Five Benefits of Exercise for Pain Relief

If you’re living with chronic pain, being active can feel like one of the hardest things in the world. No matter what the source of your pain is, decreased energy, mobility and lack of motivation almost always come with it. But even if it’s for just a few minutes a day to start with, exercise can offer surprising pain relief benefits. 

Although it won’t cure or reverse the causes of pain, a little exercise can go a long way. By integrating regular physical activity into a broader pain management plan, many people are able to noticeably improve their quality of life. 

 

How Exercise Can Help You Manage Pain

Here are five of the most important benefits that exercise can provide for nearly anyone living with chronic pain, and some practical tips for getting started. 

 

1. Increased Energy

Many chronic pain conditions, including arthritis, fibromyalgia, and lower back pain cause fatigue as a symptom. This can create a vicious cycle of sedentary behavior that makes your pain feel worse than it is. Research has shown that even very small periods of low-impact exercise can develop improved cardiovascular fitness and reduce fatigue. 

 

2. Stronger, More Flexible Muscles 

Another side effect of pain-related inactivity is muscle atrophy. When muscles and connective tissue weaken due to lack of use, it can increase certain kinds of pain, particularly conditions related to nerve compression. Low-impact exercises such as yoga, pilates, and even walking are a great way to reverse this process, rebuilding a stronger and more flexible body. 

 

3. Improves Your Mood

It’s well documented that chronic pain has a close relationship with mental health problems such as depression and anxiety. People with chronic pain are more likely to develop these problems, which can often cause a subjective increase in pain-related symptoms. However, there is evidence that regular exercise such as walking or running can boost mood and reduce the risk of depression and other problems, including for pain sufferers.

  

4. Reduces Inflammation

Inflammation is one of the most significant contributors to chronic pain. Inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and plasma viscosity (PV) in the blood can be associated with nerve irritation and increased pain signals going to the brain. Regular exercise can actually release anti-inflammatory cytokines that help reduce markers of inflammation and pain levels. 

 

5. May Increase Your Pain Tolerance

No two people experience pain the same way, and pain tolerance has a lot to do with this. What is excruciating pain for one person may be far less severe for another. Although there is only so much anyone can do to change their pain tolerance, exercising might be one of those ways. Studies have found that exercising may change the way the brain processes pain while also helping to regulate the release of natural pain-relieving chemicals. 

 

Tips for Exercising and Integrating Fitness into Treatment

If you’re dealing with chronic pain and interested in starting an exercise routine, the first thing you should do is speak to your doctor, physical therapist, or pain management physician. A qualified professional can help you understand your current level of fitness and take steps to lower your risk of overexertion or injury. 

General tips for exercising for pain relief include:

  • Start small and build, even if you just start by walking around your house for a few minutes a day, it can be a great start
  • Be consistent — try to exercise at least three times a week 
  • Stay hydrated 
  • Make sure you stay limber with gentle stretches
  • Don’t overdo it and get as much rest as you need
  • Get a good mix of cardiovascular exercises and strengthening exercises — this is why many people turn to yoga and Pilates

Regular exercise, a healthy anti-inflammatory diet, and interventional pain management options like anti-inflammatory injections and physical therapy help many people manage pain and live a healthy lifestyle on a long-term basis. If a full course of nonsurgical treatment and commitment to a healthy lifestyle does not bring the relief necessary for a good quality of life, surgery can become a consideration for certain conditions and patients. 

No matter where you are in your treatment journey, Physician Partners of America can help. From interventional pain management to minimally invasive outpatient surgery, our experts will work with you to create an individualized treatment plan that fits your goals and lifestyle. Contact us today to learn more.

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How Do You Manage Sciatic Nerve Pain?

Shooting pains in the buttocks and legs, difficulty walking, and not even being able to sit comfortably are just a few of the tell-tale signs of sciatic nerve pain. In the most serious cases, this condition, also called sciatica, can result in debilitating neuropathic symptoms and excruciating pain. Whether you have just been diagnosed with a condition causing sciatica or have been living with it for years, this guide will help you better understand this condition and take steps for effective long-term management and relief. 

 

What Is The Sciatic Nerve? 

The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body, starting in the lumbar spine, traveling through the buttocks down the back of the legs and into the feet. This nerve, which is actually a group of smaller nerves, is essential to sending sensory and motor information to the lower body.

 

What Is Sciatica? 

Sciatica describes a collection of symptoms caused by compression or irritation of the sciatic nerve, including lower back pain, shooting pains down the buttocks and hips and neuropathic symptoms like tingling, numbness and muscle weakness in the legs and toes. In more extreme situations, sciatic nerve pain can cause a pronounced limp and foot drop in patients. 

Sciatica or sciatica-like symptoms can be caused by any injury or condition that disrupts or puts pressure on the sciatic nerve, including:

  • Herniated discs or bulging discs in the lower spine
  • Spinal arthritis, also called facet disease 
  • Injury of the piriformis muscle in the buttocks
  • Pressure on the sciatic nerve due to pregnancy.

 

Diagnosing Sciatic Nerve Pain

Sciatic nerve pain requires careful diagnosis, as it can be confused with other conditions. Anyone experiencing sciatica-like symptoms should see their primary physician or pain specialist for an in-depth diagnosis involving the following steps:  

  • Discussion of symptoms
  • Review of medical history
  • Movement tests and physical examination
  • Diagnostic imagery, such as an MRI
  • Diagnostic injections such as nerve blocks

It’s important to correctly identify the source of symptoms in order to effectively treat sciatic nerve pain. For example, a temporary injury such as a strained piriformis muscle will require different care than a longer-term chronic condition such as a herniated disc. 

