Pain Management: Manage Your Pain Today

Pain management methods are just as plentiful as what creates the discomfort. Aches and pains can be the result of injuries, conditions and aging. The best option for dealing with your pain may depend on its cause, location and severity. You may be able to treat your temporary or mild ache at home with some easy remedies, or you may need to seek professional treatment.Pain management doctors will present you with options to alleviate joint stiffness, sore muscles and other pains. While doctors may prescribe surgery and opioid medication, non-surgical and non-prescription methods may also help. It is best to explore all techniques before agreeing to any recommendation.

What Types of Pain Management Options Are Available?

There are pain management techniques you can try at home if your discomfort is not too severe and does not require professional treatment. However, a pain management physician may be a better choice if your pain is severe or related to a medical condition or diagnosis.

Do-It-Yourself Pain Management

You can reduce mild pain, like headaches, light injuries and aging, with at-home remedies. Below are a few of the easiest DIY pain management techniques:

• Temperature pain management options use the healing power of heat and cold to soothe pain, reduce inflammation and help recovery. Depending on where your pain resides, such as your back, hands or legs, certain temperature treatments may be more convenient than others. For instance, a warm bath or shower as well as soaking in a hot tub is easier than multiple heating pads to ease general stiffness and aches. 

• Losing weight can help lessen the pain that is the result of excess heaviness. Pain management doctors recommend exercise to keep joints healthy. Low-impact activities like walking, bicycling and swimming also promote joint stability.

• Over-the-counter medications like aspirin and ibuprofen relieve mild pain. Anti-inflammatory drugs can also help pain caused by arthritis. You can also use topical medications that apply directly to the skin. 

• Mind-body relaxation practices for pain management only require time and rehearsal. Some practices include meditation, breathing exercises and yoga. Yoga and other active mindfulness techniques that incorporate stretching combine physical and mental efforts, and you can benefit from dual pain relief approaches.
  
  

Methods of Pain Management Near Me

If your chronic pain is more serious and home pain management remedies provide little help, then you may consider seeking professional help. Several different types of chronic pain management specialists exist and, depending on your preferences and accessibility, you may select treatments that are holistic, modern or alternative. 

Some professional treatment types to consider include the following:

• Pain management clinics can diagnose what causes your pain and administer treatment. Your pain management physician will review treatment options with you. A specialist may best suit your needs if you have a co-existing condition, such as cancer or fibromyalgia, that is causing your discomfort.

• Physical and occupational therapy can help treat pain related to movability. Physical and occupational therapists focus on everyday activities and improving your ability to perform those tasks. 

• Get a massage for pain management of muscle soreness and joint relief as well as to de-stress and alleviate anxiety. A massage clinic will offer different techniques including Swedish, hot stone, deep tissue, sports, Thai and shiatsu. Each massage can provide a different level of relief, so ask the therapists which style is most effective for your type of pain.

• Electrical therapies, like transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and iontophoresis, use electrical stimulation to reduce pain by either blocking it or reducing inflammation. Likewise, ultrasound therapy promotes healing by also decreasing inflammation and improving blood circulation. 

• Cold laser pain management therapy reduces inflammation and stimulates tissue repair by using a single wavelength cold laser. While the light does not warm your tissue (hence, “cold” laser), your body absorbs the near-infrared light, which encourages regeneration. 
  
  

Pain Management at Your Desk

Stretching is an easy way to relieve pain due to sitting at a desk. To combat pain from a sedentary job, try some of these popular pain management stretches for different body parts:

Neck pain – Tilt your head forward, slowly lowering your chin to your chest, while keeping your back straight and shoulders square. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds before lifting your head back up and then backward slowly by raising your chin to the ceiling.

Shoulder pain – While standing, rotate your shoulder in a circular motion up, forward, down and back five to 10 times. Then, repeat the motion in the reverse direction. 

Back pain – While sitting, straighten one leg and rest your foot on another chair, and then lean forward at the hips with your arm reaching for your toes.