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

Tag Archive for: pain

Dr. Rodolfo Gari Talks About Pinched Nerves, Back Pain and Exercises to Help

,

Cindy: Everyone experiences back pain at some point in their life, whether it be strained muscles, a pinched nerve, or something much more serious. Dr. Rudy Gari from Florida Pain Relief joins us now to talk about why it happens and what we can do to stop it. Hi, Dr. Gari.

Dr. Gari: Hi Cindy, how are you?

Cindy: I’m well and thankfully pain-free right now, but I’ve had back pain and I think everybody that’s watching right now at some point in their lives has had it if they’re not having it right now. What can we do, first of all, to prevent this back pain?

Dr. Gari: Well the first thing that you can do is to make sure that your core muscles are intact. One of the biggest reasons for problems with back pain is that as we get older, our muscles and our core tends to loosen up, and those are really the protectors, and when they loosen up, it gets everything else loose and allows you to maybe twist the wrong way for you to get hurt.

Cindy: Yeah, I’ve done that.

Dr. Gari: Yeah.

Cindy: What about pinched nerves? We hear about that a lot. What can your organization do to help people who have pinched a nerve in their back?

Dr. Gari: A pinched nerve is actually a nerve that’s inflamed. What we can do is first identify exactly which nerve it is. Then if it doesn’t go away with typical physical therapy, medication, and so forth, very mild, we can go ahead and put some medication right exactly into that nerve with a very local anesthetic and something to take away the inflammation. If we take the inflammation, that pain goes away.

Cindy: Because a lot of times when people have back pain, it prevents them from doing any kind of activity, and then that’s a ripple effect for their whole health, isn’t it?

Dr. Gari: Absolutely, because if you think about it, your back is the core of your locomotion. You can’t walk, you can’t do anything, you can’t bend. It’s debilitating.

Cindy: Yeah, it can affect every aspect of your life.

Dr. Gari: Absolutely.

Cindy: What’s the most common back pain people come in complaining of?

Dr. Gari: The most common that we see is either some sort of a strain, or it’s some sort of a herniated disk, which is actually where your spine consists of the 31 different vertebrae, like bones, that hold us up, and there are these little shock absorbers in between. That little shock absorber gel, if it protrudes out it can hit a nerve, cause inflammation, and that can be very debilitating.

Cindy: What’s the option for somebody with a herniated disk? My mom had that.

Dr. Gari: Yeah, the option is to see if it goes away with physical therapy and just rest. If it doesn’t, then before you go and get operated, we can go in right like we talked about earlier, go in and take care of that inflamed nerve. It’s an outpatient procedure.

Cindy: Great.

Dr. Gari: Take away and reduce the inflammation, allow you to get back on your feet again, and eventually that inflammation goes away so that we can try to avoid you from getting surgery.

Cindy: Isn’t that nice? A lot of people will be happy to hear about that. What can people do at home and how can exercise play a role in really protecting our backs and preventing damage?

Dr. Gari: The exercise that you can do is, again, core exercises, especially your abdominal area. Want to make sure that you find ways not to have more extra pounds than you need to. You have to be careful with your exercises because you don’t want to hurt yourself either.

Cindy: Right.

Dr. Gari: But anything that strengthens your abdominal area and your back muscles, that’s the first line of defense before it ends up hitting your spine, which is where some of the problems tend to occur.

Cindy: What about yoga and Pilates? Do you think those are good?

Dr. Gari: Those are very good, absolutely. Stretching, and that all causes a lot of core exercises, yoga and Pilates. They’re very good. In fact, Pilates was actually started by a doctor, Dr. Pilate.

Cindy: Yes, of course.

Dr. Gari: Yes, and Dr. Pilate started this Pilates exercises because he suffers from back pain.

Cindy: See?

Dr. Gari: And he wanted to actually find some exercises where he could actually treat himself, and he treated himself with Pilate exercises.

Cindy: All right, well Dr. Gari, thank you very much. For relief of any kind of pain, you can make the same day appointment today at Florida Pain Relief. Be sure to visit their website, FloridaPainRelief.com, or give them a call. 844-KICK-PAIN. We’ll be right back.