 

Can You Fix Sciatic Nerve Pain?

The long-term outlook for sciatic nerve pain depends on the cause. Temporary causes like an injury or pregnancy-related sciatic nerve pressure should improve with time and can eventually go away. Chronic, age-related conditions that cause sciatica like spinal arthritis or degenerative spinal discs are non-reversible and can be much harder to manage. 

 

Practical Steps to Manage Your Sciatic Nerve Pain

Although no two cases of sciatic nerve pain are the same, and you should always work closely with a medical professional to create a personalized care plan, the following basic steps have helped many people find relief from sciatica. 

 

1. Practice Basic At-Home Treatments

For most milder cases of sciatic nerve pain, doctors will recommend basic conservative therapies. This will include:

  • Rest
  • Alternating cold compression, such as an ice pack, with heat therapy, such as heating pad
  • Gentle stretching in the lower back and legs
  • Taking over-the-counter medication, such as a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) like naproxen or ibuprofen

 

2. Stay Active and Eat a Healthy Diet 

Certain lifestyle factors can increase the frequency and severity of sciatic nerve pain. This includes extra weight that puts pressure on the spine, being overly sedentary which causes weaker supporting muscles, and eating an inflammatory diet. Any sciatic nerve pain treatment plan should address these factors through regular low-impact exercise, an anti-inflammatory diet and other steps such as practicing good posture or quitting smoking. 

 

3. Try Physical Therapy 

Physical therapy is an effective, focused treatment program that can help reduce pain and improve function in the lumbar spine and lower body for people with sciatica. A licensed physical therapist can perform techniques such as manual therapy and provide instruction on therapeutic exercises that can strengthen supporting muscles, relieve pressure on the sciatic nerve and increase mobility. 

 

4. Explore Pain Management Injections 

Although exercise and physical therapy can be great ways to improve range of motion and take pressure off the sciatic nerve, for many, sciatica can be too severe to be active or complete a course of therapy. Pain management injections, such as an epidural steroid injection, can provide relief over a period of weeks or months to enable increased levels of activity. For many patients, a combination of lifestyle changes, pain management injections and physical therapy is an ideal combination to manage or even overcome sciatic nerve pain.  

 

5. Know When to Consider Surgery 

Surgery can become a serious option for sciatic nerve pain if there is an operable condition that has not responded to a full course of nonsurgical treatment. For example, if a herniated disc is putting pressure on the sciatic nerve and a full course of conservative therapy and interventional pain management has not improved symptoms, minimally invasive spine surgery may be able to help. Using muscle-sparing techniques, highly skilled surgeons can perform an outpatient procedure that removes displaced disc material and takes pressure off the sciatic nerve.  

 

Let PPOA Help You Manage Sciatic Nerve Pain 

No matter where you are in your sciatic treatment journey, Physician Partners of America can help. Our caring experts can assist you in creating an effective plan for long-term relief based on your lifestyle and specific diagnosis. From interventional pain management to minimally invasive spine surgery, our highly skilled medical professionals can help you get your life back. 

You can overcome sciatica, contact us today to learn more. 

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Acupuncture Versus Dry Needling — What’s the Difference?

Most people are familiar with acupuncture, even if they haven’t tried it, but less people have heard of dry needling — although that may be starting to change. If you have heard of both, it’s natural to wonder what the difference is, or if there even is a difference. After all, these two practices both involve carefully inserting small needles into the body, usually with the goal of relieving pain and improving function.

Despite these basic similarities, there are some key differences to understand. If you’re exploring options for pain management and want to know which may be right for you, learning more about acupuncture versus dry needling can help you make an informed and confident decision.  

 

What Is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is a practice with roots in traditional Chinese medicine. During an acupuncture session, a specially trained practitioner carefully inserts thin needles in specific locations around the body. For hundreds of years, acupuncture has been used to treat everything from pain to infertility to allergies. 

According to many Chinese medical traditions, acupuncture helps to balance the flow of energy throughout the body, known as Chi or Qi. While modern medical researchers are still working to fully understand the mechanism, there is growing evidence that it may be effective for managing pain and relieving stress. Possible explanations for how acupuncture works include stimulation of pain-relieving endorphins, increasing blood flow and disrupting pain signals. 

 

What Is Dry Needling?

Dry needling is a more contemporary treatment rooted in modern physical therapy practices. It is actually more closely related to trigger point injections, which involve injecting anti-inflammatory medication into bundles of painful tissue, called trigger points, to break them up. Dry needling gets its name because it uses a needle without injecting any form of medication. 

The idea behind dry needling is that for certain trigger points and other problems affecting soft tissue, simply using the needle can stimulate blood flow and loosen tissue without additional injectable material. As a relatively newer practice, the body of research around dry needling is still growing, but it is a recognized treatment by the American Physical Therapy Association and other organizations. 

 

So, What’s the Difference?

The primary differences between acupuncture and dry needling include:

  • Medical tradition: Acupuncture is based in Chinese traditional medicine, while dry needling is a newer practice, generally originating in the area of physical medicine. 
  • Treatment areas: Acupuncture targets pressure points that are believed to be focal areas of the body’s natural energy. Dry needling usually targets trigger points, which are bundles of painful nerve and muscle tissue. 

There is also some debate about how different dry needling and acupuncture actually are. Some acupuncturists see dry needling as ultimately being rooted in acupuncture, and many practitioners use a blended approach with aspects of the two treatments. In contrast, many dry needling practitioners have an exclusive background in physical therapy or interventional pain management and see dry needling as firmly belonging to these disciplines.  

