In the realm of chronic pain conditions, fibromyalgia syndrome stands out as a complex and often misunderstood disorder. Through the insights of dedicated healthcare professionals like Maheen Arastu, we gain a clearer understanding of fibromyalgia and the empathetic care provided to those grappling with its challenges.
Whether you personally are affected by fibromyalgia, know someone who is, or generally want to understand more about the illness, keep reading to learn valuable insights about the diagnosis, treatment, and realities of fibromyalgia.
Maheen Arastu, a dedicated Family Nurse Practitioner-Certified (FNP-C) based in Round Rock, brings a wealth of experience and compassion to the field of pain management. Her professional journey, transitioning from the operating room to specializing in interventional pain management, underscores her unwavering dedication to delivering personalized and empathetic care to her patients.
Furthermore, Arastu’s background in women's healthcare has provided her with valuable insights into the unique challenges faced by women, especially considering the higher prevalence of fibromyalgia among women. This perspective enhances her ability to address the specific needs of her patients with sensitivity and understanding.
Fluent in Hindi and Urdu, Arastu places a strong emphasis on culturally sensitive approaches in her practice, ensuring that every patient feels respected, understood, and supported regardless of their cultural or linguistic background.
As we commemorate Fibromyalgia Awareness Day, let us recognize Arastu’s commitment to raising awareness about this condition and providing compassionate care to those affected by it.
Fibromyalgia presents as a complex condition characterized by widespread pain, persistent fatigue, cognitive impairments, and disturbances in sleep patterns. Its prevalence is notably higher among women and frequently coexists with other ailments like irritable bowel syndrome, headaches or migraines, and mood disorders such as anxiety or depression. The triggers for fibromyalgia vary widely, encompassing genetic predispositions, infections, as well as physical or emotional traumas.
Symptoms typically manifest in diverse ways: individuals experience chronic body pain persisting for three or more months, often migrating across various regions such as the back, neck, and shoulders. Despite normal blood test results, individuals may grapple with profound fatigue, hindering their ability to engage in daily activities. These symptoms can arise following a specific triggering event, whether physical or psychological in nature, or may gradually accumulate over time without a discernible inciting incident.
Fibromyalgia can significantly impact daily life in various ways, often presenting a multitude of challenges for individuals living with the condition. Persistent pain can impact simple tasks – standing, walking, or sitting for extended periods, can become exceedingly difficult and exhausting.
Fatigue is another hallmark symptom of fibromyalgia, often accompanied by disrupted sleep patterns and cognitive difficulties commonly referred to as "fibro fog." The combination of pain, fatigue, and cognitive impairments can impair concentration, memory, and overall mental clarity, affecting productivity and daily functioning.
Moreover, fibromyalgia can impact emotional well-being, leading to feelings of frustration, anxiety, depression, and social withdrawal. The unpredictability of symptoms and the chronic nature of the
Diagnosis can be challenging because most patients have coexisting conditions. The illness is diagnosed out of exclusion, so running thorough testing and bloodwork is critical.
At Pain Specialists of America, we first work with rheumatology to rule out autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or lupus. We also run blood tests, sleep studies, cervical MRIs, and tender point assessments to get a complete picture. Collaborating closely with patients' primary care physicians (PCPs), we strive to gain a comprehensive understanding of their medical history.
While the diagnostic journey for fibromyalgia may be lengthy and intricate, the process of eliminating other potential illnesses empowers patients with clarity regarding their health status. With Arastu’s expertise and insight, patients can navigate this journey with confidence, knowing they are in caring and capable hands.
Diagnosis can be challenging because most patients have coexisting conditions. The illness is diagnosed out of exclusion, so running thorough testing and bloodwork is critical.
At Pain Specialists of America, we first work with rheumatology to rule out autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or lupus. We also run blood tests, sleep studies, cervical MRIs, and tender point assessments to get a complete picture. Collaborating closely with patients' primary care physicians (PCPs), we strive to gain a comprehensive understanding of their medical history.
While the diagnostic journey for fibromyalgia may be lengthy and intricate, the process of eliminating other potential illnesses empowers patients with clarity regarding their health status. With Arastu’s expertise and insight, patients can navigate this journey with confidence, knowing they are in caring and capable hands.
Arastu adopts a conservative approach to treatment, prioritizing strategies that are both gentle and sustainable for her patients. One such recommendation she offers is the "5-minute rule," advising patients to take a brief, 5-minute walk for every hour they spend sitting. By setting attainable goals, Arastu aims to foster habits that can be maintained over the long term, avoiding the pitfalls of overly strenuous exercise routines that may exacerbate symptoms.
In line with this philosophy, she often suggests aqua therapy or water aerobics, recognizing the potential strain conventional physical therapy may place on the body. Chair yoga and acupuncture also emerge as gentle yet effective modalities for alleviating tension and managing pain. Arastu also acknowledges the benefits of achieving healthy, sustainable weight loss in reducing pain for patients with a high BMI.
