Do I need surgery for my chronic pain?

For most people, surgery is the last step they want to take to treat joint or nerve pain. You’re worried about recovery time, expense, effectiveness after surgery, and the often intimidating process of going under. All of these concerns are valid, so we usually avoid surgery to save our patients time and emotional stress. 

However, there are times when surgery is not only the best care option but the best choice for you financially. While surgeries can be expensive, years of chronic pain care adds up quickly and is often not as effective as a single procedure to cure your condition. 

When Surgery Is The Best Option

Surgical interventions are your best option when your nerve or joint pain is severe, and other treatments are not working long-term. Conditions such as carpal tunnel and spinal stenosis can be tricky to treat with injections and steroids, often leading to medication dependence. 

At PPOA, we never want our patients to rely on a pill to treat pain. Medications are used for short-term pain or to help patients get through other treatments, but chronic use of pain killers can cause just as many problems as the joint pain itself. If other treatments aren’t working, we try to avoid regular painkillers by planning surgeries that eliminate long-term pain and get you back to your everyday lifestyle. 

Ways PPOA Treats Pain Without Surgery

If surgery gives you second thoughts, PPOA offers a variety of methods to treat chronic pain. We often try these methods first if we believe the pain can be remedied without a procedure:

• Physical Therapy – Physical therapy can help those recovering from injuries and chronic pain due to lifestyle issues such as poor posture or work-related repetitive injuries. Coupled with at-home adjustments, physical therapy can offer long-lasting relief that is easy to manage.
• Medications and Injections – Medication and injections into the joints can help heal injuries or relieve chronic pain until a long-term solution is reached. Depending on the severity of the pain, medications can work as a long-term, non-addictive treatment that helps relieve pain as needed without interfering with your life. 
• Regenerative Medicine – Regenerative medicine uses your stem cells to help heal joints and nerves without further invasive procedures. This novel technique helps rebuild the damaged areas of the body and speed up the healing process, thus eliminating pain. While this is not an option for every chronic pain issue, it has done wonders for many patients and is an ideal alternative to surgery when applicable. 

PPOA works with all types of pain treatments to ensure you can g back to leading an active lifestyle pain-free. To learn more about your options for pain relief with and without surgery, contact us today.