WHAT IS PAIN MANAGEMENT?

The treatments for chronic pain are as diverse as the causes, from over-the-counter and prescription drugs to mind/body techniques as well as acupuncture. There are a lot of approaches, but when it comes to treating chronic pain, no single technique is guaranteed to produce complete pain relief. Relief may be found by using a combination of treatment options.

HOW YOUR PAIN MAY BE TREATED

There are many different ways to treat pain, and the most appropriate pain management method for you will depend on several factors,

Such as:

• How severe the pain is
• How it affects your life
• How frequently you find yourself dealing with the pain, and
• The actual cause of your pain

Generally, the most effective treatment of any medical condition is to get rid of the offending cause, however, for pain, especially chronic pain, this method might not be possible. Most of the time the goal of treatment is to decrease the intensity of your pain and make you feel better. For acute pain this goal is often met successfully, but chronic pain that is pain lasting for at least three months or more has a different effect on the nervous system and needs to be treated differently. A multidisciplinary approach, which is using a combination of pain management treatments and techniques is often the most successful way to manage chronic pain.

This approach can include:

• Medications to manage pain, such as analgesics (which includes commonly known drugs such paracetamol), and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
• Physical therapy
• Massage
• Exercise
• Heat and cold therapy
• Blocking nerves from pain at particular points
• and many more, etc.