Arastu explores pharmaceutical options for patients only after exhausting other avenues of treatment. She emphasizes the importance of starting conservatively and using trial-and-error to ensure that any medication regimen aligns with the patient's preferences and needs.
Beyond medical treatments, Arastu underscores the vital importance of addressing mental health considerations and adopting healthy lifestyle habits. Though any illness may see an overlap between chronic stress and pain, this relationship is even more prevalent in those with Fibromyalgia. As an illness that affects the mind and body, it is critical that patients seek mental health support.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), support groups, and mindfulness practices play integral roles in managing symptoms and promoting overall wellbeing. By nurturing a supportive environment and fostering open communication, Arastu empowers her patients to navigate their journey towards healing and resilience.
Additionally, getting adequate, restorative sleep is essential for those managing fibromyalgia. Arastu emphasizes the importance of prioritizing quality sleep to optimize health outcomes. Hydration is also key for overall health, and Arastu stresses the importance of staying adequately hydrated, especially for individuals with fibromyalgia.
Lastly, she advocates for a balanced diet rich in whole fruits, vegetables, and lean meats, while also acknowledging the value of occasional indulgences. Arastu’s approach to nutrition emphasizes enjoying food without undue stress, embracing a healthy relationship with eating, and savoring life's simple pleasures. Eat what you can, don’t stress, and enjoy the dark chocolate, she says.
Despite advancements in understanding fibromyalgia, skepticism persists regarding its legitimacy as a medical condition. Arastu emphasizes the tangible impact of chronic pain on individuals' lives, highlighting the importance of comprehensive evaluations and evidence-based treatments. Through education and advocacy, she works to dispel misconceptions surrounding fibromyalgia and validate the experiences of those living with this condition.
One inspiring success story shared by Arastu involves a patient who initially sought relief for chronic low back pain, despite her young age of 34-years. After exhausting conventional routes, including consultations with surgeons and rheumatologists, the patient embarked on a journey toward holistic healing. Arastu guided her through incremental steps, addressing each concern methodically.
Starting with manageable lifestyle changes like weight loss, the patient gradually progressed to exploring innovative treatments such as a lower back stimulator, specifically a peripheral nerve stimulator targeting the lower back to buttocks region. Remarkably, this comprehensive approach culminated in the patient achieving freedom from lower back pain, experiencing only occasional flare-ups that are managed effectively with medication. This narrative underscores the transformative power of personalized care and perseverance in overcoming the challenges posed by fibromyalgia.
As we commemorate Fibromyalgia Awareness Day, let us recognize the complexities of this condition and the invaluable efforts of healthcare professionals like Maheen Arastu in providing compassionate care. Through a holistic approach encompassing medical interventions, lifestyle modifications, and emotional support, we can empower individuals living with fibromyalgia to reclaim their lives and thrive despite the challenges they face.
Find a pain management location near you to start your pain relief journey. PSA is here to help.
As an advanced nurse practitioner at PSA James Casey in Austin, Kaycee Frederick specializes in administering injections to the shoulders, knees, and other areas of the body, addressing trochanteric bursae, migraines, and more. She works closely with Dr. Gutierrez, attending to patients with acute conditions, many of whom experience high levels of stress.
With nine years of experience specializing in pain management, Frederick has become well aware of the intersection of pain and stress. As we make our way through National Stress Awareness Month, Frederick shares invaluable insights into the relationship between pain and stress, and how to find healthy, evidence-based ways of managing both.
Both pain and stress can precede and follow one another, Frederick says. Prolonged fight or flight response, can disrupt the body's ability to maintain equilibrium, leading to a cascade of physiological and psychological responses. This disruption can exacerbate both pain and stress, creating a cyclical pattern that challenges the body's resilience and adaptive capacity.
Stress and anxiety, for example, may prompt muscle tension, such as in myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) or pelvic pain conditions, where stress-induced tension in muscles in the back, pelvic floor, or elsewhere intensifies pain, perpetuating a cycle of stress and discomfort.
Alternatively, the sudden onset of intense pain can be, not only physically challenging, but also disruptive to one's daily life, thereby inciting high levels of stress.
To manage chronic stress and pain, it's crucial to equip patients with coping mechanisms that address both the physical and mental aspects of their condition. Highlighting the interconnectedness of pain, mental health, and stress can promote a holistic approach to management.
Frederick notes how important it is to learn to monitor situational factors that trigger our own stress individually. Once an individual has identified their own unique stressors and found healthy coping mechanisms that work for them it may be easier to identify an individualized management plan.
Encouraging individuals to monitor their personal stress triggers fosters self-awareness, while evidence-based strategies like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) offer effective mind-based tools to navigate stressors and their associated thoughts and actions.
Accessing therapy, whether individually or in group settings, can provide valuable support, helping individuals understand the persistence of pain and mitigate related fears and anxieties.