 

Deciding Which Is Right for You

Ultimately, the decision to undergo acupuncture, dry needling or both will depend on your diagnosis, your preferences as a patient and the advice you receive from your primary care doctor or pain management physician. When exploring any new treatment, it is important to research your prospective provider to ensure they are licensed to practice in your state. 

For example, acupuncture is licensed and overseen in Florida by the Board of Acupuncture, which has specific guidelines and requirements for practice. Dry needling is often licensed by physical therapy boards or chiropractic organizations. 

 

How Acupuncture and Dry Needling Fit with Pain Management Plans

Both forms of treatment can be part of an effective pain management plan that includes other options such as physical therapy, therapeutic massage, injections and other forms of interventional pain management. For most causes of chronic pain, it is also helpful to practice a healthy lifestyle that includes exercise, good nutrition and avoiding tobacco products and excessive alcohol consumption. 

For conditions including hip pain, back pain, neck pain and knee pain, if conservative and alternative pain management treatments have been explored without bringing relief, minimally invasive spine surgery or orthopedic surgery can start to become a consideration.  

 

Reach Out to Physician Partners of America Today 

Are you living with chronic pain and want to learn more about your options for relief? Physician Partners of America (PPOA) can help you learn more about the causes of your pain and help you develop a personalized plan to reclaim your life. 

Contact our dedicated team to learn more, or schedule an appointment to start your pain relief journey today. 

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Five Causes of Low Back Pain — And How to Find Relief

Affecting millions of people in the United States alone, everyone experiences some form of lower back pain at some point. While a stiff back after a morning of yard work or a slight tweak from a tough workout are normal and usually improve in a few days, chronic back pain can be a bigger problem. According to the National Institute of Health, about 8.2% of the population deals with persistent or chronic low back pain. 

At its most severe, chronic low back pain can be extremely debilitating, affecting your ability to do nearly any activity. People with lower back pain report decreased job performance, mental health problems and diminished quality of life. While it can feel hopeless, it’s important for anyone living with low back pain to keep a positive attitude and work with providers to learn as much about their condition as possible. 

 

Why Is Low Back Pain So Common, and What Are the Risk Factors? 

One of the reasons why lower back pain is so common is because of the sheer amount of stress this part of the body endures on a daily basis. The lower back is made to support the upper body while being flexible enough to bend, stretch and flex. To do this, the lumbar (lower) spine is made of five vertebrae linked by joints, discs, connective tissue and muscle. 

All of these individual parts are put under tremendous pressure while we walk, run, lift and even sit in our chairs. What’s more, the joints and discs in the spine are subject to the same age-related degeneration as other parts of the body, causing them to dry out and break down over time. This combination of pressure and aging makes injuries and conditions much more common in the lower back, especially when combined with the following risk factors:

  • Placing extra stress on the spine by being overweight 
  • Weak core muscles and supporting tissue due to lack of exercise
  • Smoking and tobacco use, which can decrease circulation 
  • Postural and mechanical issues that can cause uneven distribution of pressure

If you’re experiencing lower back pain, it’s important to receive a diagnosis from a qualified medical professional, such as your family doctor or a pain management specialist. Different causes of back pain cause a variety of symptoms and can require varying treatment. 

 

These are Five of the Most Common Causes of Low Back Pain

There are hundreds of injuries and conditions that can affect the lower back and spine, but here are five of the most frequent underlying causes of back pain. 

 

1. Strains, Sprains and Other Injuries

This is by far the most common cause of back pain overall. The lower spine is supported by an intricate arrangement of muscles, tendons and ligaments that help hold us upright and allow us to bend, lift, twist and perform other movements. It’s very easy to strain a muscle or sprain a tendon or ligament when exercising, working or doing other basic activities. 

While acute injuries should heal in a short period of time, repeated reinjuries or serious injuries can lead to chronic low back pain. This is why it is so important to rest and recover, even after a seemingly minor injury. Additionally, more serious injuries such as slip-and-falls or car accidents can result in chronic lower back pain, even when they don’t cause a fracture.

 

2. Arthritis of the Spine 

The facet joints that link the vertebrae in the spinal column are subject to the same age-related breakdown as other joints in the body. Over time, the protective cartilage and connective tissue of these joints dries out and wears down. This leads to increased friction between the joints that causes the inflammation, stiffness and pain in the joints that is diagnosed as spinal arthritis. 

Also called facet disease, spinal arthritis can also result in bone spurs due to the bone on bone contact between facet joints and swollen ligaments due to the inflammation. These and other problems can narrow the nerve pathways in the spinal column, resulting in radiating pain and nerve compression symptoms. 

 

3. Degenerative disc disease

Degenerative disc disease (DDD) is similar to spinal arthritis, but it affects the spinal discs that cushion the vertebrae in the spinal column. The spinal discs are made of a tough outer layer of cartilage and a softer inner layer. Over time, the discs dry out and become thinner, making them less flexible and able to support the spine. 

DDD can result in loss of disc height that makes the vertebrae rub together and narrows the nerve pathways in the spine, resulting in localized and radiating pain. Degenerative forces that affect the spinal discs can also make conditions like bulging and herniated discs more likely. 

 

4. Bulging discs

A bulging disc occurs when the outer layer of a spinal disc weakens and begins to bulge out of its normal place in the spinal column. The discs in the lower spine are more likely to develop bulges due to the increased pressure they experience. A bulging disc is not necessarily painful by itself, but like other conditions, it can cause lower back pain and radiating symptoms as a result of nerve compression. 

