Thursday, May 25, 2017

Options Of Chronic Pain Solutions

By Ruth Martin


Normally, the first step when seeking to find a solution to chronic pain will be to acknowledge that the problem indeed is there. You will need to consult a physician about the signs of chronic pain. You will also tell them what you are experiencing to try and get to the bottom of what the problem is and after that formulate a plan of treatment. Chronic pain solutions are numerous and different cases are handled differently.

One of the options is to use antidepressants. There are older categories of antidepressants that might be very helpful in control of the pain. Specifically, tricyclic antidepressants will be of a lot of help. The medications have relief qualities and can relieve pain in doses which are lower than doses you would require to treat depression. The medicines should not be taken on an as needed basis but need to be taken daily irrespective of whether there is pain or not.

Physicians will try to lessen the side effects of antidepressants, especially sedation, by having the patient take them only at night. Other side effects include dry mouth which is treated by drinking lots of fluids and water. Not all patients are candidates for antidepressants though. For instance, those with some types of glaucoma should not take them. In addition, they must never be taken in larger doses than was prescribed.

Anticonvulsants are equally useful. They will help in handling nerve pains and should also be take as prescribed and not on an as needed basis. They are known to come with some side effects, notably drowsiness, but this tends to improve over time. In some instances, patients may experience weight gain. Individuals who suffer from glaucoma or weight gain should let the doctor know of the same before they start using these medications. There are newer versions that do not require liver monitoring but which should be used cautiously.

If opioids are used as required, they in a great way help with reduction of pains. The downside is that they are not as effective and one will need to use them in higher doses for optimal results. If the pains are experienced throughout the day and night, there are long acting categories that are preferred. Opioids bring about constipation as a possible side effect but this is easily controlled by drinking lots of fluids. Drowsiness is experienced but reduces as one slowly gets used to the medication.

Epidural injection is equally helpful. It is done at the back of the neck to try and place anti-inflammatory steroids without having to use anesthesia. The injections are done for pains that involve legs or the back, and at times hands. They might get done under x-ray guidance. There are common side effects like soreness of skin or temporary numbness of pierced areas.

There is celiac plexus block that offers pain relief in individuals with pancreatic cancer and is also used for different forms of abdominal pains. It involves placing a needle through the back in order to deposit numbing medication to a group of nerves known as celiac plexus.

The celiac plexus injection is done as diagnosis to check whether more permanent injection can be of help in relieving aches. In case it provides significant relief, the longer lasting option can be used. Treatment of chronic pain is varied depending on individuals and where the pains are experienced.




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