/by

Dr. Rodolfo Gari of Florida Pain Relief Group Talks Hip and Knee Pain in Women

,

 

Cyndi Edwards: Hip and knee pain are feelings that many people know all too well. Dr. Rudy Gari from Florida Pain Relief Group, joins us today to talk about what could be causing this and how you can treat it. Dr. Gari, welcome back to Daytime.

Dr. Gari: Thank you. Thank you.

Cyndi Edwards: Let’s talk about hip pain in women in particular. What are the main causes of that?

Dr. Gari: Okay, well hip pain results from pain in your joints. So our bodies consist of joints everywhere. Now what’s unique about the hip and the knees, is they tend to be much larger joints. And if you can think about that, your hips is where most of your weight is carried. So in women or men, what causes that is basically inflammation.

Cyndi Edwards: Okay.

Dr. Gari: So you can get inflammation at the joint. Sometimes the inflammation could be caused by injuries, whether it’s the tendon or the capsule around there. But basically, it’s some sort of inflammatory process that causes that. It could be arthritis. It could be just all kinds of causes.

Cyndi Edwards: Okay. So there’s a correlation right, between weight gain and hip pain?

Dr. Gari: Absolutely. So like what we discussed earlier, was the fact that the weight is carried there. So the more weight that you have, the more in pain you’re gonna be. Just try to imagine trying to carry a 30-pound dumbbell.

Cyndi Edwards: Yeah, no thanks. Can you relieve that pain? How can you do that?

Dr. Gari: Absolutely.

Cyndi Edwards: Without getting a hip replacement?

Dr. Gari: Sure. So a lot of people have heard of, you know, Motrin, Advil. Those are all what’s called NSAIDs, they’re non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs.

Cyndi Edwards. Yeah.

Dr. Gari: So basically it’s to reduce inflammation, so you take a pill for that. The problem with that pill is that all it has to go into your stomach, right?

Cyndi Edwards: Mm-hmm.

Dr. Gari: And then a very small percentage travels into the blood, and then an even smaller percentage of that goes to the actual joint.

Cyndi Edwards: Right. So how do we get to the joint without actually cutting you open and going to the joint?

Dr. Gari: So what we do at Florida Pain Relief Group, is we can actually go ahead and visualize that joint. We give you a sedative and a local anesthetic. And using image guidance, we can place a needle right into that joint and place the medication there to reduce the inflammation. There’s also other types of treatments. So for example, we have this treatment that’s kind of like a lubricant that can last months.

Cyndi Edwards: Oh, great.

Dr. Gari: That can lubricate your joint. We even have regenerative medicine, that’s been fantastic. So what that does is, there are these things called allografts for example. And the allografts are this material that we use that helps your own body’s stem cells…

Cyndi Edwards: Regenerate?

Dr. Gari: …concentrate…

Cyndi Edwards: Oh.

Dr. Gari: …and regenerate your own damage that you have in those joints. So that it’s your own body healing itself.

Cyndi Edwards: Oh, love the sound of that. And so I suppose, just like the hip you can do the same for the knee. I have to ask about shingles, because we’re hearing a lot about that lately. A very painful affliction. How can you help people that come in with shingles?

Dr. Gari: Sure. So shingles is a very common occurrence, especially as we get older. And what shingles is, it’s actually a recurrence of the chickenpox.

Cyndi Edwards: Right.

Dr. Gari: So the chicken pox virus never goes away, it lives in us in a dormant state. And then something happens that triggers that to express again.

Cyndi Edwards: Right.

Dr. Gari: What happens is that the virus, when it expresses, it travels through your nerves. And that’s why you see it in like a certain distribution.

Cyndi Edwards: Yeah.

Dr. Gari: And as it travels, it just causes major havoc…

Cyndi Edwards: Can you do something for that…

Dr. Gari: ….in your nerves.

Cyndi Edwards: pain really quickly?

Dr. Gari: Yes we can.

Cyndi Edwards: Thank you, very good. But get the vaccine too, if you can.

Dr. Gari: Yes.

Cyndi Edwards: Dr. Gari, appreciate you coming in. If you want relief from any kind of pain, you can make a same-day appointment at Florida Pain Relief Group. Be sure to visit their website floridapainreliefgroup.com or give them a call: 844-KICK-PAIN. We’ll be right back.

