used to treat mild to moderate pain. In cases of severe pain, narcotics or opiates may be used and, in some cases,combined with analgesic steroids.
If the pain is related to inflammation then a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug will be used. Additionally, opiates and narcotics can be used to relieve pain in combination with antidepressants. This can increase the effectiveness of some medications without increasing the actual dose of the drug, and this in turn mayinfluence the way the brain perceives pain.
Narcotics as pain relief can be accompanied by side effects and evenlead to addiction. Other physiotherapy, osteopathy and health strategies, such as acupressure, acupuncture, biofeedback, manipulation and massage may be effective for increased pain control and relief in some people, depending on the cause of the pain.
Visceral pain
Injuries and damage to the internal organs are the prime causes of visceral pain. This type of pain can be felt in the trunk area of the body including the pelvis, the chest, and the abdomen. Often it is difficult to pinpoint where the actual pain is located.
Nociceptive pain
Nociceptive pain is a sharp throbbing ache that is often caused by damaged tissue. Also, it can be caused by the spread of cancer to the bones, muscles, and joints.
Somatic pain
Stimulation of the pain receptors in the tissues, rather than the internal organs is what causes somatic pain. These tissue types include connective tissues, muscles, the skin, bones, and joints, and it’s easier to pinpoint the location of somatic pain.
Neuropathic pain
Dysfunction or damage in the nervous system is what results in neuropathic pain, which causes the dysfunctional or damaged nerves to misidentify pain signals. This type of pain does not happen in response to a specific injury, it is experienced suddenly, and with no clearly defined source.
Therapy
This type of treatment is aimed at both the body and the mind. It is of two types, Physiotherapy, which addresses the physical causes, and psychotherapy which focuses on the mental causes.
Physiotherapy
This is a very common type of pain relief treatment and involves a physical exercise programme. Exercises that aren’t done correctly can worsen pain, but the right exercise programme can be created by your physio to make things better.
You gradually build your tolerance and improve the condition causing pain by indulging in proper exercises. Your physiotherapist will ensure that you don’t overdo it and you’re able to gradually improve your condition.
Cognitive-Behavioural therapy
Cognitive Behavioral therapy helps the patient to learn and understand the source of the pain and what can be done about it.
This treatment is about understanding the role the pain plays in your life, the message it’s sending to your body and what can be done about it.
A variety of other methods and modalities used to treat physical and emotional pain include.
- TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) therapy.
- Heat and cold therapy.
- Biofeedback, helps control temperature, muscle tension, and heart rate.
- Manipulation and massage.
- Visual imagery, such as picturing a peaceful scene.
Getting treated
Seek help for your pain; don’t live with it. Pain is inevitable in our lives, but when it starts to affect your ability to function daily then there’s a problem and it needs to be addressed. We have a team of experts trained in pain relief and management. Contact us today!