According to the CDC, pain is the top reason that 50 million Americans (20.4%) seek a pain management specialist to enhance their mobility and quality of life. For some patients, acute pain and suffering advances to a chronic pain level that severely limits daily activities like working or exercising. An experienced pain management doctor like Dr. Achampong will utilize pain management best practices like initial assessment, screenings, and pain management alternatives to treat our patients. Whether your pain is acute and chronic, here are the best practices you need.
Difference Between Acute And Chronic Pain
Do you know the difference between acute and chronic pain? Acute pain is your body’s short term response to an immediate pain contributor such as a scrape, break, or burn. After your body heals, the pain and suffering subside. If an acute pain exceeds the body’s natural healing process, it becomes a chronic issue that modifies the nervous system’s response to pain scale sensory. Chronic diseases like cancer, fibromyalgia, arthritis, and diabetes also cause long-term pain.
When To Visit A Pain Management Doctor
Do you know when it is most appropriate to see a pain management doctor? Some people think pain is short term and will subside once the injury or illness passes. In fact, lingering pain is often a symptom of a more serious, undiagnosed condition which is why it is important to visit a pain management clinic for an initial assessment, diagnosis, and treatment plan. It is vital to work with a pain management specialist to determine which best practices like pain medication, acupuncture, physical therapy, or biofeedback will help each patient overcome long-term pain.
It will also establish that patients are not alone when dealing with pain management. There are also pain management specialists on board at a pain management center to help patients overcome physical, mental, and social barriers to care. There are also financial impacts that hinder access to healthcare which is why a multidiscipline approach lessens the cost of care because doctors like Dr. Achampong use different best practices to reverse pain and, in the long run, the likelihood that a patient will have to seek medical care for long-term pain management.
Maryland Pain And Wellness Best Practices
How do you cope with your pain? Our doctors will utilize various pain management best practices during the healing process to help our patients cope with and overcome the symptoms.
- Pain Medication: Depending on the diagnosis, pain management specialists often prescribe prescription grade pain pills, anti-inflammatory, or muscle relaxants.
- Physical Therapy: Do you need to improve physical function, strength, or mobility? Physical therapy will help patients control pain with improving the quality of life.
- Acupuncture: Traditional Chinese acupuncture has been used for centuries by accessing acupoints to treat headaches, back pain, leg cramps, nerve pain, and fibromyalgia.
- Relaxation And Massage: Whether your pain is associated with physical or mental contributors, using alternatives like relaxation yoga or massage therapy reduce the symptoms of pain and allow patients to relieve their aches and stress-related symptoms.
Are you ready to improve your quality of life? We are ready to help you today. Just click here to make an appointment and find out how our best practices will put you on the path to recovery.