 

5. Herniated discs

A herniated disc happens when the softer inner material of the disc begins to push out through a weak spot, such as a crack or tear, in the tougher outer layer. Many herniated discs can start as a bulging disc and progress to partial or full herniation. The herniated inner disc material can irritate local nerves and also put pressure on the spinal cord and nerve roots that travel into the lower body, causing lower back pain and radiating symptoms such as sciatica. 

 

Finding Lower Back Pain Relief

Has low back pain taken over your life? You don’t have to let it. Untreated back pain can progress with time, even leading to mobility problems and long-term nerve damage. When you take control of back pain treatment, you can improve your chances of getting your life back.

If you have exhausted basic treatments like over-the-counter medication, ice packs and heating  pads, Physician Partners of America (PPOA) can help. The caring and dedicated PPOA team is committed to individualized back pain treatment plans that fit your needs and lifestyle. From interventional pain management options like epidural steroid injections to minimally invasive spine surgery, our expert team can help you develop an effective care plan for every stage of your treatment journey. 

Contact us today and let us help you take your life back from chronic back pain. 

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Pain Management Injections Explained—Types of Injections and How They Help

Chronic pain is an issue that millions of Americans deal with everyday, so if it’s affecting you, you are not alone. In fact, approximately 20% of the population deal with some level of chronic pain at some point. 

Unlike acute pain that you may experience from a minor injury or illness, chronic pain persists for weeks, months or even years and can have a negative impact on nearly every part of your life. Chronic pain can take you away from your job, your family and friends and even make it difficult to do your favorite activities and hobbies. 

Although it may feel hopeless if you haven’t found relief from basic treatments, there are effective therapies that can help you effectively manage chronic pain on a long-term basis. Interventional pain management is an approach to overcoming pain that involves a wide spectrum of treatments that work together to address the causes of pain, relieve symptoms and improve function. 

 

Understanding Pain Management Injections

One of the most common techniques for interventional pain management are injections that are designed to deliver pain relieving and anti-inflammatory medication to the treatment area. Although pain management injections are effective, the variety of types and terms can be overwhelming to someone exploring their options for relief. We’re sharing this guide to help patients understand the types of injections available and how they can help as part of a broader interventional pain management plan. 

 

Epidural Steroid Injections

This is one of the most common types of injections for people with lower back pain or neck pain.  Epidural steroid injections typically include a combination of a numbing agent, an anti-inflammatory corticosteroid and saline solution. The medication is injected into the epidural space that surrounds the spinal cord using precision guidance with X-ray fluoroscopy or other techniques. 

Epidural steroid injections provide relief over a period of weeks to months, enabling patients to increase activity and complete physical therapy that can help with spine conditions on a longer-term basis. 

 

Facet Joint Injections

Facet joint injections are another spinal injection that can provide relief for joint inflammation related to arthritis and other conditions. The facet joints link the vertebrae in the spine and are subject to the same stresses that cause inflammation and arthritis in other joints. Facet joint injections relieve the inflammation and stiffness that are a byproduct of arthritis. Like epidural injections, facet joint injections usually include a mixture of a numbing agent and an anti-inflammatory steroid. 

 

Trigger Point Injections

Trigger point injections are designed to treat knots that develop due to excessive muscle contraction, known as trigger points. In addition to causing localized pain, trigger points can also irritate surrounding nerves and cause pain and discomfort in other areas. For example a trigger point in the neck can cause people to feel symptoms in their arms and hands. 

Trigger point injections can help to relax the muscle tension in a trigger point and release and flush toxins from the area. These injections can include a numbing agent, anti-inflammatory medication such as a steroid.

 

Nerve Blocks

A nerve block is an injection that deactivates pain signals along a nerve or a group of nerves. X-ray guidance is generally used to help the provider place the injection in the precise location. 

Nerve blocks can be used for both diagnostic and pain relief purposes. When diagnosing the location of pain, a doctor can inject a nerve block into the area believed to be the source of pain, and if a patient feels relief, it can confirm the diagnosis. When used for pain relief, the injection can include pain relieving and/or anti-inflammatory medication. 

 

Injections as part of a larger treatment plan

Most doctors will recommend pain management injections as part of a broader treatment plan that includes physical therapy, massage, diet, exercise and alternative therapies such as acupuncture. The relief and improved mobility made possible through injections can enable patients to complete exercise programs and physical therapy that can strengthen supporting muscles and relieve pressure on joints and discs that are often the sources of pain.  

If weeks or months of interventional pain management methods do not bring the relief necessary for a good quality of life, surgery can become an option. Today, minimally invasive, outpatient procedures help promote a shorter and easier recovery period compared to traditional hospital-based surgeries. 

The caring and dedicated team at Physician Partners of America (PPOA) works with patients to create long-lasting, personalized pain management solutions that help patients get their lives back. Our options include short-term to long-term treatment plans that take an educational and collaborative approach for people from all walks of life. Talk to a PPOA specialist today to learn more about your options and start your pain relief journey. 

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Five Stretches for Neck Pain

Whether it’s a stiff neck, muscle strain or pain from a spine condition, everyone has to deal with neck pain at some point or another. In more serious cases, chronic neck pain can disrupt nearly every part of your life, from work to family time to hobbies. Fortunately, there are many effective treatments and methods to relieve neck pain and improve range of motion. 

One of the simplest ways to help with aches, stiffness and limited movement is performing neck stretches. Gently stretching on a regular basis can help manage symptoms of neck injuries and conditions such as a herniated disc, especially when combined with other treatments. 

