Is pain management really the best option to get rid of pain and live a better quality life?

Pain can disrupt your daily life and affect your work and leisure activities as it is a constant feeling which does not go away and let you live comfortably. People suffer from different aches and pains that result from various conditions and they take a lot of medicines and use other forms of treatment to get rid of this pain. Whether the particular cause of pain is diagnosed or not, pain management techniques are used to alleviate this feeling and provide relief.

Most of the people these days suffer from pain that results from various conditions and they want the best means to get rid of this condition. While some have arthritis, others suffer from migraine and there are others who have joint and muscular pains resulting from long working hours. All this can be pretty stressing and must be addressed the right way as it can grow into some other life threatening condition which can become more agonizing.

While a large number of people only take painkillers to get their pain addressed, there are many who are tired of taking medicines and look up new ways to manage their pain. Pain management in Houston Texas or anywhere else is becoming a key part of healthcare as more and more people are turning towards the right diagnosis and treatment of their problems which cause pain. It is only with the right management techniques that you can continue with your routine life activities and look forward to a better life.

How pain management techniques work
The best thing about pain management is that it first aims to identify the cause and type of pain. Slight to moderate basically occurs quickly and either goes away on its own or can be addressed with any medicine but it does not last long enough to be a big problem. It is the chronic and hard pain which is the worst as it can last for a long period of time and does not go away easily even with medicine and affects daily life too. It is this type of pain which needs proper diagnosis and treatment and people suffering from chronic pain have to undergo a highly detailed evaluation, provide their medical history as well as day to activity report so that the doctor can get to the root cause of the pain and come up with the best pain management technique and treatment.

Pain management specialists work closely with the patients and come up with various forms of treatment that effectively suppress and lessen this unpleasant sensation. They consider everything before the right pain management is provided because they know this is the only and the best option to help patients get rid of pain and live a better quality life in the long run. They locate the region where the pain is generating, the age of the patient as well as the degree of physical limitation and intensity of pain so that they can begin the treatment and alleviate it.

With advancement in the field of healthcare, the methods of pain management have been improved and the doctors ensure they are offering the best mode of treatment to their patient. They use medications, injections, physical and rehabilitative services, disc compression, electrical therapy treatment, spinal cord stimulation, nerve freezing procedures and even relaxation techniques to provide utmost relief to the patients.

It is also necessary to note that the patients also have to play an active role in their treatment by working together with the doctor in order to enjoy long term relief. They must bring the necessary changes in their diet, lifestyle and behaviors if they want to prevent the return of pain and enjoy a good life, free of all pain and stress.

Pain management is indeed the best option when it comes to getting rid of pain but it only works when these techniques are administered by an experienced and qualified doctor who knows what he or she is doing. It is because the doctors knows their patients’ history and understand how to administer the medicine or when to change the mode of treatment so that it will not cause any long term effect on the body and only lead to positive results.

Different Ways of Relieving Pain in Houston

Chronic pain affects numerous people in Houston. This condition can completely change your life. This is in terms of eating, sleeping and having some quality time with your family, among others. There are numerous pain management Clinics in Houston trying to help relieve different pain conditions. People experience pain differently. Some people experience mild pain which disappears after a while; whereas others experience acute pain. Acute pain turns into chronic pain if not treated early. Pain can be caused by car accidents, sports injuries, and back & neck injuries, among others.

Why visit a pain management specialist?

As we all know, there are numerous remedies people use to relieve pain. They range from pharmaceutical products and natural herbs, among others. Sadly, some of these products do more harm than good. This brings us to the question, why visit a pain management clinic? Pain treatment is complex than it sounds. The condition can aggravate if not properly treated by a pain specialist. Generally, there is a relationship between the spine and the nervous system. Pain management clinics evaluate the problem before administering any treatment method. This helps identify the root cause of the pain. A pain management specialist can use an x-ray machine or a complete physical examination. Additionally, a pain management expert can ask you how you feel. Try and be specific as possible. The wrong diagnosis can aggravate the issue due to massaging the wrong area.

