Make Pain a Thing of the Past – management – Physician Partners of America

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At some time in our lives, we will all reach a low point and we will struggle.  Many seek professional help in the form of counseling to gain the experience and knowledge needed in order to cope and push through these difficult times.  Professional treatment is often times the last resort for individuals.  What many people do not know, is that individual therapy can help the beginning stages of disorders, addictions, depression, stress, anxiety, family issues, trauma, and so much more.  Counseling can be used as both a preventative measure and as a corrective measure to assist those in need and to get them back on track to a healthy mental and physical state.

Holistic counseling and therapy have been on the rise.  Holistic therapy takes the approach of treating the “whole” person, involving looking into their life experiences as well as spiritual, physical, and psychological aspects of the person, not just the issue they are struggling with.  Be sure to find a licensed counselor who uses a holistic approach rather than who “coaches” using holistic methods.   Holistic approaches and counseling involve treatment of the “entire” person, from the inside out.  The goal of holistic counseling is for the client to achieve an improved mental, physical, and spiritual state.

Holistic therapy and exercises are catered towards the three main components of a person.  Massage, yoga, and other bodywork techniques are used on the physical aspect of the person’s body in order to help relieve tension and promote a better awareness of trouble areas as they arise rather than suffering after an extended period of time have passed.  These trouble areas are signs of repressed emotions and stress that the person is struggling with.  The next set of exercises involves psychotherapy aspects to assist the individual with the emotions they are feeling as the tension is released from the body.  Further education, as well as discussion of emotions and the stressors in the person’s life, will help them understand and be able to develop coping mechanisms as their awareness is heightened.  The last part of holistic treatment is to identify with the spiritual aspects of the person.  Both therapist and client will explore the deeper meanings of the individual’s life and of the world in order to help heal the soul and mind.  Meditation is a favored form of therapy used to assist in addressing the soul as well as spiritual aspects of the person.

Holistic therapy is an excellent form or preventative therapy, also known as wellness therapy or practice.  A balance is sought in holistic treatment of the body, spirit, and mind.  Holistic therapy has proved beneficial to many that have tried and used it, as it also helps educate the person to be more attuned to their needs as well as stress factors.  By being able to identify negative emotions as well as cope with them, holistic treatment helps prevent further relapses and promote the growth of a person’s well-being.  Using holistic counseling will take more than a couple of sessions.  The treatment is geared towards longevity and increasing the strength of positivity within a person.

Many daily habits can cause, exacerbate, or ease the amount of pain you experience, and there are several tried and true methods for dealing with chronic pain with or without the aid of pharmaceuticals and/or corrective surgery.

In all cases you should consult a doctor, nurse practitioner or physical therapist about what natural remedies are right for you and your condition, and whether medical interventions are necessary.

The best way to deal with chronic pain is to discuss the issues you are having and what medical interventions you are comfortable with participating in- openly with your doctor. Pain management professionals will work with you to ensure a natural, holistic approach to easing the chronic pain is taken and ensure your lifestyle habits and preferences are fully taken into consideration.

Types and Methods of Natural Pain Relief

Low Impact Hobbies and Exercise

Taking your mind off the pain is proven to be highly effective and can be done with a hobby or activity that is enjoyable, and perhaps, time-consuming. Reading, knitting, building models are great examples of ways we can train our brains on something other than chronic pain.

When engaged in such activities the brain releases chemical such as serotonin and dopamine that can ease anxiety and mitigate the amount of pain that is perceived.

Relaxation and meditation of often recognized ways to manage pain which fall into this category. According to Clinical Health Psychologist Dr. William Deardorff, “the brain can learn how to manage and decrease the sensation of pain using a combination of deep focus, breathing, and imagery techniques.” Such techniques combined with avoiding idle time can help limit the perceived amount of pain.

Stretching and Yoga

Many instances of lower back pain and some joint pain can be soothed by different yoga poses and stretching techniques. Yoga helps to strengthen and loosen the connecting muscles to areas where soreness and inflammation start.

One of the best ways to get active in yoga is to search for a yoga studio or a gym near you. You can also look up poses that can help you get started at home. If your doctor agrees that you are in fit condition to perform yoga, you may find that over time you will feel more mentally and spiritually fit. According to an article from Harvard Health citing two separate sources, Yoga has shown to help improve symptoms associated with ailments such as fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis and can even improve mental wellbeing.

Using Hot and Cold Temperatures for Pain Relief

Also known as cryotherapy and thermotherapy, there may be some confusion as to when it is best to employ hot or cold to painful areas, so always consult with your healthcare professional. Generally, though, you use ice on injuries and heat on muscle pain, according to Painscience.com.

