Pain isn’t something we want to deal with occasionally, let alone continually. Pain can worsen our mood, impact our mobility, and significantly affect our quality life. Being in pain can make it challenging to do your job, which can have severe financial complications.
At Injury Doctors NYC, we understand the significant impact pain can have and offer many pain management methods to help you find something to give you the relief you need.
What Is the Goal of Pain Management?
First and foremost, it can easily be concluded that pain management aims to ease any pain a patient may have. However, pain itself is a broad category. There are different types of pain, including acute pain, chronic pain, and a combination of the two. Pain can also affect all parts of the body and may originate in one area, but radiate to another.
Pain Management occurs after the initial treatment for your injury, and is what helps you go back to daily living while the body heals. Meeting with a pain management doctor means you are meeting with someone who specializes in evaluating, diagnosing, and treating pain, no matter the type of pain or the cause of it.
The goal of pain management can vary, with some trying to lessen pain and others wanting to remove pain entirely, and there are instances when either scenario may be preferred. Pain may be unpleasant, but it is essential to acknowledge that pain can help us notice our limits and ensure we do not reinjure ourselves. However, we never want the pain to be overwhelming and all-consuming.
Another goal of pain management can be to help you cope with your pain. This can include strategies for what to do when the pain gets bad to help ease and reduce it.
An additional goal of pain management may be to help ease you off pain medications. While pain medication can help with pain short-term, it’s typically not recommended to remain on them for extended periods of time. Pain management can help ease you off pain medication while working through other pain management techniques to still keep your pain at a manageable level.
Types of Pain Management
Medication
One of the most common pain management techniques is medication, which typically reduces swelling, then reducing pressure on the nerves that transmit pain.
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is a beneficial strategy to help with pain management. Physical therapists stretch and strengthen the muscles closely associated with the pain to solve the problem at the source and help prevent pain in the long term. For those looking for a non-medication solution for pain, physical therapy is a helpful resource.
Psychological Therapy
The mind is a powerful thing, and psychological therapies focus on teaching patients’ ways to manipulate their minds to help the functions and symptoms of the body. Some strategies taught in psychological therapy can include relaxation techniques, biofeedback, and meditation. Relaxation techniques, in particular, can be beneficial for discomfort that results from chronic pain.
If you have a condition or injury that makes your pain unbearable or looking to manage your pain without medication, let the pain management doctors at Injury Doctors NYC help you reduce your pain and regain control over your life.