Pain treatment options

There are numerous treatment options pain management Clinics in Houston offer. It all depends on your selected clinic and your preferred treatment method. Here are some common treatment options a person can choose after visiting a pain management clinic:

• Medication- A person might be prescribed over the counter drugs or powerful drugs like opioids. Medicines treat mild pains. However, some conditions are severe that they need more attention.
• Physical therapy- Specific workout routines can help reduce pain and build muscle. This treatment method requires an expert on you risk making the situation worse. Physical therapists know places to massage.
• Complementary therapies. Some pain management treatment centers incorporate other treatment methods in their programs. They range from hypnotherapy, meditation, relaxing and visualization. These therapy sessions aimed at helping a person identify himself/herself.
• Surgical procedure. This technique is considered the last resort after other medical procedures have failed. The surgical procedure helps with pain control. It can be used to snip overactive nerves and blocking specific nerves, among others.
• Lifestyle changes. Studies indicate a person’s lifestyle can trigger pain. A perfect example is excessive consumption of alcohol or smoking, among others.

This New Year, don’t ignore any pain. Reach out to any pain management clinic in Houston. Lastly, let us conclude this discussion by looking at some pain management specialties you might encounter when you visit any pain management clinic. You might interact with a physiatrist. This expert has specialized in muscles, nerve and the bone. Lastly, you might interact with an anesthesiologist. He/she is trained to help alleviate chronic pain.

Enjoy Pain Relief without Using Drugs

Pain! What is a pain? Can you see it? Or touch it with your hands to measure its intensity? No!

Pain is an unseen sensation that can only be felt by the person who is subject to it. In our everyday life, we experience varying intensities of different types of pain. From knife cut to muscle pull and stomach swelling to twisted foot, anything wrong happening to our body causes a minute or severe pain.

Pain is classified into two major categories: Acute pain and chronic pain. Both can be unbearable and disturbing enough to ruin normal routine. With the help of pain doctors, you can relieve the pain and alleviate it permanently. Pain Doctors in Houston have been using the traditional methods of reducing the pain sensation but recently, they have started implementing advanced methods that don’t involve drug use at all.

Here are a few drug-free pain relief methods used by pain doctors in Houston:

Meditation

Meditation involves many practices that trigger relaxation in mind and body. According to pain doctors in Houston, patients with chronic pain problem must carry out meditation regularly to keep their mind and body relaxed and balanced. Proper meditation classes are being given at pain centers to educate people that which mantra or imagery can help relieve a specific pain. Considering improvement in the pain condition of patients involved in meditation, pain doctors in Houston are recommending every citizen to meditate regularly.

Massage Therapy

Pain caused by damaged tissue or stiff muscle can be relieved with the help of a proper massage therapy. Some pain doctors in Houston are offering massage therapy in their clinics to alleviate the pain sensation. The results of massage therapy are quite impressive so far. Patients are preferring this type of method above drug use.

Acupuncture treatment

Another drug-free treatment for chronic pain is the advanced version of traditional needle method, acupuncture. In this procedure, hair-thin needles are inserted in the area to be treated at specific points. The needles are only inserted deep enough to reach the bottom layer of the epidermis and no pain is caused by this method. Acupuncture affects neurotransmitters, hormone levels and immune system to ease the pain. The method is not expensive but critical and only be carried out by someone experienced.

Physical Therapy

Sometimes, the movement is the only option to relieve the pain. Pain doctors in Houston carry out physical therapy to remove the stiffness in muscles and strengthen them. They involve patients in flexibility exercises and provide posture awareness because many types of chronic pain are due to wrong body postures. Physical therapy helps in reactivating injured bodies and resetting the disturbed nervous system. Just make sure, you consult an experienced therapist because inappropriate movements can lead to severe pain conditions.

Pain doctors in Houston have no doubt changed the scenario completely. These drug-free pain relief methods are allowing people to enjoy fresh minds and relaxed bodies without taking any tablets, syrups or injections.

