Pain Clinics: What to know
Pain clinics are places where patients can get their pain diagnosed and managed. Therefore, they are also called pain management clinics. A doctor in a hospital can refer a patient to a pain management clinic when he feels that conventional treatment is not helping the patient who is in chronic pain. These clinics can be especially helpful for these people. They often work by either treating a particular type of pain or whole-body pain in general, as well as providing physical, behavioral and psychological therapies.
Another purpose of the clinic is to educate the patients about their pain. Professionals teach how to avoid worsening your pain by avoiding damaging behaviors. Counseling is among the most important services offered. If the patient avoids activities that cause pain, like carrying heavy things, eating the wrong kind of food or just poor posture, he or she will not have to go through with pain. Once pain is lowered, the quality of life (QoL) of patients can be enhanced and patients can go back to doing their everyday tasks without inconvenience.
The clinic has a team of professionals to cater to the patients’ needs and may include doctors, nurses, psychologists, physical therapists, nutritionists, and dietitians. In addition, patients are also offered alternative medical treatments like acupuncture, biofeedback, cognitive behavioral therapy, water therapy, massage, and meditation.
One can not stress enough on how stress can maximize pain. Constantly having your mind fleet to worrying thoughts can take a toll on your physical as well as mental health. This is why it is important that the mind be clear of negativity and the forehead remains crease-free. Meditation, massage, and acupuncture help patients relax and release all the tension and negative energy from inside them. Once their shoulders are lighter, a positive impact on their lives will be visible in the shape of better health.
Physical therapy is another option for managing pain. A physical therapist is a professional who knows how to ensure smooth body movements. He helps the patient exercise their body in such a way that cramps, sprains, and strains can be decreased in intensity. Synchronized and calculated movements of different joints and activation of muscles rekindle flexibility and mobility. Prior disuse atrophy is made to be reversed and the patient feels revitalized.
For immediate pain relief, patients are also prescribed different tonics, herbal teas, pain-relieving creams, lotions, and even oral medication. Over the counter, (OTC) analgesics like paracetamol or ibuprofen are given as the first line of treatment for immediate relief. If the pain is beyond the threshold, intravenous analgesics may be given like tramadol, ketamine, et cetera. It is, however, necessary to remember to not to take strong painkillers as the patient might develop dependency and tolerance. Opioids are especially a very risky medication and should be used as the last option as they have the maximum potential for developing strong dependence in the patient, which can even lead to a full-on addiction. If you are suffering from chronic pain, opting for a pain management clinic and seeking professional help is possibly the wisest choice you can make.