/by

Dr. Rodolfo Gari Talks Neck & Shoulder Pain And Its Causes

,

 

Interviewer: We all know that stress can wreak havoc on our bodies, with the problem area often being the neck and shoulders. Dr. Rudy Gari from Florida Pain Relief is back now to tell us how we can treat it. And you know doctor, I’ll tell you what, I know so many people that complain about these very same issues, the neck and the shoulder. A lot of people have this, don’t they?

Dr. Gari: Absolutely.

Interviewer: Yeah. So let’s talk about specifically neck pain. What causes it primarily?

Dr. Gari: Okay. Well, neck pain is caused by many different factors. It could be something as really benign as just tension, which you get tension, you get spasms around your shoulders. Yeah. It causes a lot of stress, a lot of tension in your neck, headaches. It could be something a lot more involved, like it could be a herniated disc and your cervical spine.

Interviewer: So now, is stress primarily associated with the neck and the shoulder pain that a lot of us experience?

Dr. Gari: Well, the shoulder and neck pain that you get from stress is a symptom of stress. So what happens when you get stressed is your body gets really tense. What it does is your muscles in your neck area contract. It goes into spasms. There are these things called trigger points that are almost like very many, little, tiny like very painful areas. And we can treat that. We can treat that very simply with just different medications. Sometimes just injecting a very small injection right into the muscle can just take it away. I’ve seen people come in, in tears, literally tears, because…

Interviewer: Oh wow, because they have such relief.

Dr. Gari: Well, because they’re miserable and… They’re miserable and then…

Interviewer: Oh coming in but then they’re crying tears of joy.

Dr. Gari: That’s right, and then it’s almost like tears of joy because, “Oh my God, I don’t have any pain anymore,” and it was just something very basic.

Interviewer: Absolutely. You know, so I’m coming to you, let’s say, and I’m coming to you with neck and with shoulder pain and maybe some pain in my upper thoracic and my back. What do you do? What’s the process? Explain.

Dr. Gari: Okay. So the first I’m gonna do is take a thorough history.

Interviewer: Okay.

Dr. Gari: I’m gonna take a history and find out what led to that. The next thing that I’m gonna do is perform a very thorough physical examination. After that, based on those findings, I might send you for some diagnostic studies. And it could be something like nerve conduction studies, EMG, basically just to find out if you have a pinched nerve.

Interviewer: Okay.

Dr. Gari: I may send you for some x-rays, MRI to see if you have a herniated disc. Just want to make sure that you don’t have anything a lot more involved that we should be treating other than just typical tension and neck pain.

Interviewer: Sure. So it really varies depending on, yeah, each person.

Dr. Gari: It varies and each person is different. The way that we like to treat you is to treat you as a person. We’re gonna take care of you as a person. Find out what you have and then tailor that treatment plan according, exactly, to your needs and to your situation.

Interviewer: So you have a specific plan for each person depending on the pain that they’re having?

Dr. Gari: Absolutely, yeah. It has to be tailored uniquely to the patient’s symptoms, history, examination findings.

Interviewer: Sure. Let’s talk about some exercises people can do to alleviate the pain we’re talking about, the neck and the shoulders specifically.

Dr. Gari: Okay. Well, some of the exercises are very basic. Sometimes if you just kind of touch your neck area, you feel like a lump there. That lump is actually your muscles completely contracted. And sometimes even just like massage therapy…

Interviewer: Yeah.

Dr. Gari: …you know how it feels so good because you relax that and that muscle, it’s no longer tense and the relief goes away. The problem is it doesn’t always go away from them. And that’s where we can get a little more involved.

Interviewer: Yeah.

Dr. Gari: But something very basic like that can just help out, just the massaging of that little knot that you have does a lot.

Interviewer: Fantastic, Dr. Gari, appreciate it. Now you can make same-day appointments with this guy and so be sure to visit their website, floridapainrelief.com or give a call 844-KICK-PAIN. That’s what he does. We’ll be right back. Thanks so much, Dr. Gari.

Dr. Gari: Thank you.

Interviewer: Thank you.

/by

Dr. Rodolfo Gari of Florida Pain Relief Group Talks Chronic Pain and How It Can Be Treated

,

 

Interviewer: We hear the term chronic pain all too often. It’s a common problem, but what exactly is it? Dr. Rudy Gari from Florida Pain Relief Group joins us now to help. Dr. Gari, good to have you here.