 

How Do Stretches Help with Neck Pain?

When performed correctly, stretching provides multiple benefits for people dealing with neck pain, including:

  • Loosening stiff muscles and connective tissue
  • Increasing circulation and flow of nutrients to the area
  • Helping to improve posture by focusing on proper neck positioning

If you are dealing with neck pain that has lasted more than a few days to a week, always see a doctor for diagnosis and treatment. Before beginning any stretching or exercise routine talk to your doctor or other qualified health professional about your physical limitations and what stretches are right for you. 

 

Try These Easy Stretches to Relieve Mild to Moderate Neck Pain

The best stretches for neck pain depend on the individual cause of the injury or condition, but some of the most commonly recommended neck pain stretches by doctors and physical therapists include the following. 

 

1. Neck Rotation

Perform a neck rotation by keeping your head pointed forward, slowly turning to the right, holding for 10 seconds and returning to the forward position. Repeat on your left side. Perform anywhere from five to 10 repetitions. 

 

2. Forward Neck Extension

For this stretch, slowly tilt your head back while keeping your spine straight until you are looking straight up and hold for five seconds. Slowly tilt your head forward until your chin is pointing toward the sternum and hold for another five seconds before returning to the starting position. Perform five to 10 repetitions depending on your comfort level. 

 

3. Lateral Neck Extension 

Lateral neck extension involves using your hand as resistance to gently pull your head toward the shoulder. Begin by slowly tilting your head to the right side by pulling with your right hand until you feel a stretch. Hold it for five seconds and slowly return to center. Repeat this with your left hand, gently pulling to your left shoulder. Do this five to 10 times. 

 

4. Tilted Forward Neck Flexion

Slowly and gently tilt your head forward toward your chin. You can place your hands behind your head for added resistance depending on your comfort level. Hold for five seconds. While keeping your head tilted forward, slowly turn your head to the right and hold for another five seconds. Return to center and turn your head to the left, holding for five seconds. Perform five repetitions. 

 

5. Neck Glide

A neck glide starts with the head pointing straight ahead. Slowly point your chin forward while keeping your head upright and centered. Hold for five seconds and return to center. Repeat 10 times. 

 

Fitting Neck Stretches into Your Pain Management Treatment Plan

Neck stretches can be performed throughout the day as needed to keep the neck loose and prevent stiffness and awkward positions. Make sure to stay hydrated and focus on posture to get the most out of stretches. 

Performing neck stretches yourself can be a great supplement to physical therapy sessions and therapeutic forms of exercise such as yoga or Pilates. Ask your physical therapist or trainer how to integrate stretches into your treatment or workout routine. 

For neck pain that becomes serious or does not improve with basic treatments and a healthy lifestyle, more involved treatment may be necessary. Interventional pain management techniques, including injections and nerve blocks, help many patients overcome neck pain. For upper spine conditions that don’t respond to conservative therapies, minimally invasive spine surgery can provide lasting relief with an outpatient, muscle sparing procedure. 

Physician Partners of America is dedicated to helping people living with neck pain become pain free with personalized treatment plans that can help a wide range of conditions and levels of severity. Contact our caring team today.  

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What Is The Anti-Inflammatory Diet — and How Can It Help with Pain Relief?

No matter what kind of pain you deal with, inflammation plays a role. From arthritis to lower back pain to knee injuries, inflammation is a process that impacts not only how your body interprets pain, but how severe it feels. Although inflammation is actually a natural healing response, out-of-control chronic inflammation can be a major contributor to pain and discomfort.  

Many people who are dealing with chronic pain and inflammation are surprised to find out that improving their diet can be a very effective step for long-term relief. An anti-inflammatory diet is an approach to nutrition designed to curb harmful inflammation and promote healthy nerve function. If you want to learn more about this exciting and beneficial way to eat, Physician Partners of America is happy to share this helpful overview. 

 

Anti-Inflammatory Diet Explained

An anti-inflammatory diet, or low inflammation diet, is any diet that reduces foods that have been shown to increase chronic inflammation and maximize foods with evidence of anti-inflammatory properties. There are many individual diet plans that are labeled as anti-inflammatory, such as the Mediterranean diet, but any diet that minimizes inflammation and balances overall good nutrition can be an anti-inflammatory diet. 

 

Can It Really Help with Pain Relief?

An anti-inflammatory diet may not be able to cure or fully heal the underlying causes of pain, but by reducing certain markers of inflammation and increasing overall health, it can potentially help with symptoms.

When the body is under attack or injured, the immune system triggers the inflammatory process, which uses cells to help fight off germs and heal the body. If inflammation continues even when there is no longer a specific problem or the body is past a certain healing threshold, it can start to become harmful to the body and contribute to chronic pain. This form of chronic inflammation has been linked to diseases including Alzheimer’s, Diabetes, heart disease, and arthritis. 

Doctors and researchers have begun to discover that a significant contributor to chronic inflammation may be the foods we eat. According to research, certain foods have been shown to increase inflammation, including many of the processed, high sugar, and fried foods that are common in the modern Western diet. In contrast, diets that reduce inflammatory foods and increase anti-inflammatory options, such as the Mediterranean Diet, are associated with a number of health benefits. This can include increased life expectancy, reduced risk of chronic disease and better quality of life. 

 

What Are the Best Anti-Inflammatory Foods?

The foundation of most anti-inflammatory diets is to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables combined with healthy, unsaturated fats and omega 3 fatty acids. These natural foods are high in antioxidants and polyphenols that help the body fight off inflammatory agents such as free radicals. Additionally, unsaturated fats help promote cardiovascular health and good blood flow. 

