Charlotte Physiatrist Shares the Best Pain Management Treatments for Sports Injuries
If you play sports, then you’ve probably had to deal with an injury at some point. Sprains, strains, and joint injuries are common injuries every athlete faces. Sports injuries are no joke and can impact your entire sports career.
There are various pain management treatment and non-surgical therapy programs that can help you get back into the game as soon as possible. Our pain management doctor, Dr. Usman Ahmad, provides non-surgical pain management in Charlotte, NC to help athletes recover quickly and without the need for invasive and potentially expensive surgery.
It’s crucial to remain informed on commonly encountered sports injuries and ways to manage them. To that end, let’s talk about some of the best ways to care for sport-related injuries that will not affect future performance the way invasive treatment can.
Pain Management in Sports
Pain management in sports is not about popping pills or getting injections. It’s about finding the best sports injury rehabilitation that’s specific to you and your personal needs. And in most cases, it’s about working with experts who understand your needs and can tailor your recovery. This is how you take charge of your health and happiness.
Pain management in sports involves a combination of strategies, such as:
- Resting the injured area and avoiding activities that cause pain
- Applying ice or heat to reduce swelling and inflammation
- Taking over-the-counter pain relievers as directed by your doctor
- Getting physical therapy or rehabilitation
- Using alternative therapies, such as physiatry, acupuncture, massage, or biofeedback, to relieve pain and stress
- Seeking psychological support or counseling to cope with the emotional impact of pain and injury
If you’re considering starting a treatment plan to address your sports-related pain, it’s imperative that you first speak with an experienced pain management specialist in Charlotte who can help get you started. Dr. Ahmad will walk you through the various sports injury rehabilitation programs we offer.
Types of Sports Injuries
Sports injuries can be classified into two primary types: acute and overuse.
Acute Sport Injuries
Acute injuries are those that occur suddenly and unexpectedly, such as a fall, collision, twist, or blow. They usually cause immediate pain, swelling, bruising, or bleeding. Some examples of acute injuries are:
- Sprains: They result from a stretch or tear of a ligament and are most common in the ankles, knees, and wrists.
- Strains: These happen from a stretch or tear of a muscle or tendon and are seen mostly in the lower back, hamstrings, quadriceps, and calves.
- Fractures: A fracture is a break or crack in a bone. This can be simple or very complex.
- Dislocations: Dislocations occur when a bone slips out of its normal position at a joint, especially at the shoulder, elbows, and hips.
- Concussions: A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury that occurs when the brain is shaken or jolted inside the skull, causing headaches, dizziness, nausea, confusion, memory loss, or loss of consciousness.
Overuse Sport Injuries
Overuse injuries are those that develop gradually over time due to repeated stress on a certain part of the body. They usually cause dull or achy pain that worsens with activity. Some examples of overuse injuries are:
- Tendinitis: Tendinitis is inflammation of a tendon due to overuse or injury.
- Bursitis: Bursitis is when a bursa, a small sac of fluid that cushions a joint, becomes inflamed.
- Stress fractures: Stress fractures are tiny cracks that occur from constant pressure.
The Best Pain Management Treatments for Sport-Related Injuries
Our pain management treatments for sports-related injuries in Charlotte depend on the type and severity of the injury, as well as your personal preferences and goals. Let’s examine the pain management care for three of the most common sports injuries
Pain Management Therapy for Sprains
When you’ve got a sprain, almost every pain management doctor will tell you that it’s time to rice it up! No, not the food kind, but a special sprain treatment method. RICE stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation.
First, give that joint a break and rest it. Then, grab some ice to cool things down gently. It’ll help with the pain and swelling. Next, wrap that joint snugly with a compression bandage. And don’t forget to elevate it and keep it raised above your heart.
In certain cases, you may need anti-inflammatory medications, physical therapy, or surgery. Dr. Ahmad is a renowned pain management doctor in Charlotte, NC specialising in both traditional and regenerative therapies to effectively address sprains and joint pains. Schedule an appointment to get the best pain management treatment today.
Pain Management Therapy for Strains
For strains, RICE is still the name of the game! It’s a very effective method that tackles pain, swelling, and inflammation and speeds up healing. And don’t forget to give those activities that caused the strain a little break until your muscle or tendon feels better.
And just like a sprain, the above might not be enough in several cases. If the pain persists, you need to see your doctor for the right pain management medications or a physiatrist for proper pain management.
Pain Management Therapy for Joints
Joint injuries can be caused by acute trauma or overuse. They can affect any joint in your body, but they are most common in the knees (meniscus tear or ACL tear), shoulders (rotator cuff tear or dislocation), and hips (labral tear or impingement).
Our pain management specialist in Charlotte, NC, usually treats joint injuries with a combination of:
- Pain management medications
- Injections, such as corticosteroids, to reduce swelling and pain.
- Immobilization to support and protect the injured joint and prevent further damage
- Physical therapy to restore the injured joint’s range of motion, strength, and stability
- Regenerative medicine to stimulate healing of the injured joint.
- Surgery is sometimes performed to repair torn connective tissues or realign fractured bones
Non-Surgical Pain Management in Charlotte, NC
Forget about invasive and potentially expensive surgery! Consider a way to heal your sports injuries at a pain management clinic in Charlotte. At Advanced Sports and Spine, we use minimally invasive pain management procedures to give your pain points the magic touch they need.
Our skilled pain management doctor and physiatrist provides non-surgical pain management in Charlotte, NC to treat sports-related injuries without the need for traditional methods and procedures.
Our physiatrist in Charlotte, NC, Dr. Ahmad assumes a holistic approach to pain management to help get you back in the game!
Say goodbye to pain and hello to a personalized care plan designed just for you. We won’t quit until you’re pain-free and fully healed, ready to rock your active lifestyle once again. Book an appointment with a pain management doctor in Charlotte, NC, who knows their stuff. Let’s kick pain to the curb and show your favorite sport who’s boss!
You deserve the best, so contact us today and let’s make those sports injuries a thing of the past. Game on!