Cryotherapy or “icing” can be useful for bruising, inflammation and other superficial injuries. While the evidence supporting the effectiveness of cryotherapy for injuries is tenuous, it can provide some minor comfort where inflammation and swelling are involved.

Heat can be used for muscle spasms, tension, chronic pain and other situations associated with throbbing or aching feelings. Warmth can have a calming effect as well, which can sooth some of the emotional aspects associated with pain.

Be careful when using temperature-based therapies in treating pain, because there could be an opposite-to-the-desired effect. The rule of thumb is to do what feels good to you.

Herbal Remedies and Supplements

When considering supplements, as with all pain interventions and therapies you must consult with your healthcare provider. There are many on the market that can help with different types pain. WebMD offers a comprehensive article listing supplements that can ease different types of pain.

The following are some of the listed remedies:

  • For back and joint pain: turmeric, devil’s claw root, capsicum/capsaicin, comfrey, glucosamine and chondroitin
  • For a headache: white willow bark, boswellia, caffeine, feverfew and butterbur
  • For arthritis: SAM-e, glucosamine/chondroitin, and boswellia
  • Other remedies for inflammation: Omega 3 fatty acids, and probiotics

In all cases, consulting with your physician before starting natural and herbal interventions is the rule of thumb as some of these supplements may react adversely with others, or other medicines you are taking.

Alternative Medicine for Chronic Pain

When considering an “alternative” treatment for pain you may notice a re-reoccurring theme: Your doctor is always going to be your best guide, so have questions prepared. Also consider many treatments that were once deemed alternative, are now becoming mainstream such as acupuncture and marijuana.

It is important to keep in mind that treatments outside of the mainstream are there for a reason: They aren’t effective, or potentially harmful.

Sometimes the most natural method of pain relief is to abstain from bad habits or to engage in healthy ones. Minor lifestyle changes like exercise, avoiding substance abuse, proper diet and getting enough sleep can improve quality of life and by extension perceived pain.

The abdomen is a very busy part of the body. Since there are a lot of organs in the abdomen, one of the first thing that a medical professional is likely to ask you if you’re having abdominal trouble is where the pain is located.

To better understand your abdominal pain, learning more about where your organs live can help clarify what may be causing your pain.

Here are the four quadrants of your abdomen and some of the parts in each of them:

Right Upper Quadrant

Here are some of the organs in the right upper quadrant of your body:

  • Gallbladder
  • Liver
  • Duodenum
  • Upper portion of your right kidney
  • Part of your colon
  • Part of your pancreas

Right Lower Quadrant

In the right lower quadrant of your body, you will find:

  • Appendix
  • Right ureter
  • Part of your colon
  • Lower portion of your right kidney
  • Right ovary (for females)
  • Right fallopian tube (for females)
  • Right spermatic cord (for males)

Left Upper Quadrant

These organs are found in the left upper quadrant of your body:

  • Stomach
  • Pancreas
  • Spleen
  • Part of your liver
  • Upper portion of your left kidney
  • Part of your colon

Left Lower Quadrant

The left lower quadrant of your body is home to organs like:

  • Left ureter
  • Part of your colon
  • Lower portion of your left kidney
  • Part of your colon
  • Left ovary (for females)
  • Left fallopian tube (for females)
  • Left spermatic cord (for males)

Things to Remember About the 4 Quadrants

Looking at the lists above, you may notice that some body parts are in more than one quadrant. The colon, for example, has portions across all four quadrants of your body.

This is why it is important for you to explain to your medical professional not just where your pain is located, but the nature of the pain and any other symptoms that you are experiencing.

Another thing to keep in mind is that sometimes your pain could come from an organ that is not typically located in that quadrant. For example, if your uterus becomes enlarged, it could potentially cause pain in your lower left or right quadrants.

Having an understanding of your body can help you stay informed, but when you need treatment for your abdominal pain, it is time to go to a medical professional.

Next Steps to Treat Abdominal Pain

Even though it is smart to understand the four quadrants of your abdomen, do not take it upon yourself to make a diagnosis. It may be tempting to do some research and figure out the source of the pain yourself, but it rarely helps bring anything but confusion.

When you have abdominal pain, go to a medical professional for diagnosis and treatment options. Use your knowledge of the four quadrants to describe the location and nature of your pain, then let your doctor figure out what it is and how to help.

Make sure to follow the instructions of your medical professional and you’ll be on the path to recovery.