Foods that should be the basis of any anti-inflammatory diet include:

  • Leafy greens like spinach, chard or kale
  • Tomatoes
  • Avocadoes
  • Fruits, particularly blueberries, strawberries, cherries and citrus
  • Nuts, such as walnuts, almonds and even peanuts
  • Olives and olive oil
  • Fatty fish, such as salmon or tuna
  • Green tea and moderate amounts of coffee

Combining a diet that emphasizes these powerful anti-inflammatories with healthy staples such as whole grain oats, brown rice and lean protein like chicken can potentially help with a wide range of health concerns, including chronic pain. 

 

What Foods Should I Avoid?

On the other end of the spectrum, anti-inflammatory diets should significantly limit or even avoid foods that increase inflammation. This includes foods that promote free radicals and other oxidizers, such as fried foods, red meat and sugar, as well as foods that can decrease cardiovascular health, such as saturated fats and salt. Most anti-inflammatory diet plans will advise people to stay away from: 

  • Refined grains and carbohydrates, such as white bread and pasta
  • Red and processed meat, including steak, hamburger, and hot dogs
  • Fried foods and fast foods, such as french fries 
  • High sodium foods, including most packaged dinners and canned soups
  • High sugar foods and beverages, especially soda
  • Margarine and shortening

While it can be ok to have some of these foods as an occasional treat, anyone dealing with chronic pain and inflammation should try to avoid them as regular parts of their diet. 

 

How an Anti-Inflammatory Diet Fits With Your Broader Pain Management Plan

A healthy diet plan and good nutritional habits can be a key part of a holistic pain relief program. While eating a consistent anti-inflammatory diet may not be able to reverse the aging process, arthritis or age-related spine conditions, it can improve overall health and create an environment in the body that is more responsive to other pain management measures such as physical therapy, injections or therapeutic massage. When starting any new diet, speak to your physician or treatment team about developing the best personalized plan for your condition and lifestyle. 

The caring and dedicated team at PPOA is committed to helping anyone living with pain overcome their symptoms and improve their quality of life. We can help develop a holistic plan that works to combine your healthy lifestyle choices like diet and exercise with comprehensive treatments such as interventional pain management. 

Contact us today to start your pain relief journey. 

 

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Got Hip Pain? Take These Steps for Lasting Relief

As the joints that connect the upper and lower body and enable most of your basic movements, the hips carry a heavy load. That’s why it’s not a big surprise that the hips are prone to a wide range of injuries and age-related conditions that can hamper your mobility and cause significant pain. Whether you want to work in the yard, get in a round of golf, or even just sit peacefully and read a book, hip pain can be a major obstacle to your quality of life. 

Although there are a wide range of causes for hip pain, there are some common steps to finding the long-term relief you deserve. To help, we’re happy to share this basic guide to get anyone started on their pain relief journey. 

 

Understanding the basics of hip pain

The hips are ball and socket joints that connect the pelvis to both of the legs. There is a complex arrangement of muscles, tendons, ligaments and other connective tissue that stabilize the hips and enable movement and flexibility in the hips. However, because the hips are under such a high level of stress and pressure every day, they are at a risk for developing potentially painful conditions and injuries, including:

  • Arthritis
  • Bursitis
  • Tendonitis
  • Osteoporosis
  • Nerve compression

Hip pain itself can be caused by direct injuries like strains, sprains, and tendonitis. In some cases, like arthritis or bursitis, pain is related to inflammation and stiffness causing aches and pains. In other situations, the source of pain can be harder to identify. This is why it is so important to receive a diagnosis from a medical professional. 

 

Step One: Diagnose the Cause of Your Hip Pain

To receive the right treatment for hip pain, it is critical to find the correct cause. For hip pain, this can be notoriously difficult to diagnose, and sometimes there can be multiple problems occurring at once. Doctors typically take the following steps to diagnose hip pain: 

  • Review medical history
  • Ask questions about symptoms and how they are affecting your life
  • Perform a full physical examination, including specific movement tests
  • Order diagnostic tests, including X-ray, MRI, CT scan, and nerve blocks

There are some conditions that cause hip pain, or pain that feels like hip pain, that actually originate in other locations, including the sacroiliac joint or even the lumbar spine. This is why receiving a precise diagnosis for your condition is critical. 

 

Step Two: Pursue Conservative Treatment Options

For many patients, the next step in hip pain relief is to explore conservative therapies, including: 

  • Over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication, such as naproxen (Aleve) or ibuprofen (Motrin)
  • Alternating a heating pad with a cold pack for 15-20 minutes at a time 
  • Performing gentle stretches and at-home physical therapy exercises with the guidance of a professional or physician

For injuries that can heal, initial conservative treatment can help to reduce pain and increase function while the condition improves. For age-related, degenerative conditions, conservative therapies can improve comfort and mobility to the best possible degree. 

 

Step Three: Make Healthy Lifestyle Adjustments

Another key step in overcoming hip pain is to practice a healthy lifestyle. While the following steps don’t directly cure or address hip pain, they can all play a role in reducing stress on the hip, decreasing inflammation, strengthening supporting muscles, and improving the flow of healing nutrients to the area. Commonly recommended steps by physicians to address hip pain include: 

  • Drinking enough water
  • Eating an anti-inflammatory diet 
  • Focusing on weight management to take pressure off the hips
  • Improving your posture 
  • Getting plenty of rest as needed

The right steps may be different depending on your specific situation, but by working with your treatment team and committing to a healthy lifestyle, you can make significant steps in overcoming hip pain.  

