Studies have shown that up to 35% of people in the United States have chronic pain, and the number of people suffering from pain is expected to only increase as the population ages. This statistic is startling to anyone who has experienced or understands pain, as they know the ripple effect chronic pain can have on one’s life, family, and community.
The Impact of Chronic Pain is Wide Reaching
Chronic pain conditions can result in a tremendous amount of disability and functional limitations that impact an individual’s physical and emotional health. Chronic pain affects every aspect of a patient’s life, including their ability to work, care for themselves, and take care of loved ones. All too often, pain can challenge family/caregiver relationships, have a negative financial impact on families, and compromise a patient’s feeling of self-worth. However, there is good news. With a comprehensive plan, pain can be treated, and patients can regain their independence.
Beyond dealing with the pain itself, chronic pain patients have an increased likelihood of developing other medical problems and diseases. Among the impacts of chronic pain:
- Development of severe sleep disorders, including insomnia
- Decreased level of cognition, leading to poor concentration, poor memory, and reduced ability to problem solve
- Increased likelihood of medical complications and premature death
- Decreased levels of physical activity, predisposing patients to increased risk of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease
- Increased risk of falls resulting in more injury and disability
- Feelings of isolation and loneliness
How To Deal With Chronic Pain and Get Relief
There are ever-growing lists of treatment options for patients to combat and overcome their limitations from chronic pain. Patients need to understand they are not the only ones in the fight and can get relief to reclaim their independence.
Start Sooner, Rather Than Later
Medical literature has demonstrated through multiple studies that the sooner patients seek medical care for their pain, the sooner they can get sustained relief. Trained physicians who specifically treat these debilitating conditions, like the physicians at Excel Pain and Spine, understand the time-sensitive nature of pain care. These board-certified pain management specialists undergo supplemental training and testing to ensure that, from their first appointment with a patient, they can diagnose and treat a broad scope of conditions resulting in pain.
Focus on Personal Goals With A Personalized Plan
An effective pain management provider should not only determine what your goals are but reassess and address a patient’s need to reach their goals. Pain is a personal experience. Similarly, a patient's goals need to be addressed on a personal level. Patients with similar medical problems may have very different goals. For example, if we take two people with chronic back pain - one may dream of dancing at their daughter's wedding, while another may have a goal of standing long enough to shower. Understanding goals is essential when developing a truly personalized treatment plan.
Multimodal Approach
Successfully treating pain requires a multimodal approach to reach patients’ goals and decrease limitations. There has been a paradigm shift within the field of pain management. In the past, pain management has, unfortunately, been associated with high-dose opioid medications. The impact of the opioid epidemic and the damage it has done to society is well known.
The field of pain medicine (or pain management) has shifted dramatically in the last decade. As board-certified training programs were created, physicians began to collaborate and study all pain relief options. There has been a shift away from opioid-based medications and an expansion of new minimally invasive injections and procedures to treat pain and improve patients’ quality of life. The pain management physician now has many more treatments to offer.
Effectively treating pain includes integration and consideration of a variety of treatment options. These include not only medical and procedural-based therapies but additionally physical therapy and evaluating for appropriate bracing. Pain physicians also aid with incorporating chiropractic care and eastern medicine such as acupuncture. Most pain physicians work closely with surgical colleagues and aid with gaining a surgical opinion when necessary.
An effective pain physician continues to follow their patients, helping patients work through physical and mental challenges as they arise. Our team will work with you as a patient to ensure you reclaim your independence and reach your goals.
