An Increasing Array of Pain Management Treatments Can Help Optimize Patients’ Recovery

When it comes to treating a client suffering from pain following an accident or injury, it’s vital to understand the different treatments available to ensure their recovery is as quick and complete as possible.

Pain can be experienced in both chronic and acute forms. Acute pain is typically treated by a physician immediately after surgery, an infection, a burn or an incident that causes bone fractures or cuts. Acute pain dissipates as the injury or condition heals. Chronic pain is long-lasting and can result from disease, trauma or unresolved medical condition. Chronic pain can have a life-altering effect on a patient, such as depression, insomnia, loss of appetite or decreased energy.

Pain management specialists have the skill and expertise to design a treatment plan to meet the individual needs of each patient. Their options may include:

Lifestyle Changes

Usually used in tandem with other treatments, adjusting a patient’s behavior or environment may prove beneficial. Examples include creating a more conducive sleeping environment or correcting poor posture to alleviate back or neck pain.

Medication 

When a patient’s pain is not treatable by lifestyle changes alone, a pain management specialist may prescribe medication. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be used to treat acute pain while opioid analgesics can be carefully prescribed for more debilitating pain. A specialist also may treat a patient with antidepressants, particularly in cases where nerve damage is suspected, as depression and chronic pain share some of the same nerve pathways in the brain and spinal cord.

A patient may benefit from corticosteroid injections to relieve inflammation that is causing pain. Medical implants can also be used to routinely deliver drugs to a patient who is experiencing spine pain.

Therapy and Exercise

Physical therapy and exercise can increase the range of motion, decrease inflammation and improve a patient’s mental and emotional well-being. Exercise causes the body to release naturally occurring painkillers called endorphins. The benefits of exercise and therapy seem to work cooperatively together, causing the body to heal faster and the pain to be alleviated more effectively than drugs or other treatments alone. A patient should always consult with a pain management specialist before starting a new exercise regime.

Non-Traditional Pain Treatment

Relaxation through meditation or yoga can allow patients to better control their response to pain. Acupuncture may decrease pain, possibly by releasing pain-relieving endorphins into the body. Some other nontraditional treatments for pain may include massage, therapeutic touch, herbal remedies and nutritional supplements.

Regardless of the path your client ultimately takes, it should only be embarked upon once they’ve found the right pain management physician to guide them through their recovery. Power Liens has the best pain management doctors working on personal injury liens in California. Please see below for some of our Preferred Pain Management Providers in your area:

Knowing how the journey of a role model or mentor can inspire and shape a career, we are excited to announce Master Practice Season 3, premiering in 2021!

Master Practice is not just a legal seminar, but an opportunity for attorneys of all experience levels to learn from legal superstars like Arash Homampour, Nick Rowley, Brian Panish, Genie Harrison, and Gary Dordick! To celebrate what we know will be our best season yet, we’re counting down our favorite episodes from previous seasons each week on our Power Liens IGTV! 

We hope you’ll follow us on this journey!