Advanced Pain Treatment – Guide For Pain Management & Therapy
In this short article, we are going to be discussing the ways that you can identify and manage different types of pain throughout the body. We all have that little bit of back, neck or joint pain at some point throughout the day and it is important to know what is going on and what to do next. Some pain can be managed at home without professional treatment, and other types of pain require more advanced care. In this article, you will find whether or not the type of pain you are experience is cause for more urgent measures. You will also learn the different types of pain throughout the body and what unique actions each of them require. Hopefully by the end of this article, you will have a better understanding of pain management and you will know exactly what to do when you experience it.
What is Pain Treatment and When You Actually Need it?
Pain treatment is an interventive solution to pain management clinic and can include a wide array of different options. One of these options is physical therapy, which is a way of dealing with physical discomfort over a period of time. This step is important if the person experiencing the pain is physically active. Another form is manipulation and massage. If the origin of the pain is in the muscles, you can actually treat this pain by applying pressure in certain areas and relaxing the muscle groups responsible. This concept is similar for flexibility training. By stretching out the joints and becoming more flexible, you will reduce the amount of pain you experience in those areas.
If some of these more at-home methods aren’t proving to be effective, you may want to schedule an appointment with your doctor and see if you need to pursue further methods of pain management. Once you get the approval from your doctor, you can visit a pain clinic like La Clinica SC and get some professional help. Here you can take advantage of more advanced methods of pain management like weekly physical therapy, electrical nerve stimulation therapy as well as other types of relaxation therapy, hot and cold therapy and guided meditation. These can all be non-invasive and potentially effective methods of pain management, depending on the source of the pain.
Types of Pain and Pain Treatments
Now that we took a brief overview of how to define pain management and when you might need it, let’s take a look at some common sources of pain and discomfort. We will essentially be breaking these down by body part, so it should be pretty easy for you to identify the type of pain you are experiencing. Once you have identified the source of your discomfort, it should be much easier to manage it.
What is Hand Pain?
Hand pain is another common occurrence in our modern world, and it can be brought about for a variety of different reasons. It can occur due to both sudden injuries, as well as ongoing conditions. It is also pretty easy to identify and to treat. One of the most well-known causes of hand pain is tendonitis, which can make everyday activities such as holding objects or turning your wrist painful. This is caused by an irritation or inflammation of the wrist tendons at the base of the thumb. You may also experience carpal tunnel syndrome, causing pain in the palm, forefingers, wrist and forearm.
Hand Pain Treatment
In order to treat hand pain, you have to identify which of the two main types the pain is. De Quervain’s Tendinitis is caused by the irritation or inflammation of the wrist tendons and it can make it difficult to make a fist or grab small objects with your hand. One way to treat this is to use a splint to allow the thumb and the wrist to rest properly. Another method of treatment is with a cortisone shot or anti-inflammatory medications. If it is carpal tunnel syndrome, which causes pain in the palm and the forearm, you can treat it by resting the hand and wrist, using steroid shots and through physical therapy. Make sure you ask a professional which treatment option is right for you.
What is Hip Pain?
There can be a number of different causes of hip pain. Certain types of hip pain are caused by abnormalities of the skin, nerves, bones, joints, blood vessels or soft tissues. Other types of hip pain can also stem from issues with the back or spine. This hip pain can be exacerbated by walking or running. Localized hip pain can also stem from a case of Bursitis, a condition of the two Bursae that provide cushioning between the bone and the tissue.
Hip Pain Treatment
With hip pain treatment, some patients can see positive results simply by resting, and icing the area of discomfort. You can also use over the counter pain medication to alleviate some of the worst symptoms and ease the pain. Even something as simple as a warm bath can remediate a lot of the pain caused by an inflamed hip. Another thing worth mentioning is that you should walk as little as possible during the healing process. It is recommended that you try non-impact forms of exercise like swimming to help yourself recover.
What is Sciatic Nerve Pain?
Sciatica can begin with a herniated disk in your lower spine or lumbar. The vertebrae in your spine are separated by flat discs of connective tissue. When these discs get worn down, the soft center can push away from the outer ring. When this happens, it puts pressure on the surrounding nerves, including the sciatic nerve. Because the sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in the body (stretching from the lower back to the feet) localized pain such as bone spurs can be felt in different parts of the nerve in other locations of the body.