 

Abdominal Pain “Quick Answers”

A: Abdominal pain its self is a symptom. Other symptoms along with the abdominal pain may include

  • Nausea,
  • Diarrhea
  • Severe pain after eating

A: Some diseases that can be a cause of your abdominal pain include:

  • Gastritis,
  • Appendicitis
  • Kidney stones
  • Gallbladder Pain disease
  • Duodenal and gastric ulcers
  • Infections
  • Pregnancy-associated problems
  • Ruptured blood vessels
  • Heart attacks
  • Liver and pancreas inflammation
  • Kidney stones
  • Problems with the blood circulation to the intestine
  • Diverticulitis
  • Cancers

 

Some sensations of abdominal pain might not be caused from the abdomen its self:

  • Some heart attacks and pneumonia can cause abdominal pain and even nausea.
  • Diseases of the pelvis or groin can also cause abdominal pain in adults.
  • Testicular problems often can cause lower abdominal pain.
  • Certain skin rashes, such as shingles, can feel like abdominal pain, even though the person has nothing wrong inside their body.
  • Even some poisonings and bites, such as a black widow spider bite, can cause severe abdominal pain.

A: Medical attention should be given when (but not limited to):

  • Abdominal pain that lasts more than six hours or continues to worsen
  • Pain accompanied by vomiting more than three or four times
  • Severe abdominal pain
  • Pain that stops a person from eating
  • Abdominal pain during pregnancy
  • Abdominal pain after eating
  • Pain along with an inability to urinate, move the bowels, or pass gas
  • Pain accompanied by a fever over 101 F (38.3 C)
  • Any other pain that feels different from a simple stomach ache
  • Pain so bad the affected person passes out or almost passes out
  • Pain so bad the affected person cannot move

A: Most doctors determine the cause of abdominal pain by relying on:

  • Characteristics of the pain
  • Physical examination
  • Exams and tests
  • Surgery and endoscopy

A: If the cause of the pain is known, a person should follow the instructions specific for the diagnosis.

For Example:

  • For an ulcer, the person must avoid nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol.
  • For a gallbladder disease, the person should avoid greasy, fatty, and fried foods.

While it is important to pay attention to changes in your health, it is not safe to self-diagnose when pain is severe or chronic.

Right Upper Quadrant:

  • Liver
  • Galbladder
  • Duodenum
  • Head of Pancreas
  • Right Adrenal Gland
  • Upper Lobe of Kidney
  • Hepatic Flexure of Colon
  • Section of Ascending Colon
  • Section of Transverse Colon

Right Lower Quadrant

  • Lower Lobe of Right Kidney
  • Section of Ascending COlon
  • Right Fallopian Tube (female)
  • Right Ovary (female)
  • Par of Uterus (if enlarged)
  • Right Spermatic Cord (male)
  • Cecum
  • Appendix
  • Right Ureter

Left Upper Quadrant

  • Left Lower Part of Liver
  • Upper Lobe of Left Kidney
  • Splenic Flexure of Colon
  • Section fo Transverse Colon
  • Section of Descending COlon
  • Stomach
  • Spleen
  • Pancreas
  • Left Adrenal Gland

Left Lower Quandrant

  • Lower Lobe of Left Kidney
  • Secion of Descending Colon
  • Left Spermatic Cord (male)
  • Part of Uterus (if enlarged)
  • Sigmoid Colon
  • Left Ureter
  • Left Ovary (female)
  • Left Fallopian Tube (female)

A. The appendix is located in the lower right quadrant of the abdomen (right iliac region). This are is approximately 100mm (4 inches) long and about the diameter of a dime.

A: The uterus is located in both parts of the lower right and lower left quadrant of the female human anatomy.

About Physician Partners of America

Headquartered in Tampa, Fla., Physician Partners of America (PPOA) is a fast-growing national healthcare company committed to combatting the opioid crisis through interventional pain management. Founded in 2013 with three employees, it has rapidly grown to more than 500, and manages a wide range of medical practices.

Florida Pain Relief Group is proud to announce the addition of Dr. Mauricio Orbegozo to our growing practice.

Dr. Orbegozo has more than 20 years of experience as an anesthesiologist and pain management specialist. He joins Florida Pain Relief Group from private practice in the greater Chicago area.

“I like the approach of pain management because it allows me to treat the pain suffering patient in all stages of the process and their condition,” Dr. Orbegozo said. “As a surgeon I was only going to be involved in surgery. As I was finishing my residency in anesthesia I was given the privilege and opportunity to go to one if the best training programs available. I have since been practicing pain management and interventional therapies for pain. During my career I have had the privilege of treating patients with all conditions in pain management.”

Following medical school, Dr. Orbegozo pursued a residency program in general surgery at Good Samaritan Hospital in Ohio; a residency program in anesthsiology at Loyola University Medical Center in Illinois; and a fellowship in pain management at Texas Tech University Medical Center in Texas.

