What Are 3 Different Types Of Pain Management?

Wellness
Written by A_Smith
February 23, 2022

People who experience chronic pain are always on the lookout for the best way to manage and control it. Although there are a variety of options for pain management, there is not a single approach that is a foolproof guarantee of complete pain relief.

Experience has taught chronic pain sufferers that they must combine and experiment with different types of pain management methods to achieve the most tolerable results.

Fortunately, there are many avenues to explore that someone who deals with pain on a regular basis can hope to find relief. Among them, the three most distinct types of pain management available nowadays are:

Contents

1. Drug Therapy

When it comes to pain-management drugs, both prescription and non-prescription drugs are available. When the pain is mild, over-the-counter medications, such as acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), have proven to help relieve pain related to stiffness and muscle aches.

Pain relievers also come in topical forms that include sprays, creams, and lotions applied to the affected area. These are helpful for conditions like arthritis and sore muscles.

If the pain is more intense, your doctor may prescribe anti-anxiety drugs, muscle relaxants, antidepressants, or short courses of more potent painkillers like fentanyl, codeine, or hydrocodone. Injecting steroids in the painful site may also help reduce inflammation and swelling.

2. Physical Therapy

Physical therapy (PT) has been used successfully in treating pain by using techniques that improve function and movement. PT is particularly helpful when the pain is due to an injury or a disability. Physical therapists recommend stretching, strengthening, and other pain-relieving movements and exercises to help manage pain.

Previously, resting was believed to be the best way to alleviate pain. These days the consensus has changed dramatically to the point where doctors believe that too much rest may be counterproductive and increase pain. This is particularly true for athletes, athletic people, and amateur sports enthusiasts.

Following an intense workout or physical activity, stretching is often recommended as one of the most effective ways to alleviate muscle pain. However, when combined with CBD-infused recovery tape, the process of reducing soreness and discomfort becomes even more effective. The incorporation of CBD in the tape enhances the potential benefits, offering targeted relief and aiding in the recovery process.

Additionally, resting for too long may put you at greater risk of suffering a new injury when you are ready to move again. Research now supports the idea that using exercise to increase strength, flexibility, and muscle tone can help diminish pain.

3. Psychological Therapy

It is quite common for people who experience chronic pain to feel hopeless, sad, despairing, or angry. Pain can be so overwhelming that it can disrupt your sleep, prevent you from carrying out your daily activities, and negatively affect your relationships and work.

Intense negative emotions and a lack of sleep might increase your pain level. Psychological treatment may offer a safe method to treat your pain without resorting to strong medications that could become addictive.

Through psychological therapy, you can learn how to cope with the many problems that cause pain, and you may learn new skills to manage difficult situations. Your therapist may recommend therapies such as acupuncture, massage, osteopathy, and even nutritional supplements. Other approaches may use relaxation techniques like stretching, yoga, meditation, hypnotherapy, and self-hypnosis. Claire Winchester Hypnotherapy Manchester is a great option for those looking for hypnotherapy services in Manchester.

Chiropractic massages and treatments have also been successful in pain management. Reiki and therapeutic touch have been shown to aid in the self-healing process. You can click URL here to learn more about the pain management strategy that may work best for you.

4. Some Points to Consider

Besides the pain management options described above, there are many others. Some involve experimental medicine, while others may use natural methods, like herbal supplements and more. It is understandable that people who regularly deal with pain may be desperate enough to try anything that promises relief.

However, if you are also taking traditional medications to control your pain, you should be wary of mixing them with alternative therapies. It has been well-documented that herbal therapies may interact with other medications, sometimes with less-than-ideal results.

Always consult with your doctor before taking herbal or other alternative approaches. While some of them may end up being just a waste of your time and money, others may cause serious harm to you.

5. Pain Clinics

If you are tired of the constant pain and feel like you have tried everything and nothing seems to have helped, you may gain some relief by scheduling a consultation at a pain clinic. These are facilities devoted exclusively to the management and control of chronic pain when nothing else seems to work.

While some of these clinics are associated with major hospitals, others are private facilities. Both offer their patients inpatient and outpatient treatment options. One of their most outstanding advantages is that they employ a multidisciplinary approach.

This means that they rely on a combination of physical therapists, doctors, and psychologists and encourage patients to play an active role in their treatments.

In most cases, it is hoped that the patient will have success in finding some measure of pain relief. In other cases, the aim is to teach those who suffer chronic pain how to come to terms with their situation so that they can lead as normal a life as possible.

Pain clinics offer a ray of hope to chronic pain sufferers. There have been several studies that show a reduction in pain of up to 50% for patients who use a pain clinic for their pain management.

If you have tried all three pain management therapies described above, and did not get the results you hoped for, you should consider a pain clinic. A pain treatment team will focus on finding the best treatment for your pain, and may finally provide the relief you have been seeking for so long.

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