Sciatic Nerve Pain Treatment
When it comes tosciatic nerve pain treatment the most important things to think about are rest and relaxation. By resting the area around your sciatica, you can ensure that it recovers in a healthy way and by using muscle relaxers, you can stop some of the more painful muscle spasms. Doctors recommend that if you experience pain for more than 6 weeks, you should speak with a specialist about the problem. After 6 weeks, you may want to begin professional treatment of your sciatica.
What is Shoulder Pain?
The shoulder is a ball and socket joint responsible for one of the widest ranges of motion in the human body. When you start to experience discomfort in your shoulder, it can make it more difficult to do just about everything. There are essentially 3 main components of the shoulder, the humerus (long arm bone) clavicle (collar bone) and the scapula (shoulder blade). These 3 large bones are connected by a layer of cartilage. When someone experiences shoulder pain, the culprit can be the so called “rotator cuff” a collection of 4 connective tendons. If it is difficult or painful lift your arms above your head, it could mean that the rotator cuff is inflamed or swollen.
Shoulder Pain Treatment
Effective shoulder pain treatment can be very important, particularly for athletes. This is one of the most mobile joints in your body and any discomfort here can make even simply tasks painful. If this issue is caused by a dislocation or a fracture, you will want to get medical help as soon as possible. If they problem is more minor, you can try a few methods at home such as hot and cold therapy, massage and simply resting the area. It is recommended that you do not resume athletic activity until you can move your shoulder without any pain.
What is Nerve Pain?
As you may already known, nerves are the pathways through which the body senses pain. When nerves become damaged, they can send false signals to the brain that result in chronic pain. This can create a great discomfort for people that have nerve damage. On the other side of things, people with nerve damage may not perceive pain when necessary. This can be concerning as well, as the body may not be able to register an injury when it needs to. This is something you will definitely need to see a doctor about, as it can be quite a serious issue.
Nerve Pain Treatment
Nerve pain treatment may seem like one of the more difficult methods of pain management, but there are a variety of methods that have been shown to be effective in certain patients. There is no “one size fits all approach” to nerve pain treatment and different people respond to different methods of treatment. Some minimally invasive methods of treatment include acupuncture and dietary supplements like vitamin B-12. There can be short term relief experienced by pain medication, but these do not have any long-term efficacy. No matter what route you think is best for you, you should consult with professionals in pain management like the ones at La Clinica SC.
What is Wrist Pain?
Wrist pain is often associated with sudden injuries such as sprain or fracture, but it can also come about through long-term problems. A good example of this is carpal tunnel syndrome. By subjecting the wrist to repetitive stress, you increase the likelihood that you will experience an issue with wrist pain down the road. If you start to experience this type of chronic wrist pain, you will need to adjust your habits slightly.
Wrist Pain Treatment
Wrist pain treatment can be very similar to hand pain treatment. There are basically two main problems that can cause wrist pain and they are Tendinitis and Carpal tunnel. If it is Tendonitis, you will notice a sharp pain when you attempt to make a fist or grip small objects. When you use a splint, you can allow the hand and wrist to rest properly and this problem should resolve itself over time. Another method of treatment is with a cortisone shot or anti-inflammatory medications. When it comes to the case of carpal tunnel syndrome, which causes pain in the palm and the forearm, you can treat it by resting the hand and wrist, using steroid shots and through physical therapy. Some of these treatments like the steroid shots can have side effects, so please consult your doctor first.
What is Upper Back Pain?
Perhaps one of the more common forms of pain is upper back pain. This issue can be caused by a few different factors. One of the most common problems has to do with posture, most likely at work. A more acute cause of the issue is a stress fracture in one of the vertebrae. Upper back pain can also simply be caused by overuse through athletic activities. Before you look into pain treatment options, you should look into whether the issue is skeletal or muscular. This will help you decide what route you want to take when it comes to treatment.
Upper Back Pain Treatment
Upper back pain treatment can be something you need to work on throughout your life because of how common it is. One of the most common sources of upper back pain is actually incorrect posture. This can be caused by sitting at a desk too long or being into an uncomfortable seated or standing position at work. The solution to this is to try and correct your posture. There are a few different products online that can help correct your posture over time, leading to less back pain in the long run. While you can wear this posture correcting device during the day, at night you should be experimenting with hot and cold therapy as well as stretching and even deep tissue massage. Sometimes tightness in the back can be caused by tightness elsewhere in the body like the legs.
