Pain management (Algology) is a new emerging specialty of medicine which deals with different kinds of chronic pain which are not treated with basic therapies. It is based on the principle that pain is not just a symptom demanding our compassion! It can be an aggressive disease that damages the nervous System.
Pain relief is a basic human right. The old dictum ‘what cannot be cured must be endured” no longer holds true. The specialty of chronic pain management has changed the outlook towards chronic pain, it focuses on improving the functionality and quality of life for anyone who is suffering from pain. A majority of complex chronic painful states unresponsive to conventional treatment are being successfully treated at pain clinics.
Our ultimate goals to cure & care for people suffering from pain, make them productive human beings for the society and increase their self-esteem so that they can live life as normal individuals.
About Chronic Pain
Pain is a warning sign pointing us towards some injury or disease EG: fracture, abscess, infection.
However, if such pain persists even after injury heals or over a prolonged period without any obvious cause, it indicates damage or disease of nervous system. Such pain is called CHRONIC PAIN. It is one of the most underestimated health care problems in the world today.
People with chronic pain have a heightened sensitivity to environment. Persistent pain over a long time causes reduced tolerance to pain, increase in the intensity of pain, also pain sensation becomes disproportionate & spreads to unaffected areas. Other signs include burning, tingling, numbness in affected areas, tense muscles, limited mobility, lack of energy & appetite.
If left untreated, such pain leads to a vicious cycle of mood swings, depression, negative thinking, anxiety, stress, lack of energy & enthusiasm impairing your daily living, professional &; personal relationship, and often financial losses due to absenteeism. To break this cycle, it is important to treat such pain at the earliest.
What is Pain Clinic?
Pain clinic is a heath care facility that focuses on the diagnosis and management of chronic pain.
Pain clinic use a multidisciplinary approach to help people take an active role in managing their pain and regaining control of their life.
- MEDICATIONS that act specifically on your pain conducting nerves (& not pain killers) to reverse the altered chemical changes in them. In cases of severe pain, opioid medications either orally or by other delivery modes.
- PHYSICAL THERAPY targeted to strengthen the spine, muscles & tissues.
- BEHAVIOR THERAPY & lifestyle modifications to overcome emotional aspects and stressful conditions
- INTERVENTIONAL THERAPY These are specialized injections given around nerve roots near the spine under live x-ray &/or sonography guidance in the operating theatre. They target your particular nerves & help by reducing irritation & inflammation of the damaged nerves to relieve pain.
Who Should Visit A Pain Clinic?
Anybody suffering from pain can visit... Common chronic pain conditions treated are:
- Back Pain +/- sciatica, slip disc, facet (joint of vertebrae) arthropathy, tail bone pain
- Cervical spondylosis and neck pain
- Post-spine surgery neck/ back recurrent pain
- Cancer Pain
- Knee/ shoulder and other Joint pain
- Headache/ Migraine
- Myofascial pain syndromes
- Neuralgias - Facial, Occipital, Post herpetic
- Neuropathies- Diabetic, Peripheral vascular disease
- CRPS- complex regional pain syndrome (reflex sympathetic dystrophy)