Dr. Gari: My pleasure.

Interviewer: And unfortunately, over a billion people worldwide have chronic pain. So what exactly does that mean?

Dr. Gari: So chronic pain refers to pain that continues when it should have been gone. So for example, you sustain an injury and we know typically, the pain from that injury should be gone in about two weeks or more or less, whatever that might be. Well, maybe it’s three weeks, four weeks, and it lasts longer. That pain now becomes chronic and there are actually some patients that they’ve had pains for so long, so many months, so many years, where the pain, in and of itself, now becomes a disease. So now, you have an illness which is pain. Pain should be a symptom not an illness.

Interviewer: And that becomes their norm. That’s their everyday life.

Dr. Gari: That becomes their norm. It becomes…

Interviewer: They forget what feeling good feels like.

Dr. Gari: Sometimes you have patients that, you know, that are in chronic pain for years and it no different than if you have diabetes of high blood pressure.

Interviewer: Okay. So you see people like these I’m sure every day.

Dr. Gari: Every single day.

Interviewer: So what can you do for somebody who comes in and says, “Like I’ve had this pain for a lot longer than two weeks.”

Dr. Gari: So the first thing that we wanna do is we wanna cure that. So you know the field that I’m in is called Pain Management. I’d love it if it could be called Pain Curer. There are many things we can cure pain but unfortunately a lot of times, we have to find ways to get patients to live their life again through different means. So the first thing we wanna do is we wanna make sure, is this something that we can cure? So we have to make a diagnosis. We have to be physicians, we have to listen to that patient, look at all the medical records, perform an examination in the laboratory, whatever it takes. And there are actually some chronic pain that we have been able to successfully treat where it goes away.

Interviewer: I know a lot of people are on some kind of pain pill, opiates and I’m sure there are some doctors out there who say, “This is the only thing that’s going to help you cut through this pain.” You don’t believe that, right?

Dr. Gari: No. I don’t believe that. There are patients that are gonna need opioids, there’s no question about it. But if we can take that patient and instead of that patient taking 100 milligrams of morphine or, you know, per day, if we can reduce that to 30 milligrams a day, a two-thirds reduction in the amount of medication that you need to function, that is a significant and major improvement and we do that through different ways.

Interviewer: Well, we hear people overdosing on pain pills every single day. So obviously cutting back as much as possible is what you’re trying to aim for here. So let’s talk about different ways to manage pain. If it’s not popping a pill, what other things can you do?

Dr. Gari: So we have a tremendous toolbox for taking care of someone’s pain other than pain pills. A lot things that we do… So if you think about pain, pain is mediated by nerves. So there’s a thing called nerve blocks. We do a lot of those and because we wanna stop the pain transmission before you can feel that pain. So different types of nerve blocks, they are just typical injections done outpatient procedures. We give sedatives to relax you. Do those nerve blocks and we’ve had much success. I’ve been doing this for over 25 years, and we can help those patients by those types of nerve blocks where their pain drops from a very high level to a very low level and take a lot less pain medication than they were taking before.

/by

Dr. Abraham Rivera of Florida Pain Relief Group Talks Best Ways to Handle Foot Pain

,

Interviewer: Not many body parts get beat up as much as our feet. Bone spurs, bunions, gout, none of this sounds pleasant. Dr. Abraham Rivera from Florida Pain Relief Group joins us now with ways we can fix these problems, and more. Dr. Rivera, good to have you back on Daytime.

Dr. Rivera: Thank you.

Interviewer: I’m happy to say I’ve never had a bone spur, but I’ve heard they’re horrible. Tell us what exactly is a bone spur and how can you help somebody fix that.

Dr. Rivera: The foot is a very complicated structure. It works, at the end of the day, like a bow and arrow. You have a surface that is made out of a tendon, which would be tantamount to the string on the bow and arrow. And you have bones that are bent, and the string keeps them bent. The places where the string attaches to the bones can grow bone spurs, and those can be very painful, especially when you put traction on that string, on that plantar fascia, which is the bottom of the foot.

Interviewer: What happened? Did the string let go or something? Is that why the bone spurs?