“My approach to patient care is that of maximizing all therapies we have available for the patient in order to provide the best result,” Dr. Orbegozo said. “I believe the pain management specialist is the gatekeeper for patients in the sense that if they need referrals to other specialties, we can send the patient to the most appropriate physician to complement the care that we as pain Physicians have given. I believe in complete health as far as mental and physical health.”

Dr. Orbegozo prides himself on being able to connect on a personal level with each of his patients.

“I have always been proud of the fact that if a patient’s name comes up in a question I am able to recall who that patient is, the therapy the patient is undergoing and also who they are personally,” he said. “I believe that to treat pain you have to know as much of the patient as possible not only physically but mentally, socially and their life and family support they have around them.”

Joining Florida Pain Relief Group presented Dr. Orbegozo with the opportunity to relocate to be closer to family and to join a rapidly growing pain practice.

“I have decided to join Florida Pain Relief Group because ever since I met Dr Gari, saw his approach to pain management and saw his achievements in creating a model of pain management that has proven to be successful for a very long time,” Dr. Orbegozo said. “I knew this was the type of practice I wanted to join. We have family and friend ties to Florida and this was always in our plans as an area to continue our family life.”

Dr. Orbegozo will be seeing new patients starting May 16th at our Tampa pain relief center locations in East Tampa and Carrollwood.

A compressed or pinched nerve is one of the main reasons you experience back, neck, wrist or leg pain. The delicate nerve fibers get trapped, pinched, squeezed, or injured by a variety of external or internal situations and the neurotransmitters that signal “pain” to the brain go off.

Causes of a compressed nerve can vary from an injury to poor posture to degenerative disorders to obesity. Additionally, the compressed nerve can be a result of a combination of factors.

The pressure on the nerve by surrounding bones, cartilage, muscles, or tendons needs to be relieved sooner than later, or that pain will continue to slow you down – not to mention the nerve can endure permanent damage if not tended to.

We’ve gone into detail about pinched nerves in our conditions section, but let’s recap some of the symptoms you may experience.

Compressed Nerve Symptoms

The following is a small selection of common symptoms of a compressed nerve:

  • Numbness
  • Radiating pain that stems from one specific location
  • Muscle weakness
  • Feeling as if the area has “fallen asleep”

Medical Treatment for a Compressed Nerve

Our specialists offer many solutions for your compressed nerve pain including minimally invasive procedures and physical therapy. Below are a few highlighted pain management options you can receive:

  • Nerve blocks. A nerve block is an anesthetic or anti-inflammatory injection into a particular nerve or group of nerves for pain relief. The aim is to block pain signal(s) coming from a specific location in the body and/or decrease inflammation in that area.
  • Trigger point injections. A Trigger Point Injection (TPI) is an intra-muscular injection of a local anesthetic into muscle trigger points, often accompanied by an anti-inflammatory steroid, to combat specific pain points and chronic pain usually resulting from an injury to the muscle(s) in question.
  • Pulsed radiofrequency. Pulsed radiofrequency treatment is very effective at treating the more difficult types of chronic pain that usually originate from either irritated or damaged nerves.
  • Physical therapy. This enables you to build strength in muscles where you are experiencing pain and weakness.

The prognosis for a full recovery from a pinched nerve is good if you don’t ignore the warning signs and get your pain checked out by a doctor sooner than later. For more information about compressed or pinched nerves, contact us today.

Get relief from arthritis pain in Tampa

Tampa pain specialist Dr. Rodolfo Gari of Florida Pain Relief Group is an expert in the treatment of chronic pain due to arthritis.

In a recent appearance on the News Channel 8 program “DayTime”, Dr. Gari spoke about the various symptoms of pain from arthritis and the treatment options that exist.

You don’t have to suffer in pain from arthritis. Each of our Tampa pain doctors have years of experience treating arthritis pain using a variety of techniques and procedures.

Schedule an appointment at one of our Tampa pain relief center locations in East Tampa, North Tampa and Carrollwood.

Watch the video here:

When confronted with a headache the first thought is to grab the nearest over-the-counter pain medication and wait for the pain to subside.

When that doesn’t work, you are faced with the question of what to do next.

Jonette Gozzola NP, a Dallas headache specialist, offers these Do’s and Don’ts for how to respond when a headache comes, and what next steps should be taken.

