Treatments for long-term pain are as diverse as the causes. From pharmaceuticals to trigger point injections, there are countless approaches. However: “when it comes to treating chronic pain, no single technique is guaranteed to produce complete pain relief. Relief may be found by using a combination of treatment options” [1], & this is where Pain Specialists come in: their years of additional medical training & practical experience empowers them to give patients an accurate diagnosis. Moreover, they are the best suited medics to provide a multi-faceted Holistic Personalised Treatment Plan, which incorporates both conventional & cutting-edge treatments & therapies
Current Treatments to Tackle Long-Term Pain
• Pharmaceuticals
• Trigger Point Injections
• Steroid injections
• Botox
• Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA)
• Surgical Implants
• TENS
• Bioelectric Therapy
• Psychological Treatment
• Acupuncture
• Alternative therapies [1]
So now let’s take a look at three of the most popular, proven effective treatments, recommended by Pain Doctors.
Steroid Injections
Also known as corticosteroid injections, these pharmaceuticals are renowned for their anti-inflammatory properties. Pain Doctors administer them in order to treat a abroad spectrum of conditions, including: arthritis, joint pain, sciatica, and IBD (irritable bowel disease) [2].
Trigger Point Injections
“Trigger point injections are used to treat muscle pain in the arms, legs, lower back & neck. In addition, this approach has been used to treat fibromyalgia, tension headaches, & myofascial pain syndrome (chronic pain involving tissue that surrounds muscle), that does not respond to other treatment” [1]
Pain Consultants employ this procedure in order to ameliorate painful parts of muscles which contain trigger points, or knots of muscle (which form due to the patient’s muscle/s not being able to relax). The Pain Doctor utilises a small needle to insert a local anaesthetic (which may include a steroid, and on some occasions, sterile salt water), into a trigger point. This simple procedure inactivates the painful trigger points, thereby alleviating the patient’s pain. Generally speaking, a short course of treatment provides sustained relief [1].
Botox Injections
Botox (also known as OnabotulinumtoxinA), is a minute dose of an approved toxin, which works to block pain signals between the nerves and the muscles. (Pain Doctors also use it to alleviate chronic migraine headaches). Generally speaking, the benefits last for three months [1].
References
[1]. Sachdev, P. (2022). “Pain Management: Treatment Overview.” WebMD
https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/guide/pain-management-treatment-overview
[2]. NHS (2020). “Steroid Injections.”
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/steroid-injections/#:~:text=Steroid%20injections%2C%20also%20called%20corticosteroid,only%20given%20by%20healthcare%20professionals.
