Chronic pain can limit your range of motion and ability to perform daily activities. It can occur due to a health condition, occupation, or unexpected movement that can affect your muscles. You can visit an experienced pain medicine specialist like Dr. Kevin McElroy, who can evaluate and treat your condition.
Causes of chronic pain
There are different causes of chronic pain, and they include:
- Trauma from an accident
- Fibromyalgia
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Vasculitis
- Complex regional pain syndrome
- Multiple sclerosis
Pain management therapies
Your sports medicine specialist can recommend treatment depending on the cause and location of your pain. The goal is to have effective treatment options while minimizing the likelihood of undergoing surgery.
The following are effective pain management therapies.
Physical therapy
Rehabilitative exercises are effective in alleviating pain. You can use the exercises to increase your muscular strength and mobility. Your physical therapist can manipulate your muscles to help them relax. Your physical therapist will create a treatment plan with various exercises.
If your muscles are tight, you will end up in pain because they are pulled: hence they are short. A relaxed muscle is free of pain and can function normally. Exercises include walking or swimming. You can perform the exercises by yourself or with the help of your specialist.
Botox injections
Botox injections are not only useful in making your face youthful but are effective in pain management. They are useful in treating neck pain and migraines. Your healthcare provider will inject the paining area to relax muscles and avoid painful contractions.
For migraines, Botox injections work by blocking the pain signals from your brain. Since the pain signals will not reach the intended area, you will not experience any pain.
Regenerative medicine
Regenerative medicine is effective in treating conditions that would otherwise need the intervention of surgical procedures. Your specialist can recommend regenerative medicine like stem cell therapy to treat your chronic pain.
With the injection of the stem cells, your body will fuse with the new cells, produce more cells, and help the damaged area repair itself. Common sources of stem cells include embryonic stem cells or adult stem cells. Specialists use embryonic cells because they have a greater chance of helping your damaged tissues or cells heal.
Hot or cold therapy
Specialists recommend cold therapy for injuries, pain, inflammation, and swelling and heat therapy for muscle pain and stiffness. Heat therapy will help expand your veins and help your muscles relax, minimizing the pain.
Cold therapy will help veins contract and minimize the pain compared to if your blood veins were in an expansive state.
Prevention of chronic pain
Although you cannot prevent accidents, you can try and minimize their occurrences. It is vital to gain control over things you can actively prevent to reduce your likelihood of having chronic pain.
The following are useful tips:
- Get enough sleep
- Reduce your stress levels
- Eat a balanced diet
- Exercise or lift things in the correct form
If you have chronic pain that limits your ability to perform your daily routine, visit Progressive Spine & Sports Medicine for treatment. The specialists at the center will provide you with various treatment options and recommend the most suitable for you. Call or book an appointment online and bid chronic pain goodbye.