Dr. Rivera: The string is awfully hard so it doesn’t let go, but the string is constantly pulling on those bones. It’s kind of like you have a rope glued to a piece of drywall and you keep pulling on it. Eventually, the drywall kind of sticks out and protrudes out. That’s what happened. The bone spur grows out of the bone, literally. It causes pain every time you press on it and so forth.

Interviewer: What can you do to help somebody that has that?

Dr. Rivera: The first step, as I always tell my patients, is prevention. How’d you get here in the first place? Shoe wear.

Interviewer: Shoes, yeah. Bad shoes?

Dr. Rivera: I hate to tell you.

Interviewer: You’re looking down at my feet right now.

Dr. Rivera: You know, those things were not meant for walking around.

Interviewer: They’re not meant for human beings at all. They really aren’t.

Dr. Rivera: Correct, correct. They’re meant for TV anchors.

Interviewer: Exactly. And since you’re sitting, you’re fine.

Dr. Rivera: Adequate shoe wear. You have to have adequate arch support. And there’s a whole industry built around these things, from arch supports to orthopedic shoes. Truthfully, at the end of the day, go see your cobbler. It’ll cost you very little, and he will make you an arch support that really works in just about all the shoe wear you have, and get you the comfortable shoes that you really should be wearing.

Interviewer: Should be, definitely. Put vanity aside. Let’s talk about bunions.

Dr. Rivera: That is [inaudible 00:02:14].

Interviewer: Is that just because of shoes, or are some people predisposed to have bunions?

Dr. Rivera: Both of them are true. The first thing is ,yes, some people are more predisposed than others. But if you want to get one, buy pointy shoes. Absolutely, guarantee that will get you there.

Interviewer: So, you keep crunching those toes together, it causes the bone to stick out.

Dr. Rivera: Correct. It will. There’s only one way that can possibly happen, it’s pointy shoes.

Interviewer: Is there a topical cream that can help that, or do you need to have surgery to get that shaved down?

Dr. Rivera: Actually, you’d be surprised. Many times, again, by changing the shoe wear, taking the proper care of your feet, many of these things do not need surgery. Topical creams can be part of it, anti-inflammatory medication can be part of it, or we sometimes can inject the joints themselves.

Interviewer: What about gout? Because that’s really painful.

Dr. Rivera: Whole different monster. Now you’re dealing with a metabolic disease in which a patient doesn’t process well a substance called uric acid. This substance dissolves very poorly in the liquid of the joints. And for some reason, it prefers that big toe joint. When it does that, it becomes exquisitely painful. Patients describe to me that the sheets on their bed touching their feet drives them crazy.

Interviewer: Can you give people relief from that?

Dr. Rivera: Yes. We give them medications that decreases the amount of uric acid. Also, we can inject the joints to alleviate the acute pain. But finally, at the end of the day, we need to address the metabolic issue, the, “Why is it that this person is making so much uric acid?” Believe it or not, staying away from the food that contains that is cardinal on it. These people have to be on a diet.

Interviewer: There is relief out there. Dr. Rivera, thank you very much. You can even schedule a same-day appointment. Visit their website. It is floridapainreliefgroup.com. Or give them a call at (844) KICK-PAIN. Get relief today. Thank you again, doc.

Dr. Rivera: You’re welcome.

Interviewer: We’ll be right back.

/by

Dr. Abraham Rivera Discusses Migraine

,

Congratulations to Abraham Rivera, MD, Chief Medical Officer of Physician Partners of America, for appearing in the June/July issue of Pain-Free Living magazine. His article is “Diagnosis: Migraine: How to recognize the differences between tension headaches and even more serious migraines.”

Download article here or pick up on newsstands now!

Pain Free Living June-July 2017 Article by Dr Rivera

/by

The Link Between Pain and Depression

,

Pain and depression are closely linked. Studies show that pain can cause depression and depression can cause pain. Since pain and depression are so closely related, it is important to understand how they work so you can get the treatment you need.

The Ongoing Cycle of Pain and Depression

One of the most frustrating elements for people going through pain or depression is the way that it can quickly lead to a back and forth pattern. It can be a difficult cycle at times, as the more depressed you are, the worse your pain may feel. Then the increased pain can cause you to feel more depressed.

People who have been diagnosed with depression often have an increased chance of developing chronic pain. Similarly, people who have chronic pain can also have a higher chance of developing depression.

