Introduction: A brief about pain.
Pain is the body’s way of letting a person know that there is a problem, usually in the affected area and in most cases, the pain resolves once the cause is treated. This kind of pain is physical and resultant of rationally detectable causes like sickness, disease and physical trauma. However, there are instances where the pain persists despite apparent treatment and healing from the offending ailment.
Strangely, in some cases, there is no detectable reason why the patient should be experiencing pain in the first place. These are often caused by psychological factors and are referred to medically as psychogenic pain. Whatever the cause and level of intensity, the general consensus is that persistent and prolonged pain causes great suffering and negatively affects the quality of life of the affected person.
Pain Management
The study of pain has carved out a multidisciplinary branch of medicine that deals specifically with pain management to help improve the lives of people living with chronic pain. Medical professionals in this field are trained to understand pain, how to detect it and its underlying causes. They are also saddled with the difficult task of effectively communicating with patients who are often unable to properly describe what they feel thus making it even more difficult to administer the appropriate kind of pain medication or therapy for their ailment.
Therapeutic Approaches to Chronic Pain Management
There are two therapeutic approaches to chronic pain management which are the physical approach and the psychological approach. The physical approach to pain management employs the use of physical medicine and rehabilitation techniques that have proven over time to alleviate pain. Exercise is the most common of all the available physical therapies. Studies have shown ease in pain when patients engage in strategic exercises targeting the affected areas and overall body. Therapeutic massages are also another highly recommended option. Here, the careful kneading and manipulation of muscle, joint and soft tissue promotes blood flow to the affected areas, relieves stress and also reduces pain. Electrotherapy is a method used in the treatment of chronic pain conditions like neck pain, low back pain, and diabetic nerve pain. It uses mild electric current transmitted through the skin and is believed to block pain signals, although not all forms of electrotherapy are effective for all forms of pain. Other physical therapies include acupuncture and light therapy.
The psychological approach involves the use of techniques like Cognitive behavioural therapy which encourages patients to change the way they think and behave by developing healthy thought patterns that will consequently help with pain management. Hypnosis and meditation are also alternative techniques used in treating pain.
Where to find the best Pain Management Clinic in the UK
Several health care providers offer pain management services employing the use of therapies like the ones listed above. In the United Kingdom, one of the forerunners in pain medicine is the Guys and St. Thomas Private HealthCare. Located at Westminster bridge road, London, it boasts one of the best pain medicine Units in the country. With medical professionals and consultants specially trained to treat conditions like spinal pain, chronic headache, facial pain and pelvic pain and also administer therapies like spinal cord stimulation and other neuromodulation techniques, Guy’s and St. Thomas Private HealthCare is a top destination for patients local and international who suffer from persistent pain.
Conclusion
Living with chronic pain can have a very debilitating effect on a person’s life, and it can often become almost unbearable, but with intense medical strides from research into effective treatment and management, there is great hope that one can live a relatively normal life even with pain.