Chronic Pains: There are more treatment options than you may know

Mar 22, 2020 Dr Zulfikar Bux, Features / Columnists

By Dr Zulfikar Bux
Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine

We all experience pains from medical conditions or injuries. Most of the time, the pain is self-limiting. For some, their pain can persist and become a chronic pain that overwhelms them. Chronic pain is pain that lasts longer than 3 to 6 months. In many cases, this means that pain continues even after the injury or condition that first caused it has healed. We often think that medications can cure all pains—this is not always the case especially with chronic pains.

WHAT CAUSES CHRONIC PAIN?
The cause of chronic pain is not always clear. Sometimes it is caused by an ongoing medical problem, such as arthritis or diabetic neuropathy (a form of nerve damage from diabetes). But doctors cannot always find the cause of chronic pain. In some cases, people with chronic pain must accept that their pain will never be explained. This means that they have to work with their healthcare team to address the pain, even if they don’t know its cause.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF CHRONIC PAIN?
The main symptom of chronic pain is, of course, pain. But the pain can affect the body in different ways. Some people have aches deep inside their muscle or bone. Some people have stabbing or shooting pain, often with tingling or numbness. And others have dull, throbbing pain. People who have chronic pain might have a hard time doing their usual activities, such as bathing or dressing. This can lead to depression and anxiety, and it can cause problems with sleep.

ARE THERE TESTS FOR CHRONIC PAINS?
When you first start having pain, your doctor might do tests to figure out the cause. You might get:
● Blood tests to check for infection, signs of inflammation, or diseases that can cause pain

● X-rays or other imaging tests to check for bone fractures, joint damage, cancer, or other changes in your body that could cause pain

● Nerve tests to check whether the nerves are working normally
However, tests cannot always show the cause of pain. Scientists think that in some people, the pain signals in the brain stop working normally. The signals get “stuck” in the on position, even when the source of pain is gone.

HOW IS CHRONIC PAIN TREATED?
Treatments for chronic pain include both medicines and activities. No single treatment works for everyone. Your doctor or nurse will help you find the right mix of treatments for you. Treatment options include:

● Medicines to relieve pain, improve sleep, or improve mood

● Physical therapy to learn exercises and stretches

● Working with a counselor

● Relaxation therapy

● Massage therapy

● Injections of numbing or pain-relieving medicines into the spine or area with pain

● Acupuncture

● Devices that affect nerve signals

● Surgery

If your doctor suggests a medicine that seems out of place, keep an open mind. Sometimes, doctors treat pain with medicines made to treat other medical problems. For example, doctors can use medicines for depression to treat pain because they work on areas of the brain that process pain. Doctors can also use medicines for seizures to treat pain, because they help with overactive nerves.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP?
Some options you can try on your own include:

● Use a heating pad or a cold pack on the painful area. Check with your doctor before trying this to make sure it is OK for your individual condition.

● Practice relaxing. You can learn methods to relax your body, such as doing deep breathing exercises. Ask your doctor or nurse about these methods. Relaxing the mind can help with how the body feels pain. People can learn to quiet their pain or make it less bothersome.

● Stay as active as possible. Walking, swimming, meditating, or cycling can all help ease muscle and joint pain. If you are not active, your pain might get worse.

If you haven’t been active for a while, start slowly. Make small increases in the intensity and amount of time you spend exercising. If exercising increases your pain, talk with your doctor. They might recommend a program that can help you get more active.

● If you feel depressed, talk to your doctor or nurse about it. Chronic pain and depression often go together, and each can make the other worse. Getting treatment for your depression can make it easier to cope with your pain
As you can see, there are many options other than medications to treat chronic pains. If you or someone you know suffer from this condition, try the options that we discussed today and do not depend on medications alone to help your chronic pains.

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Chronic Pains: There are more treatment options than you may know

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