Do:

  • Seek competent medical evaluation. Migraines cause missed work, family activities and even cause problems in relationships
  • Recognize “triggers” that cause your migraines. Again, a trained clinician can help. Common triggers-stress, certain foods, sleep disturbance, weather changes
  • Keep a headache diary. Record level of intensity and frequency of all headaches.
  • Seek immediate emergency help for “’the worst headache I have ever had”

Don’t

  • Overuse rescue medications. You need to be in control of headaches not be being controlled by headaches
  • Delay seeking a headache professional for guidance and appropriate medication
  • Seek more and stronger “pain” medication. It may be poison for the person with a migraine
  • Ignore signs of a growing problem-mood disruption, decreased cognitive function, muscle tension, excessive yawning, increasing frequency, and intensity

A migraine is a condition of the nervous system that can be serious and debilitating. It is not “just a headache”. Help is available for you to control this condition and take back your life. You are a valuable person who people love and appreciate! Let us help you get back to being you!

Chronic pain sufferers will try almost anything to achieve relief from their pain symptoms. Typically the first line of defense are various pain medications, both over-the-counter and prescribed by a physician.

However, pain medication cannot be guaranteed to always work as prescribed or as intended. Over the years medical research has revealed that not every person absorbs medication the same ways, and that over time our body will change how it reacts to medications.

Pain physicians have a number of ways to combat this issue in patients.

“This is a situation known as tachyphylaxis where more medication is needed to achieve the same effect,” said Dr. Rodolfo Gari, Tampa pain specialist with Florida Pain Relief Group. “Many believe that tachyphylaxis occurs because our bodies increase the number of receptors necessary to achieve pain control and therefore more medication is needed to achieve the same effect.”

Typically a patient does not want to increase their existing medication dosages, but instead find a combination or approach that works best.

“A way to counter this without increasing dosage is to switch the medication to a different class of opioid that works in different receptors,” Dr. Gari said. “For example, switching from hydrocodone to oxycodone or switching from morphine to methadone for a short period of time can restore the original effect. We can then switch back to the original medication with better results at a lower dosage.”

For patients who don’t experience relief from a change in medications may be good candidates for a test called Pharmacogenomics. This test will help a doctor to prescribe medication based on more than symptoms.

“Pharmacogenomics is a field of medicine that matches our unique genetic make up with the medications that work best for us,” Dr. Gari said. “We have all experienced ‘trials’ of different medications until we find one that works. Pharmacogenomics allows us to use the right medication the first time.”

All of our pain doctors in Tampa offer pharmacogenomics testing to their patients. Schedule an appointment at any of our Tampa pain relief centers in East Tampa, North Tampa and Carrollwood.

Get Relief from Pain After Back Surgery

When making the decision to go forward with back surgery, the hope is that by having the procedure done it will reduce or eliminate pain.

The reality is that back surgery can be unsuccessful and ultimately leave you with the same level of pain, or even greater pain, than when you first had the procedure.

The issue has become so common that it has a name: Failed Back Syndrome. Tampa pain specialist Dr. Jorge Leal with Physician Partners of America has this first-hand in his patients over the years.

“Sometimes the pain can occur immediately after the surgery.The pain you feel does not get better,” Dr. Leal said. “Sometimes it’s a period of days or weeks after the initial surgery.  The pain goes away but then it comes back.”

Symptoms of Failed Back Syndrome are varied. However, typically a patient will feel pain in their back and usually down one or both of the lower extremities.

“A patient could feel numbness in their legs, tingling sensations and also muscle atrophy,” Dr. Leal said. “If the nerves have been damaged, there could be a loss of reflexes, depending on the degree of residual damage.”

Physician Partners of America offers patients pain relief without surgery.

Treating failed back syndrome can be done using conventional measures such as physical therapy and anti-inflammatory medication. Another option is nerve blocks if they have not been tried in the past.

“If no further surgical treatment is required or desirable, then we look at implantable devices like spinal cord stimulation or a morphine pump,” Dr. Leal said.

The prognosis for someone with Failed Back Syndrome varies widely based on the kind of surgery that was performed and where the pain is coming from. Sometimes the pain will subside with treatment, but it is not a guarantee.

“What we can do is, through various diagnostic nerve blocks, we can identify the pain generator,” said Dr. Leal.  “From there we can concentrate on it and determine the best course of treatment for such a pain generator.”

Get relief from pain caused by a car accident

Tampa pain specialist Dr. Rodolfo Gari with Florida Pain Relief Group recently appeared on News Channel 8’s program “DayTime” to talk about pain from a car accident.

In the event of a car accident a person can experience a number of different injuries, from whiplash to broken bones and more.

At Florida Pain Relief Group our physicians have years of experience treating several types of pain that are the result of a car accident.

Our pain specialists can successfully diagnose, treat and relieve your pain at any of our Tampa pain relief center locations.

Watch the video to learn more.