You have many options for pain treatment and control.
The opioid epidemic within the U.S. continues to grow, and a 2017 report from the National Initiative for Elderly Care shows that the crisis now affects older adults.
“Primary care doctors often don't have a lot of time to go through the different options available that can help relieve a person's specific pain, and it's easier and faster to write a prescription,” he says. “Also, doctors don't always know enough about other treatments to feel confident enough to recommend them.”
Even when you will not be depending on opioids, long-term use can have uncomfortable side effects reminiscent of stomach upset, nausea, constipation, and risk of falls.
Depending in your condition, the situation of your pain, and its severity, other pain management strategies could also be available along with medication. If you end up reaching for the pill bottle robotically, seek advice from your doctor about whether any of those treatments might profit you.
Physical therapy
Physical therapy could be an efficient first step in treating many common sources of pain, reminiscent of back, knee, and shoulder pain.
In fact, a study published in May 2018 Health Services Research It found that folks with low back pain who first consulted a physical therapist were less more likely to receive an opioid prescription than those that first went to a primary care doctor. A therapist works with you to create individualized exercises, stretches, and body alignment positions that help loosen up tight muscles, reduce back and joint pain, and improve range of motion. .
Yoga
Much research has supported using yoga to assist with pain, especially back pain. A 2017 study by the National Institutes of Health found that folks with back pain who took weekly yoga classes for 12 weeks experienced less pain and greater physical function than those that didn't. Get educational details about pain management.
Yoga classes emphasized poses to assist strengthen the back and core muscles. Best of all, the yoga group was more more likely to stop taking pain relievers after one 12 months than the education-only group.
Mind-body treatments
Pain is usually made worse by your response to it, reminiscent of stress and anxiety. “Therapies like cognitive-behavioral therapy can help you manage your thinking and response to pain,” says Dr. Jamieson. “It doesn't directly cure the cause of your pain, but it can reduce your perception of its severity and perhaps prevent future episodes.”
With cognitive behavioral therapy, you learn the way to reply to negative pondering in a positive way. A therapist can assist you explore your negative thought patterns, discover what triggers those thoughts and the way you react to them. With this information in mind, the therapist can assist you develop strategies for when pain triggers negative thoughts.
Percentage of older Americans with chronic pain conditions.
Sources: Adapted from Journal of Pain Research, November 1, 2017, pp. 2525–38; vital health statistics, February 2014, pp. 1-161. |
Complementary therapies
Certain kinds of complementary therapies have been shown to assist individuals with certain kinds of pain.
Acupuncture. Acupuncture uses hair-thin needles which are inserted into the skin. These needles are thought to stimulate nerves in your body in a way that overrides your pain. Some studies have found that the treatment helps relieve pain from quite a lot of conditions, reminiscent of back and knee pain, migraines, and fibromyalgia, while other research has shown no profit. For most individuals, it takes several treatments to see results. Be sure to decide on a licensed practitioner.
Massage therapy. Massage therapy can assist with muscle pain in addition to pain made worse by stress and anxiety. For example, a 2015 study History of Internal Medicine See how an hour-long weekly massage can assist individuals with chronic back pain.
After 10 weeks, nearly 40 percent reported that their pain had improved or disappeared, compared with only 4 percent of the control group treated with anti-inflammatory drugs. Another study found that 20 minutes of massage two and three days after cancer surgery reduced pain, stress and anxiety levels. Some massage therapists focus their work on people recovering from injuries or surgeries or could also be trained to treat specific conditions reminiscent of back and neck pain.
Medical intervention
These kinds of treatments can offer temporary pain relief and are helpful for people recovering from short-term painful illnesses. For example:
Botox injections. Botox is a neurotoxic protein that temporarily paralyzes muscles. Although it is usually used to smooth facial wrinkles, it's also used to temporarily treat musculoskeletal pain, reminiscent of chronic neck pain and jaw pain.
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). With TENS, a small battery-operated device applies a small electrical current through conductive pads which are applied to the skin within the painful area.
The current creates a tingling or throbbing sensation and acts to disrupt pain signals from the nerves. It is usually used to treat persistent back, neck or shoulder pain. The science is mixed on its effectiveness — it may match for some people and never for others — however it's relatively protected for many, although individuals with pacemakers shouldn't use it.
“Pain can interfere with all aspects of life,” says Dr. Jamieson. “It could make you less lively, interfere with quality sleep, and increase the danger of social isolation and depression. So anything that can assist reduce and control pain, It must be considered, and fortunately there are various options available besides pharmaceuticals.”
Photo: © ChesiireCat/Getty Images