Pain Management vs. Pain Relievers
There are several ways of relieving pain and discomfort. The most popular method is the use of pain relievers. Others resort to surgery for severe cases. An advanced and holistic approach to treating pain is interventional pain management.
While these methods provide relief from pain and other forms of discomfort such as numbing, tingling, stiffness and swelling, each approach has different effects on the body.
Pain Relievers and Its Effect on the Body
What are pain relievers?
Pain relievers are medicines that interfere with the transmission of pain signals within the nervous system. These substances help relieve sore muscle, headaches, arthritis, and other joint pains.
Pain relievers come in different forms such as tablets, capsules, syrups and topical creams. In some cases, pain relievers may need a prescription from a physician especially for high doses needed for chronic pain including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID).
Taking pain relievers must be done in moderation and according to prescription. Pain relievers offer fast relief but some may have adverse effects on the body including allergic reaction to some drug ingredients.
Compound analgesic with codeine can cause constipation and nausea. It also affects concentration. Opioid analgesic causes respiratory depression in addition to constipation and dizziness. Long-term use of pain relievers may have adverse effects on kidneys and the heart. When taking pain relievers, it is best to consult your doctor to ensure medical relief.
Why Interventional Pain Management Should Be Considered Before Taking Pain Relievers
Interventional pain care treatments are minimally to non-invasive procedures for alleviating if not relieving pain and discomfort. Pain management provides many benefits for the body.
While over-the-counter pain relievers may provide instant relief, it is best to consider interventional pain management before taking painkillers. Unlike painkillers, pain management treatments do not need to be done daily.
Pain management provides lasting relief and helps prevent future pain and discomfort. Pain management treatments targets the source of pain as compared to painkillers that affects the entire body. Studies also show that multidisciplinary pain management is a more effective approach to treating chronic pain.
5 Common Interventional Pain Management Treatments
Here are 5 common pain management treatments that can reduce if not eliminate pain, inflammation, numbing, and stiffness.
#1 Epidurals
An Epidural is a pain care treatment that involves the injection of local anaesthesia in the spine nerves in the lower back. This is commonly administered during childbirth. It blocks the pain from labour contractions and helps push and move the baby out.
#2 Nerve Blocks
Nerve blocks or regional nerve blockade is an injection that blocks pain from specific nerves. This pain care treatment deliberately interferes with the pain signals from traveling through the nerves. Nerve blocks also help reduce inflammation of the affected area.
#3 Radiofrequency Ablation
Radiofrequency ablation is a minimally invasive pain management procedure that uses electrical current produced by radio wave. It heats up the affected area of nerve tissues, thus, reducing pain signals to reach the brain.
#4 Spinal Cord Stimulators
A spinal cord stimulator, also known as dorsal column stimulator (DCS) is an implantable neuromodulation device. That sends electrical signals to the affected area of the spine, thus, alleviating pain and discomfort.
#5 Ultrasound-Guided Injections
Ultrasound-guided injections are interventional pain management procedures that involves injecting steroids into the affected area using an ultrasound to guide the needle. This pain management treatment aims to reduce musculoskeletal pain relating to bursae, tendons, and ligaments.
These are just 5 of the most common pain management treatments that provide relief for pain, swelling, stiffness, tingling, numbing and tenderness of muscles, joints and other musculoskeletal parts of the body.
Our Charlotte pain management office provides an interdisciplinary and holistic approach to treating head, neck, back, knees, and other joint pains. We use fluoroscopic and ultrasound-guided injections to ensure accurate and effective treatments.
Contact us at 704-542-3912 to learn more about pain management care.