Setting Up Practice as a Pain Doctor

The pain is a terrible master of humanity, even worse than Death itself,” said Nobel Prize winner laureate Albert Schweizer in 1931. This forms the first movement for “Pain Management”. Today, the right pain treatment remains one of the most important and urgent tasks for pain doctors. Generally, medical facilities and staff in particular do not know how to take this responsibility seriously. The implementation reflects the quality, sensitivity, responsibility and, of course, the economic-socio factor.

Specialized pain clinics should be the norm but due to the absence of modern technology, dedicated pain doctors and specialists and advanced facilities, pain management is becoming an important problem in our country. The lack of a formal treatment strategy plan leaves a big gap in health care. Even advanced countries show that 15-20% of the population have acute pain (medical and surgical emergencies, postoperative pain, accidents and injuries and 25-30% have all chronic pain (as in chronic pain, cancer pain, migraine, arthritis, neuropathic pain, etc.).

Managing the Treatment of Chronic Pain

Chronic pain violates the ability to work and have a productive life. Pain has serious economic and social suffering and consequences. For example, half or two-thirds of all chroniclers people who suffer from pain are disabled for days or in part (headaches and migraine), weeks or months (using CRPS) and some even suffer from persistent pains (such as back pain, cancer pain and arthritis. The human mind is a miracle of nature that it has resilience, to be able to normalize itself after the experiencing a painful tormenting pain as soon as it’s over. Like a woman working or a man after a fight of urethral colic, which drives away the stone, the pain can be forgotten if it is for a limited time. But chronic pain is different, the phenomenon has refused the luxury of forgetfulness.

Knowing About Chronic Pain

Chronic pain is a mystery that goes without any obvious violation or reason and has no recognizable purpose or aim. As we have just discovered, the other is the protective mechanism like neuropathic pain, complex regional syndromes and cancer pain that inevitably develops neuropathic traits to make it unbearable. Chronic pain comes for various reasons, it can vary in its mild to severe intensity, but most invariably its characteristic is its inexorable constant. Light chronic pain can erode capacities, work, relax or do hobbies by changing the quality of life. Moderate pain can make work impossible with the need of urgent recovery from pain doctors. Severe chronic pain affects all tolerance and dignity, which makes death a welcome liberation.

All these degrees of pain also exist in our society, not only in patients with terminal cancer, but in patients with back pain, back pain syndrome, neuralgia, to name a few. Neuropathy (diabetic, malnutrition, drug induced, etc.). Medical education is oriented to a logical cause and the impact on disease. Acute pain usually have an organic cause and as such is very favorable for the traditional treatment. Unfortunately, this approach has failed. Facing with the riddle of chronic pain as its branches are alone on the body and the mind unraveled. Patients are referred to several specialists and pain doctors in an attempt to get a proper diagnosis and for the management of pain.

Making sure that You don’t Lose Your Back

Almost every person have experienced back pain at some time in their life. Back pain is the second most common reason why people visit doctors. Most common of these people are the workforce or sports enthusiasts which can then eventually result in huge healthcare expenses. Patients from around the world look for specialized treatments for spinal disorder. Their back pain complains are such as low back pain or even complex conditions such as spinal deformity or stenosis. Health specialists can restore easy function of your back and relieve your pain to the maximum extend.

Pain management experts can help with severe or persistent pain. In extreme cases, evaluation by a medical spine or pain management experts is recommended. Warning signs for such conditions may include presence of fever, worsening pain, progressive movement of pain from the back into the leg or numbness in the area of the pain.

Finding Out the Causes

The back of the human body is a complex structure of bone and muscle. It is supported by cartilage, ligaments and tendons which is fed by a network of blood vessels and nerves. The lower back bears much if the body’s weight during walking, running, lifting or other activities. Pain usually occurs in the lower back such as strain or sprains. Causes of pain is sometimes overstretches or injured muscle that support lower back. Such muscles and connective tissues can be injured from lifting heavy objects and can easily become weak with the lack of exercises.