What Kind of Pain Could Lead to Depression?

Almost any kind of pain could lead you to have feelings of depression. It could be pain from a recent injury or due to a condition like diabetes or heart disease.

Chronic pain is a major factor in potentially developing depression. Ongoing pain can increase a person’s chance of developing anxiety or depression over time, sometimes leading to clinical depression.

What Causes the Pain and Depression Link?

Researchers believe that the brain is the key to the connection between pain and depression. The structure of the brain is set up so there is some crossover between the areas of the brain where pain takes place and the parts that depression and other mood disorders occur.

Your brain function is another reason why pain and depression may be linked. Your brain uses neurotransmitters to signal pain in your body. Those neurotransmitters also help keep your mood steady using things like norepinephrine and serotonin.

Basically, the same elements that are used to help people with mood disorders can also help to relieve pain, due to the similarities in the brain. That is helpful for treatment, as improving one area can help with the other area as well.

How to Treat Pain and Depression

Whether you have pain, depression or both, there are plenty of treatment options to help you feel better and keep you from getting into the pain and depression cycle. Your doctor can help you figure out the best treatment option.

Possible treatments may include:

  • Psychological counseling- Talking to a professional can be helpful for relieving mood disorders and pain problems
  • Antidepressant medications-  Even though antidepressants are made to help with your depression, they may also help with pain
  • Wellness strategies- Having good overall health can help with your depression and pain, so healthy eating, getting exercise and sleeping well can help
  • Keep stress levels low- Do whatever you can to keep your stress low, like meditation

The cycle of pain and depression can be stopped with the right help. Talk to a medical professional about your symptoms, start treatment and get on the path to feeling good inside and out.

/by

The Facts About Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)

,

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is a nervous system malfunction that you may not have heard of unless you or someone you know has been diagnosed with it. CRPS is a chronic condition where a person feels pain in one or more of their limbs after an injury.

If you have recently had an injury and find that you are having pain in one or more of your limbs, check to make sure it is not CRPS. After a CRPS diagnosis, you probably want to get as much information as you can about the condition. Here are the facts about CRPS:

CRPS Usually Affects the Arms or Legs After Injury or Incident

Your arms and legs are the typical areas that CRPS could impact. It most often occurs after an injury or incident like stroke, heart attack or surgical procedure.

You Should Begin Treatment as Early as You Can

If you are able to begin treatment as early as possible, it will increase your chances of effectively treating it into possible remission. Pay attention to your symptoms and do not ignore the signs of CRPS.

As soon as you recognize CRPS symptoms, get help right away. A specialist can help you manage the symptoms, relieve the pain and keep the condition from getting worse.

Symptoms of CRPS

The symptoms of CRPS may include:

  • Constant feeling of burning or throbbing in the affected limb, typically your leg, arm, foot or hand
  • Swelling in the affected limb
  • The limb may be sensitive to old temperatures or being touched
  • Your limb may change temperature from hot to cold and back
  • Your joints may swell or feel stiff
  • Your skin tone may change, turning mottled or shades of red or blue
  • You skin may also have texture changes, becoming thinner, more tender or shiny
  • The affected limb may have changes in nail and hair growth
  • You may experience muscle spasms or atrophy
  • Difficulty moving the affected limb

These symptoms can vary from one person to the next, but the sensitivity and pain may occur first. The important thing is to see a doctor as soon as you can.

Critical Information About CRPS

One of the reasons why it is so important to pay attention to the symptoms is because the changes in skin color may occur at a point when your condition has become irreversible. Again, prompt treatment is crucial.

It is possible for CRPS to go away on its own if the pain and symptoms are not too severe and do not get worse. However, CRPS could possibly spread from the affected limb to another part of your body, like the limb on the opposite side.

Keep in mind that CRPS pain could get worse if you are stressed out. So even if the condition has you feeling stressed, try to stay calm and simply get the help you need.

Your medical team can help you find the right treatment plan and get your CRPS symptoms under control before they get worse.

/by

The Psychological Effects of Living with Pain

,

Millions of people in the United States have experienced chronic pain and it can have a major impact on your psyche. While you are dealing with chronic pain, it is also important to pay attention to your mental health to assure that you stay healthy in every way.

