Pain Conditions
Pain is an unpleasant feeling or discomfort caused by injury, illness or emotional disorder. Pain can be differentiated into two basic types, such as:
Complete acute and chronic pain conditions evaluation
Your doctor will make a diagnosis based on the history of pain you have narrated such as type of pain – whether sharp or dull aching pain, duration and location of pain.
There are various diagnostic techniques used to find the cause of pain and some of them include:
Treatment
The ultimate goal of pain management is to improve the function of an individual by enabling him to carry out his day-to-day activities in a normal way. There are many ways by which pain can be treated.
Medications
Analgesic medications: These are pain relieving medicines such as aspirin, acetaminophen and ibuprofen. Tylenol® (acetaminophen) is an over the counter pain reliever.
Anticonvulsants such as carbamazepine are used to relieve pain caused by trigeminal neuralgia.
Antidepressants along with neuroleptics and lithium are also prescribed. In addition, anti-anxiety drugs called benzodiazepines (muscle relaxants) are used to relieve muscle pain.
Antimigraine drugs – triptans such as sumatriptan (Imitrex®), naratriptan (Amerge®), and zolmitriptan (Zomig®) and are used to relieve migraine headaches. These medications should be taken only on doctor’s advice as they can cause serious adverse effects.
Physical therapy
Physical therapy involves use of physical techniques and methods, such as heat, cold, exercise, massage, and manipulation, in the treatment of certain chronic pain conditions. These techniques help to increase function, control pain, and rehabilitate the patient.
Heat and cold therapy help relieve pain when applied to the painful areas. Physical exercises include stretching and range-of-motion exercises to maintain strength, flexibility and mobility. Regular exercises relieve stress and also increase production of endorphins- natural pain relievers.
Psychological evaluation and therapy
Psychological counseling such as behavioral therapy improve your mental health and manages conditions such as stress and depression that aggravates chronic pain. It is important to be physically as well as emotionally stable to manage chronic pain.