Engaging in sports activities such as pulling, weightlifting or football may increase the risk of lower back pain or back injury. Other causes of lower back pain may include:

• Smoking
• Thinning of the bone
• Breakdown of the tissues, bones or muscles of the joint
• Achy, tinder muscles
• Slipped disc
• Trauma from an injury due to an accident or fall that have caused a fracture or muscle strain

Prevention from these causes can be a good pain management technique. Controlling such factors can help you control or avoid back pain and recover quickly from back problems.

Treating Back Pain with Nonsurgical Treatment

Many people diagnose their back pain as an illness and would take countless medications. However, to implement a more functional approach for moderate to severe back strains, the first phase should be to reduce pain and spasm. It involves taking lots of rest, massage therapy and using ice packs and compression or pressure. People with back pain are also advised to return to a near-normal schedule to promote rapid recovery from back pain. Quick and easy exercise approaches can be performed to shorten the recovery time and help you return to your normal day routine leisure activities as soon as possible.

Back pain can be persistent and disabling. It is better to treat it properly as soon as needed. Combined with the best techniques, you can easily relieve your pain and restore your functions to the highest degree possible.

The Key Traits of a Pain Management Doctor

A doctor is someone who is not only responsible for the physical well-being of the patient but should also be supporting them emotionally and mentally. If the doctor is able to make the patient comfortable and can accommodate their needs, half of their worries and pain go away naturally. A pain management doctor has double the duty because he is supposed to relieve the patient from a constant turmoil. He needs to take the patient out of the state of continuous pain and provide them with the kind of care which they need.

Here is a list of some of the most important traits which must be there in a pain management doctor:

Confident

The doctor should be confident and must have a remarkable personality so that he leaves a good impression on the patients too. If he is confident about what he’s doing, there is no chance that his patients will be in trouble. In order to make them understand what is wrong with them and how their pain can be cured in the best possible way, it is essential for the doctor himself to be confident and have a strong persona.

Personal

The doctor should show more interest in the patient and must know about him other than his medical condition. This gives a more careful appearance to the patient and he becomes even more confident in sharing everything with the doctor. Being personal is essential for the doctor because there are high chances that this will lead to the diagnosis of patient’s problem and what is bothering him in reality.

Respectful

Apart from everything else, a doctor should always treat his patients respectfully because that is the only way he can make them feel good about themselves. The input given by the patients should be taken very seriously and the doctor must put in a lot of effort to provide to them the things and the kind of care they are asking for.

Thorough

The duty performed by the doctor is of utmost responsibility because someone’s life or well-being is at stake. It is essential for the doctor to be conscientious and persistent while ensuring that nothing is left to be asked or to be observed. For a thorough examination, he must find out everything and anything which might be causing any kind of trouble to the patient.

Forthright

It is essential for the pain management doctor to be straight forward and truthful so that he can let his patients know what is exactly wrong with them. It is not easy for the patients to understand certain things so the doctor should always rely on plain language to explain to them what is wrong and how it can be turned right.

By looking at all these traits, it can easily be inferred that such a pain management doctor will be a blessing for the patients. He will help in alleviating not only the physical pain but the emotional stress as well.

7 Home Remedies for Back Pain

There is nothing worse than back pain that may affect your everyday routine pretty badly. It’s something that should be taken seriously at very early stages to avoid severely painful sensations. Through healthy habits, one can prevent the occurrence of back pain and live in peace.

Although back pain victims must consult specialists for proper treatment, here are seven effective remedies that they may use at home to reduce the pain temporarily:

1. Stretching

Stretching helps in strengthening your muscles and relaxes the tense ones. There are different ways of stretching hence avoid the ones that cause pain instead of relieving it. Continue with smooth and soft stretches that bring flexibility in your body without causing any painful sensation. A forceful stretch may result in a severe pain hence consult your physician and ask for suitable stretches that go well with your back condition. Appropriate stretching on regular basis will ease your back pain and prevent its frequent occurrence.