 

Step Four: Explore Interventional Pain Management

For hip pain that does not respond to basic conservative measures and persists despite taking steps toward a hip-healthy lifestyle, interventional pain management may be able to offer significant relief to patients. Interventional pain management takes a multidisciplinary approach to identifying the sources of pain and creating an individualized, holistic treatment plan. Specific interventional pain management therapies can include: 

  • Anti-inflammatory injections
  • Infusions
  • Nerve blocks
  • Physical therapy
  • Therapeutic massage

Once again, effective interventional pain management is about finding the right treatment or treatments for your specific condition and diagnosis. Finding a provider or clinic who can understand your needs and work with you is essential. 

 

Step Five: Know When to Consider Surgery

Surgery is generally a last-resort treatment for most cases of hip pain. Candidates for surgery generally suffer from severe and debilitating chronic hip pain that has not responded to all nonsurgical therapies. If surgery does become an option, it is critical to receive a correct diagnosis for the source of your hip pain. A thorough evaluation and diagnostic testing, including steps like nerve blocks, can ensure that any orthopedic procedure will truly address the underlying sources of pain and hip dysfunction. 

To help with recovery, minimally invasive procedures have been developed that reduce the size of the surgical incision and the damage to surrounding soft tissue. Anyone considering hip surgery should talk to their surgeon about the possibility of minimally invasive hip procedures. 

 

Learn More About Your Options for Relief

The caring and dedicated team at Physician Partners of America (PPOA) treats hip pain very seriously and can help people dealing with a wide range of injuries and conditions create a personalized treatment plan for relief. If you have explored basic treatments and lifestyle changes without finding the relief you deserve, reach out to your local clinic today to learn more about how PPOA can help you. 

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Exploring Natural Migraine Remedies

Anyone who experiences migraines on a regular basis knows it can be some of the worst, most disruptive pain a person can experience. The throbbing pain, vision problems, and nausea can make it hard to do anything from getting through a day of work to spending time with your family. Chronic migraines can even get in the way of a good night’s sleep, making it that much more likely for them to recur during the day. 

If you’ve reached a dead end with over-the-counter or prescription medication for your migraine relief, you may be wondering if natural and alternative treatments can help. We’re sharing this helpful overview of some of the most common natural migraine remedies as well as other forms of pain management that can help.

 

Understanding Migraines

Migraines are severe headaches that generally cause a throbbing or pulsing pain. They often affect one side of the head only, although they can sometimes affect both sides. Migraines are often accompanied by a range of symptoms, including sensitivity to light and sound, nausea, and vomiting.

The exact causes of migraines are not fully understood by doctors and medical researchers. Some evidence suggests they may be related to changes in the brain and interactions with the nervous system and blood vessels. Patients report common triggers that can cause a migraine, including stress, changes in sleep, hormonal changes, certain foods or drinks. Additionally, environmental factors such as bright lights or loud noises can bring on migraines for many sufferers.

 

10 Common Natural Migraine Remedies

The most common migraine treatments are over-the-counter medications and prescription medications. Although these can be effective, many people seeking migraine relief turn to a combination of natural remedies that can help to decrease the risk of triggering migraines, and soothe symptoms when they do happen. Natural remedies for migraines can range from basic lifestyle changes to alternative therapies, including these popular options: 

1. Water

Dehydration is one of the most common triggers for headaches, including migraines. By drinking enough water throughout the day, you significantly increase the chances of preventing the development of migraines. Additionally, if you do feel a migraine coming on, drinking water is one of the first steps you should take. 

2. Proper Nutrition

Eating a healthy diet and regular meals every day is another key preventative measure that migraine sufferers can and should take. Not only is skipping meals reported as one of the biggest contributors to migraines, but the foods you eat can make a difference too. For example, many preservatives such as nitrates and nitrites, and flavor enhancers such as monosodium glutamate have been shown to trigger migraines. 

3. Limiting Stress 

Another completely natural approach for preventing and managing migraines is to recognize and address stressful situations in your daily life that can lead to headaches. Although there is no way to completely avoid stress in your life, being able to recognize the triggers and respond with positive and relaxing behaviors such as deep breathing or closing your eyes for a few seconds can make a difference. 

4. Good Sleep Hygiene

There is evidence that sleep disorders like insomnia and migraines may be closely linked. Not only can missing sleep make you more likely to get a migraine, but getting more sleep and better sleep can be another measure of prevention. Sleep hygiene is the practice of building and maintaining good habits to prepare for sleep. This includes turning off lights and screens before bed, doing calming and relaxing activities, limiting food and caffeine in the hours before bed, and sleeping on a supportive and comfortable mattress and pillow. 

5. Magnesium 

Along with consistent and healthy nutrition, there is some evidence that certain supplements may help with both the prevention and treatment of migraines. According to the American Migraine Foundation, studies have shown that magnesium deficiency in the brain is associated with migraines, and supplementing with 400-600 mg of oral magnesium citrate daily is recommended for migraine prevention. 

6. Coenzyme Q10

Also known as CoQ10, Coenzyme Q10 is a natural compound that is linked to generating energy in our cells. Although we make this enzyme naturally in our bodies, our ability to do so declines with age. In addition to other benefits, it has been shown to reduce low energy levels in brain cells that may be associated with migraines. Studies have shown that supplementing with CoQ10 has been associated with reduced migraine frequency and severity. 

7. Ginger

Ginger extract has been widely studied for its health benefits largely due to its properties as an anti-inflammatory. According to research, these properties also include an ability to help prevent and lessen pain and nausea associated with migraines. 