What is Elbow Pain?
Elbow pain is most likely caused by overuse. Certain sports can demand too much of the elbow at times, and therefore the most obvious solution to elbow pain is to rest it. If you rest your elbow for a few weeks and it does not feel better, then it may be time to see a doctor about the issue. While acute elbow problems like golfer’s elbow or tennis elbow are quite common, more chronic conditions like osteoarthritis still exist. Resting the area of discomfort can be a good way to identify the source of the pain. If you have stopped all activity for a few weeks and the pain is still persisting, that might be a sign that the issue is more chronic.
Elbow Pain Treatment
Elbow pain treatment is simple and a very important part of athletic performance. If you are a golfer or a tennis player, at some point or another you may experience elbow pain. You should be resting your elbow if it begins to become inflamed and you should try to ice it when possible. If this doesn’t work, you should contact your doctor to see if further methods of elbow pain treatment are necessary. You should also contact your doctor if you begin to see bruising or swelling around your elbow or if the pain continues to get worse even without using your elbow. You should also contact your doctor if the pain becomes so extreme that you have difficulty bending your arm.
What is Heel Pain?
While heel pain can sometimes be a symptom of a larger issue throughout the body, more often than not it is localized to a single area. There are two main causes of this localized heel pain and those are plantar fasciitis, a painful inflammation of a band of tissue supporting the arch of the foot, and heel spurs, an abnormal growth in the area where the plantar fascia connects to the bone. If you are currently seeing a podiatrist, this is something you should address with him/her. Quite often, it can come down to simply switching up the type of shoes or arches you wear.
What is Groin Pain?
The groin is defined as the area where the upper thighs meet the lower abdomen. If you are experiencing groin pain (outside of the reproductive organs) the issue is most likely muscular. The muscles of the groin are particular vulnerable to being pulled or stretched out of place. A pulled groin muscle can make it very uncomfortable or even painful to walk and when it happens, the best thing to do is rest. If this injury followed intense physical activity, it is very likely that the issue is acute. If the pain arises unexpectedly and doesn’t go away after a few weeks of rest, this may be a sign that the problem is more chronic and should be addressed.
Groin Pain Treatment
There are methods for groin pain treatment that are quite simply. First, because groin pain is usually caused by a pulled muscle through athletic activity, it is important that rest the area for a few days and see if that helps make it feel any better. While you are resting, you are welcome to try a few different methods for at home treatment. One of these treatments is to ice the inside of your thigh, close to the source of the pain. Experts recommend icing this are for 20-30 minutes every 3-4 hours for 2 to 3 days until the pain is completely gone. You can also compress your thigh using an elastic bandage or tape. If this does not take care of the pain, you can seek professional help in the form of physical therapy.
What is Joint Pain?
Joint pain is one of the more common forms of body discomfort. Joints are what form the connections between two bones, and therefore they are being stressed constantly as our body moves. Any damage to these joints, whether it be through disease or injury, can cause decreased mobility or pain. This type of pain is experienced by 1 third of adults and the most common types are knee pain, shoulder pain and hip pain. This pain can be managed through physical therapy and alternative treatments. Medications like muscle relaxers can be used, but often cause side effects and do not offer viable long-term solutions.
Joint Pain Treatment
Joint pain treatment can be one of the easier forms of pain treatment, but it could require professional assistance. First, you can try a few at home methods like protecting the joints in a wrap, resting the joints, icing the joints to reduce swelling and inflammation, elevating the joints above your heart and compressing the joints using an elastic wrap. If this doesn’t work, you may want to seek out professional help through physical therapy and as a last resort you can look into injections. Some patients have experienced benefits from topical agents such as capsaicin, a substance found in chili peppers. This blocks substance P, which has been known to transmit pain signals.
What is Neuropathic Pain?
Neuropathic pain is caused by damage to the sensory system. Normally, damage to the sensory system causes a numbness, but in some cases, it can lead to chronic pain. This type of pain does not start abruptly or resolve quickly, but it often occurs overtime and leads to constant pain problems. The symptoms of this pain can increase and decrease in intensity throughout the day. This is thought to be associated with peripheral nerve problems like those caused by diabetes or spinal stenosis, but it can also be cause by injury to the brain or spinal cord.