 

2. Posture fix

Being working individuals, we spend most of our time while sitting. Wrong sitting postures for longer durations can dislocate the spinal disks and result in extreme back pain. You must fix your sitting posture to maintain the alignment of the spine. Try to sit straight, keep feet flat on the floor and use computers without leaning forward or creating a hunch.

 

3. Adopt healthy sleeping positions

If you’re feeling back pain for some days, sleep on the hard floor with a pillow underneath your feet to reduce the pain. For side sleepers, it’s better to place a pillow between both knees and enjoy relaxed muscles. Sleeping on the back is way too healthy and keeps your body in perfect alignment. But if you cannot avoid sleeping on your stomach, place a pillow under your lower abdomen to prevent back pain.

 

4. Get a fine massage!

The most common reason of back pain is muscle tightness hence you may get a fine massage to relax your muscles. You may ask your loved ones to give you a good hand massage with an ointment or go to a health spa and enjoy some professional assistance.

 

5. Try harmless balms

You may also rub balms on the affected area to reduce back pain. Make sure there is no burning sensation when applied else remove it instantly.

 

6. Take Epsom Salt bath

Prepare your bathtub with lukewarm water and three to four handfuls of Epsom Salt. Sit in this mixture for at least thirty to forty minutes so this natural mineral may heal your sore back muscles properly.

 

7. Prefer low heals

High heels disturb the body posture and directly cause pressure on the lower back. Do not wear stilettos regularly and opt for flat shoes or lower heels to keep your body in a relaxed pose.

These home remedies can surely help in reducing your back pain but in serious situations, you must visit a specialist instead of becoming your own doctor!

The Most Common Causes of Back Pain

A number of people in the United States alone suffer from back pain and it is the leading cause of disability in individuals younger than the age of 45. There are a number of factors which can lead to back pain and the severity can vary too. Here are enlisted some of the most common causes of back pain making it so prevalent.

Spine Issues
Usually, there is something in the way of your muscle discs or spinal joints which cause immense back pain. You might have herniated or slipped discs, bulging discs, or the degenerative disc disease. Apart from the issues of the disc, there are chances that the chronic back pain is because of inflammation and wear of the sacroiliac joint. There are a number of other spine related issues too including spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, and cervical radiculopathy. A back pain doctor can help in diagnosing your problem and providing an appropriate treatment accordingly.

Accidents and Injuries
Falls, muscle sprains, fractures, and car accidents can also be the reason behind accidents and injuries. Usually, the injuries lead to numerous physical problems but there are some which only cause immense pain. A hit on your spine and injuries to muscles, ligaments, and tendons that provide support to the spine and its joints can also cause back pain. This can happen when you lift something and twist at the same time or also due to car accidents or sports injuries.

Lifestyle Triggers
Do you have a habit of slouching at your desk? If so, then be ready to face some serious life-long back pain. Your posture plays a huge role in your health and well-being so one should never be careless because of it. Lifting heavy weight objects, not exercising, or being obese can also be some of the foremost causes of back pain. Smokers can also experience back pain occasionally. Females who love wearing high heels also complain of back pain and this can turn out to be chronic in the later stage of life.

Emotions and Stress
Never underestimate the power and effects of stress and emotional torture. Excessive stress can lead to muscle tension in your back and you can make it worse by unnecessary anxiety and depression. Your mental health is directly proportional to the health of the rest of your body so if you are stressed mentally, there are high chances that your body will be in stress too. Back pain doctors always advise their patients not to become depressed or over-stressed.

Other Diseases
Problems like arthritis and osteoarthritis happen when your cartilage and bones become so weak that they break down. Mostly, people in their middle ages and onward are affected by this. Such diseases can affect your back and lead to an unbearable back pain.

Always go to a back pain doctor in any back issue because they have the right knowledge and expertise to resolve the problem. Their experience and training can help you in getting rid of the pain rather quickly.