Stub your toe and pain lasts a few minutes, or perhaps days for a particularly hard hit. Soon, though, you’ll forget about the incident. That’s acute pain, a short-duration experience that passes quickly. You may not even need an over-the-counter pain pill to cope.
One out of every five American adults deals with chronic pain, a long-lasting condition that accompanies a progressive illness or an experience that continues after the physical reasons for the pain are gone. Chronic pain that interferes with daily life affects 8% of Americans.
Chronic pain often demands complex treatment through a mix of medications and other therapies collectively known as a pain management plan. The physicians at 360 Orthopedics, with locations in Sarasota, Venice, and Lakewood Ranch, Florida, specialize in pain management, providing significant relief for their patients dealing with chronic pain.
Living with chronic pain has two sets of challenges. The first includes limitations created by the pain and its original condition. If you’re suffering from arthritis for example, you may have mobility restrictions imposed by the affected joints, as well as the pain you’re experiencing from their deterioration.
The next is the impact of the pain itself. Dealing with ongoing pain creates stress conditions that affect you both physically and mentally. You can become depressed and socially withdrawn from the pressure that pain creates. It’s not easy to live with pain, even if there are no other complications. This is why pain management is often vital.
Pain management targets three types of pain:
Pain management enters the picture when the disorder that started the pain can’t be treated directly.
A pain management plan often starts organically, before your pain condition becomes chronic. You might take anti-inflammatories soon after an injury, along with ice or heat, to help reduce pain. This is called first-line treatment when building a pain management regimen. It might be augmented with injections or higher-strength prescription medications when over-the-counter products aren’t strong enough.
Second-line pain management turns to advanced procedures such as regenerative medicine, radiofrequency ablation, viscosupplementation, and stronger medications. These techniques are sometimes more aggressive or complex. In some cases, they replace first-line treatments, while in others they’re added as additional steps.
Third-line treatments are typically the steps taken before recommending joint replacement or other last-resort surgery. Spinal cord stimulators or implanted pain pumps are examples of third line care.
Pain management plans start with conservative care and progress only until your pain is under control. At that point, your plan switches to maintenance, so you continue to enjoy pain-free living.
The details of your plan depend on your condition, the severity of pain, and your body’s response to treatment. Better living starts with a consultation at the nearest location of 360 Orthopedics. Contact the office of your choice by phone or using the Request Appointment links on this page. A brighter life awaits you after relief from your pain, so book your session today.