Neuropathic Pain Treatment
Neuropathic pain treatment can be one of the most difficult types of pain treatment, but there are still ways to manage it. If the pain is unbearable, you can take painkillers like Aleve or Motrin, but it is advised that you see a specialist as soon as possible. If the pain is brought about by a disease such as diabetes, it can be far more effective to try and treat the underlying disease rather than the symptoms. In extreme cases, a pain specialist may be able to use an implanted device to manage the pain. This device can be quite invasive so it should only be used as a last resort. It uses electrical stimulation of the nerves involved to help control the pain symptoms.
What is Big Toe Joint Pain?
Even though the big toe is a relatively small part of the body, pain in the big toe joint can cause severe discomfort throughout the day. The joint that connect the big toe to the first metatarsal bone of the foot is called the metatarsophalangeal joint. These joints endure significant weight bearing stress throughout the day. There are 5 main problems that frequently occur at this joint that are worth checking and they are bunions, arthritis, gout, sesamoiditis and turf toe. If you are able to carefully look through and assess each of these conditions, you should be able to easily identify which condition is afflicting your big toe.
Big Toe Joint Pain Treatment
For big toe joint pain treatment, you have a few different options. Some of the solutions can be done at home and others may require help from a professional. The first is to simply rest the toe and apply ice. This will reduce the swelling and a lot of the discomfort. You can also stretch the toe before and after an activity to improve the situation. You may want to contact your podiatrist and see if there is a different type of shoe you can wear to improve the situation. You might be surprised at how many injuries of the foot can be caused by wearing the wrong shoes. If the pain persists, you can talk to a doctor about surgery as a last resort solution.
What is Calf Pain?
Calf pain is any discomfort occurring in the calf muscle in the back of your lower leg. The so-called “calf muscle” is a collection of 3 separate muscles, the gastrocnemius, soleus and the plantaris. Any injury or strain to these muscles can cause discomfort or pain in the calf area. The issue may not always be caused by sudden injury. Conditions that affect the blood vessels, nerves or tissues surrounding the area can also be the culprit of pain in the calf area as well. The doctor will want to know the specifics of your calf pain, so make sure you can identify whether the pain is sharp, cramping, shooting or stabbing, etc. This will help him/her identify the source of the pain and explore a few possible treatment options.
Calf Pain Treatment
If you start to experience some pain in your calf muscles, there are a few ways you can help to make it feel better. The first is to look into the R.I.C.E method, which stands for rest, ice, compression and elevation. This is sort of a one size fits all approach to pain management, and can offer some relief without any side effects. You can supplement this treatment with some light stretching or yoga. This might be able to loosen up the area and create more comfort. If the pain continues, you may want to seek out a clinic like the one mentioned below.
What is Hand Pain?
Hand pain is another common occurrence in our modern world, and it can be brought about for a variety of different reasons. It can occur due to both sudden injuries, as well as ongoing conditions. It is also pretty easy to identify and to treat. One of the most well-known causes of hand pain is tendonitis, which can make everyday activities such as holding objects or turning your wrist painful. This is caused by an irritation or inflammation of the wrist tendons at the base of the thumb. You may also experience carpal tunnel syndrome, causing pain in the palm, forefingers, wrist and forearm.
Hand Pain Treatment
In order to treat hand pain, you have to identify which of the two main types the pain is. De Quervain’s Tendinitis is caused by the irritation or inflammation of the wrist tendons and it can make it difficult to make a fist or grab small objects with your hand. One way to treat this is to use a splint to allow the thumb and the wrist to rest properly. Another method of treatment is with a cortisone shot or anti-inflammatory medications. If it is carpal tunnel syndrome, which causes pain in the palm and the forearm, you can treat it by resting the hand and wrist, using steroid shots and through physical therapy. Make sure you ask a professional which treatment option is right for you.
Best Place for Pain Treatment and Management in Chicago
If you are looking for pain management and you live in Chicago, the best treatment facilities are from La Clinica SC. Here, you can see different specialists trained in all aspects of pain management. No matter how serious the condition may be, there are people ready to help you out. If you have any questions about pain management or symptoms discussed here, you can contact us at 773-763-2800 or scheduling a free consultation.