Patient Safety
Pain Management
En Español | It is always best to approach your pain management in the least damaging way possible, by combining the use of many complementary and alternative no-toxic techniques, with western modalities, will result in significant pain control, with lower adverse effects. When used appropriately, pain medications, can successfully relieve severe pain, but in those cases in which these treatments were not successful, interventional pain management techniques can help alleviate the pain.
Pain medications like opioids are highly addictive and have created a national crisis. Use them as a last resort.
The following are some approaches for pain control:
Acupuncture: Works by interrupting the pain signals in your body, which may help you find relief.
Physical Therapy: A physical therapist can create a personalized exercise program to help improve your mobility and so decrease your pain.
Massages: Such as deep muscle massage, may temporarily alleviate your pain.
Medical Marijuana: It is composed by the compound CBD (Cannabidiol, the compound which does not gives you the high) treats pain symptoms. However, it may also may produce excessive sleeping and liver damage.
Drugs: Over-the-counter or prescription drugs such as Ibuprofen, acetaminophen, aspirin and steroids are specifically created to decrease pain.
Anti-inflammatory medications: such as Advil, Motrin and Naprosyn are commonly used to alleviate pain. Those patients who are taking blood-thinners, those with bleeding disorders, or those with kidney or liver problems need to be specially careful when taking anti-inflammatories.
Cinical trials have shown that Motrin, Advil, Aleve, and Celebrex are associated with a small increased risk of heart attack. Therefore, those who have increased risk (family history, high blood pressure or cholesterol, or diabetes) must be especially careful.
Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is also included in this group. It does not cause upset stomach nor does it interact with blood thinners, but it can be toxic to the liver and kidneys when taken for extended periods or at doses higher than the recommended.
Injections or Nerve Blockers: Often used for muscle spasms or nerve pains, it is applied with local anesthetics or other medications, help curtail the pain.
Surgery: Though it may be effective for pain removal, it should be seen as a last resort.
Radio Waves: For this treatment, a needle is inserted in the body to burn the nerve with electric currents. Pain relief may last up to a year.
Nerve Blocks: Done with X-ray imaging, the body is injected with numbing medication. It may be required several treatments for effective pain relief.
Electrical Signals: Pads with low-voltage electrical signals are attached to the skin for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, providing short-term pain relief.
Spinal Cord Stimulation: When other methods fail, a spinal cord stimulation may work. A device is implanted in the lower back, using tiny wires to attach it to the spinal canal. When in pain, the device gives you a more tolerable sensation, like a tingling on massage.
Pain Pumps: A small pump is implanted into the body, excreting pain medication when the patient pushes a button. They are suitable for patients that don’t tolerate oral medication.