5 Treatment Options For Chronic Pain
on Wednesday, September 4, 2019
Chronic pain is an issue that many adults suffer from. Unlike acute pain, which lets you know that you may be injured or have problem you need to take care of, chronic pain can be the result of past injury or infection or an ongoing cause (such as arthritis). The pain may last for weeks, months, or even years. While chronic pain cannot always be cured, it can be treated and managed. Here are a few treatments that can help you manage chronic pain.
TENS
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation therapy, more commonly referred to as TENS, uses electrical stimulation to diminish pain. During the procedure, low-voltage electrical current is delivered through electrodes that are placed on the skin near the source of pain. The electricity from the electrodes stimulates the nerves in an affected area and sends signals to the brain that “scramble” normal pain signals. TENS is not painful and may be an effective therapy to mask pain such as diabetic neuropathy. It is important to note, however, that TENS for chronic low back pain is not recommended, as it is not effective for a condition as such.
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy helps to relieve pain by using special techniques that improve movement and function impaired by an injury or disability. Along with employing stretching, strengthening, and pain-relieving techniques, a physical therapist may use, among other things, TENS to aid treatment.
Psychological Treatment
When you are in pain, you may have feelings of anger, sadness, hopelessness, and/or despair. Pain can alter your personality, disrupt your sleep, and interfere with your work and relationships. In turn, depression and anxiety, lack of sleep, and feelings of stress can all make the pain worse. Psychological treatment provides safe, nondrug methods that can treat your pain directly by reducing high levels of physiological stress that often aggravate pain. Psychological treatment also helps improve the indirect consequences of pain by helping you learn how to cope with the many problems associated with pain.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is thought to decrease pain by increasing the release of endorphins, chemicals that block pain. Many acu-points are near nerves. When stimulated, these nerves cause a dull ache or feeling of fullness in the muscle. The stimulated muscle sends a message to the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord), causing the release of endorphins that block the message of pain from being delivered to the brain. Acupuncture may be useful as an accompanying treatment for many pain-related conditions, including headache, low back pain, menstrual cramps, carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow, fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis (especially of the knee), and myofascial pain. Acupuncture also may be an acceptable alternative to or may be included as part of a comprehensive pain management program.
Chiropractic Treatment And Massage
A chiropractic adjustment or manipulation is a common therapeutic treatment for lower back pain and many other musculoskeletal conditions. A chiropractic adjustment refers to a chiropractor applying manipulation to the spinal vertebrae or extremity joints that have abnormal movement patterns or fail to function normally. The objective of this chiropractic treatment is to decrease pain and inflammation, increase the range of motion, reduce nerve irritability, and improve function. With gentle, hands-on manipulations, chiropractors can encourage healing and give relief from chronic pain.
Massage is being increasingly used by people suffering from pain, mostly to manage chronic back and neck problems. Massage can reduce stress and relieve tension by enhancing blood flow. This treatment also can reduce the presence of substances that may generate and sustain pain. Available data suggests that massage therapy, like chiropractic manipulations, holds considerable promise for managing back pain. Chiropractic care and massage therapy can be used effectively in unison to give Gresham patients further relief from chronic pain.
Gresham Patients Get Relief From Chronic Pain At Hood View Chiropractic
Gresham patients who are seeking methods to manage their chronic pain can find relief at Hood View Chiropractic. We offer chiropractic treatments and massage therapy. Our team helps guide Gresham patients towards figuring out the best ways to manage their chronic pain. We assess your condition and keep you informed as to which methods of chiropractic care and/or massage therapy would best benefit your unique condition. Find chronic pain relief and care by hand at Hood View Chiropractic.
Hood View Chiropractic Brings Gresham Health By Hand
Gresham members can rely on Hood View Chiropractic for professional, experienced care. Whether you need chiropractic care, massage therapy, or one of our other services, a visit to Hood View Chiropractic means you are in capable and caring hands. The team at Hood View Chiropractic is experienced, knowledgeable, and dedicated to helping you achieve and maintain your best health. We are proud to serve the Gresham area and are eager to help you live a life that is pain-free and stress-free. Contact or call us today at (503) 669-1966.
Hood View Chiropractic. We bring you health by hand.