Pain and your mood are closely related, which is why chronic pain can have a number of psychological effects, including:

Psychological Effects on Your Mood

It can be difficult to be in a good mood when you are going through chronic pain. When you are in pain, it can lead to feelings of depression or anxiety. Those feelings of depression can also lead to your pain getting worse, which can increase your depression all over again.

The psychological effects of chronic pain can cause bouts of anxiety or depression, but it can also lead to long-term clinical depression, which can really impact your quality of life.

Psychological Effects on Your Quality of Life

When you get into that sort of cycle from pain to depression and back, it can end up having an impact on your entire quality of life. It may be difficult to have a positive quality of life when you are facing an increased amount of pain and emotional distress.

Another way that chronic pain can impact your quality of life is by making it difficult for you to do your usual daily activities. When you are in constant pain, it could make it hard for you to go to work, spend time with friends and enjoy your life.

If chronic pain leaves you unable to work, it can make your anxiety or depression feel worse and make you feel stressed out about money. Your quality of life can suffer under these conditions, which is why it is important to get help.

Some of the other ways that chronic pain can impact your quality of life include:

  • Changes in mood including anger, fear, confusion and irritability
  • Anxiety and stress
  • Self-esteem issues
  • Decreased interest in sex
  • Changes in weight
  • Sleep issues and feelings of fatigue

If chronic pain is making you depressed or negatively impacting your way of life, take steps to get treatment as soon as you can.

Getting Help with the Psychological Effects of Living with Pain

Your mental health is very important for your overall well being and quality of life. Chronic pain can be debilitating in a number of ways, from the physical side of the pain to the draining emotional side of the pain.

If you or a family member are suffering through chronic pain and the psychological effects of it, professional help can make a major difference.

Pain management specialists can help you figure out a treatment plan that improves the physical and mental sides of chronic pain. A psychologist may be able to help you through it as well, as therapy can be beneficial for pain management.

With the link between pain and depression, your psychological wellness may need help if you are experiencing chronic pain. Talk to your pain management team and figure out a total wellness plan to feel better.

/by

Should I See a Pain Management Specialist?

,

Chronic pain is exactly what it sounds like. It is an ongoing period of discomfort that causes people to feel almost constant pain in some part of their bodies.

For people who suffer from chronic pain, it can be difficult to lead a normal life. A pain management specialist can help with that.

Before you decide whether or not to see a pain management specialist, here are some things to consider:

Start with Some Questions

Before you see a pain management specialist, ask yourself a few questions first. To begin, how long have you had this pain? If it’s a new pain, you may not need a pain management specialist right away. If it’s something that has been ongoing, you may.

Another thing to ask yourself is if you know what’s causing the pain and if any treatment has improved your discomfort. For example, if you’ve recently been injured and are currently having treatment, you may want to give that treatment time before exploring other options.

However, the big question you should ask yourself is if the pain you’re in is negatively impacting your daily life. If your current treatments aren’t working and your pain makes it difficult to lead a normal life, a pain management specialist may be able to help.

How a Pain Management Specialist can Help

Pain management specialists will work to diagnose it and determine what the causes may be. Since they focus specifically on pain, they know the latest medical treatments and techniques to help.

When it comes to treatment, pain management specialists can come up with a plan to treat your pain using multiple disciplines. This means seeking out other professionals in areas like mental health, rehabilitation, and physical therapy.

Your pain management specialist can help to figure out a comprehensive plan to treat your pain, even when it comes to bringing others onboard.

What Happens When You Visit a Pain Management Specialist?

When you are ready to head to a pain management specialist, come prepared with information. Your specialist will need to know what tests you’ve had done, what medications you’ve taken and what procedures you’ve have done. They may have you fill out a questionnaire before you come in for a visit so they have the information they need.

If you’ve had any imaging done, like X-rays, CAT scans or MRI, be sure to bring copies of the images for your pain management specialist. All of this data will help to get you on the right path from your first visit.

Expect a physical and a question and answer session during your initial visit. If you need any tests done, your pain management specialist will let you know. Ideally, you should ask if any tests are expected when you are scheduling your first appointment so you can plan accordingly. Depending on the test, you might need to fast beforehand or have someone drive you home after.

Ongoing pain doesn’t have to be a mystery. Let a pain management specialist help you find answers and get your life back.

/by