8. Yoga and Other Forms of Exercise

By improving blood flow and even helping with nerve function, exercise in general is associated with helping patients who are dealing with all kinds of pain, including migraine headaches. One form of exercise that is particularly effective is yoga. By combining deep breathing, poses that help you focus on posture and core strength, and low impact cardiovascular movements, yoga can address many of the risk factors for migraines. 

9. Acupuncture

Acupuncture has been growing in popularity as an alternative pain management therapy, and there is a growing body of research to support this popularity. Many chronic migraine sufferers have reported positive results from regular acupuncture sessions. According to one review of clinical trials, 59% of migraine sufferers who undergo at least six months of acupuncture reported a 50% decrease in migraine frequency. 

10. Therapeutic Massage

By relaxing tense muscles and improving blood flow to the brain, therapeutic massage can remove some of the primary triggers for many people dealing with migraines. When undergoing a therapeutic massage, always schedule sessions with a licensed professional. It is also critical to stay hydrated before and after receiving a massage.

 

Taking the Next Step in Migraine Relief

At Physician Partners of America (PPOA), we have worked with many people dealing with chronic migraines. Our caring and dedicated team can work to understand your specific symptoms and help create a personalized, individualized treatment plan that fits your life. Effective treatment plans very often include a combination of lifestyle changes, natural remedies, and interventional pain management.  

Migraines do not need to control your life, contact PPOA to start your pain relief journey today. 

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Opioid Alternatives: Four Non-Pharmaceutical Pain Management Treatments

Chronic pain is a serious problem that affects millions of people each year in the United States alone. What’s worse, one of the most popular treatments for chronic pain — prescription opioids — has become its own unique health problem. According to the CDC, as many as 25% of people receiving prescription opioid therapy struggle with addiction, increasing the risk of misuse, overdose and even death. 

Fortunately, for people dealing with chronic pain, there are many options for managing pain without the need for prescription painkillers. From lifestyle changes to interventional pain management, exploring the full range of non-pharmaceutical therapies can help anyone overcome debilitating symptoms and get their life back. 

 

What Causes Chronic Pain?

Chronic pain describes any persistent and painful symptoms that last for an extended period of time. Exact time frames can vary, but many doctors describe chronic pain as lasting longer than three months or recurring multiple times within at least a one year period. 

There are wide range of underlying causes for chronic pain, including:

  • Degenerative conditions, such as arthritis or degenerative disc disease
  • Spine conditions, such as herniated discs
  • Neuropathy caused by diseases such as diabetes
  • Cancer pain 
  • Injuries, such as torn ligaments or muscle strains
  • Headaches or migraines
  • Chronic conditions such as fibromyalgia

In some cases, doctors may not be able to identify the exact cause of pain or successfully treat the underlying condition, leading to symptoms becoming long-term and debilitating. One of the first steps in successfully treating chronic pain is to receive a clear diagnosis for the causes. 

 

Try these non-pharmaceutical pain management treatments

Although the first impulse when dealing with pain may be to reach for the pills, whether prescription or over-the-counter, there are many other effective methods for addressing chronic pain. 

 

1. Lifestyle Steps: Anti-inflammatory Diet and Regular Exercise

Although changing your diet and getting more exercise may not magically cure chronic pain, many patients are surprised at how much of a positive impact they can have. For example, committing to an anti-inflammatory diet that reduces processed sugars and grains and emphasizes unsaturated fats and pain-reducing ingredients such as turmeric can have a tangible effect on how the body processes and interprets pain signals.  

Exercise also has potential pain management benefits, including improving blood flow, nerve function and muscle performance. Even just 20 to 30 minutes a day of a low-impact exercise such as walking can help people better deal with pain according to studies. 

 

2. Physical Therapy

Although you may associate it with recovering from an accident or surgical procedure, physical therapy can help with many more conditions, including chronic pain. Physical therapists can perform a detailed assessment of movement and posture to help patients understand how certain activities and positions may be contributing to pain. 

Through active and passive techniques, including manual therapies and strengthening exercises, therapists can isolate and relieve areas that are sources of pain. Strengthening exercises can help to stabilize the body and take pressure off of compressed nerves, while manual therapies can help to break up bundles of painful tissue and improve nerve function. 

 

3. Interventional Pain Management

Interventional pain management is a multidisciplinary approach to treating chronic pain that can include a broad range of non-pharmaceutical techniques. It is often used in conjunction with physical therapy and is based on a thorough medical evaluation. Specific pain management interventions can include:

The right techniques can vary on a case by case basis depending on the underlying cause of chronic pain. Often, the most effective plans consist of a combination of lifestyle changes, physical therapy, and interventional pain management. 

 

4. Minimally Invasive Surgery 

Although surgery is typically seen as a last-resort treatment for chronic pain, and may not be able to treat every condition, it can be highly effective for patients who are candidates and have exhausted other options. For example, people dealing with chronic back pain may be able to benefit from minimally invasive, outpatient spine surgery that relieves pressure on spinal nerves by carefully removing displaced disc material or a bone spur. Compared to traditional approaches, minimally invasive techniques can be associated with a shorter and less painful recovery while helping patients achieve long-term pain relief. 

 

Reach Out to Physician Partners of America for Pain Management Options

Physician Partners of America is committed to personalized, compassionate care to help anyone get their life back from pain. We work with patients one-on-one to ensure they get long-lasting relief through the right combination of treatment. If you have been experiencing pain with little to no relief, contact us today to find a pain management specialist who can help you thrive.

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