Ways to Get Treatment for Chronic Pain

Diagnosing chronic pain can be difficult. Feelings of numbness and intermittent stinging may only be signs of mild irritation. The pain must persist for a significant amount of time from a specific source.

Maybe you recently suffered an injury or had to go in for surgery. The source of your pain could be related to symptoms of arthritis. Whatever the diagnosis may be, you’ll need the right treatment to overcome it.

There are more treatments for chronic pain than ever. A variety of drugs and medications are still on the market, but there are better alternatives. Listed below are some of the treatments you can receive to alleviate your chronic pain.

Pain Medications

Pain relieving medications can be relatively benign over-the-counter NSAIDs like aspirin. There are many stronger drugs in the form of oxycodone and morphine. The current opioid crisis is causing doctors to re-evaluate prescribing these meds since their negative effects pose a medical malpractice risk.

Pain shots are an alternative form of medication that directly targets the affected area. Trigger point injections are designed to work on tight spots in the muscles. Epidural steroids can be used to alleviate herniated discs. Some doctors may recommend a “pain pump” spinal implant that releases medicine automatically in the form of a slow drip.

Electrical Therapy

Sometimes pain can be relieved by re-arranging the way receptors send pain signals. Low-voltage electrical shock therapy is one method of targeting painful areas.

Transcutaneous electrical nerve therapy (TEN) employs electrodes placed on the skin above a painful area to give the affected area a small jolt.

Bioelectric therapy uses the same technology to block pain messages to the brain, releasing endorphins. Neither procedure is painful, but the treatments can have varying effects. Pain stemming from diabetes, arthritis, and back pain are better treated under bioelectric therapy than TEN.  

Psychological Treatment     

Doctors may not recommend mind-body therapies for all your health needs, but they have advantages. Through regular routines of relaxation and meditation, pain sufferers can psychologically ease or block any discomfort.

Biofeedback is a proven form of psychological therapy that can ease pain through regular readings via computer hook up. The computer will display a series of soothing images that can be interrupted by flashes if the patient is experiencing stress.

A biofeedback therapist will be on hand to guide you through deep breathing, muscle relaxation, and guided imagery exercises. Recovering from pain means knowing yourself.