Additionally, professionals should offer explanations and interventions grounded in evidence to empower individuals in managing their pain and stress effectively. By incorporating education on pain and stress reduction methods, individuals can gain greater control over their symptoms and improve their overall quality of life.
One study compared the effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and usual care for adults with chronic low back pain. The trial involved 342 participants aged 20 to 70 who were randomly assigned to receive either MBSR, CBT, or usual care. MBSR and CBT sessions were conducted over 8 weeks, while usual care involved the participants receiving their regular treatments.
Results showed that both MBSR and CBT were effective in improving functional limitations and reducing back pain at 26 weeks. These improvements persisted at the 52-week follow-up. Therefore, the study suggests that both MBSR and CBT could be a beneficial treatment option for individuals with chronic pain and stress.
In a separate study, researchers explored the impact of combining pain neurophysiology education, or education about why the pain is happening, with therapeutic exercise for chronic low back pain (CLBP). Fifty-six participants with CLBP were randomly assigned to either receive therapeutic exercise alone or therapeutic exercise supplemented with pain neurophysiology education conducted in groups.
Results at the 3-month follow-up revealed a significant reduction in pain intensity, with a large effect size observed in the group receiving the combined intervention. Secondary measures, such as disability questionnaire scores and pain catastrophizing, also showed moderate improvements.
These findings suggest that integrating pain neurophysiology education with therapeutic exercise offers a promising approach for effectively managing CLBP, addressing both physical and cognitive aspects of the condition to improve patient outcomes.
A third study affirms the need to combine multiple modalities to treat pain and stress most effectively. The systematic review highlights the superiority of multidisciplinary interventions and emphasizes the need for a holistic approach to pain and stress management/ By integrating evidence-based practices like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with comprehensive education on pain neurophysiology and stress reduction, individuals can gain better control over their symptoms and improve their overall quality of life.
Success with a holistic, mind and body approach to healing stress and pain is not just found in these studies – but in the very walls of PSA James Casey.
One inspiring story involves a patient who faced a life-altering injury, resulting in significant stress and upheaval in their life. Seeking support, they joined a dedicated support group and engaged in individual cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Alongside these interventions, they received comprehensive care from PSA James Casey, including neuropathic medication for nerve pain, physical therapy, and interventional therapy such as neuromodulators, or injections.
Alongside these interventions, they received comprehensive care from PSA James Casey, including neuropathic medication for nerve pain, physical therapy, and interventional therapy which included injections and peripheral nerve stimulator.
As a result of this multifaceted and holistic approach, the patient experienced a remarkable improvement in their well-being. They now thrive, finding solace and empowerment in the support group where they can share their journey with others facing similar challenges.
All in all, it’s important to recognize the impact stress can have on our overall health – not just our mental wellbeing, but also our physiology and physical wellness.
This means we can expect to manage pain significantly better when we also learn to effectively manage stress levels, which calls for an individualized, holistic approach. Evidence-based practices like cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and patient education provide effective tools to navigate stressors.
Success stories from PSA James Casey further highlight the effectiveness of a comprehensive approach, where patients receive holistic care and support. By implementing integrated and evidence-based strategies, individuals can gain control over their symptoms, find empowerment, and enhance their quality of life despite life-altering challenges. If you’re ready to start your journey to lowering stress and chronic pain, simply request a new patient appointment on our website. We’re ready to welcome you with compassionate care.
Connect with Kaycee Frederick on Facebook and Instagram to get helpful tips on managing chronic pain!
Pain medicine has changed quite a bit over the last 20 years. We’re in a much more advanced space now, with new therapies becoming available every day. However, these new options create challenges for both the patient and the provider. Which therapy will best serve each unique case? As these therapies become more and more complex, how do doctors teach patients about the reasons why some choices are better than others? There are also patients who have received treatment but are unclear why certain decisions were made.
This blog is designed to educate our patients and to bridge the gap of knowledge between what our physicians and advanced practice providers now know and what patients may currently believe.
Along with this education comes the ability to advocate—for yourself as well as your family members—so when you’re faced with a decision, you can make the best decision.
Many people in pain management—patients and providers alike—believe in this paradigm:
A caused B, therefore fixing A will lead to the resolution of B
In this paradigm, A is generally some type of injury or event, and B is either pain or change in function. Maybe something has been twisted or overused. This then leads to feeling pain. But the assumption here is that the problem is one-dimensional and there’s nothing else that may be contributing to the problem.
By the time they reach us, most patients have tried some sort of other therapy. They may have tried home care, with rest, ice, or heat. They may have been evaluated by their primary care physician or a chiropractor. From there, they may have tried over-the-counter medications or therapy, but they’ve continued to experience pain or disability. After all of this, they’re sent to a spine or pain specialist in order to diagnose and treat the chronic pain.
The journey from the initial onset of the pain to a visit to PSA will often take about three to six months. Along the way, patients may learn to adapt to their pain and change the way they walk, sit, stand, lift, or do any number of other normal activities. Now, we’re not just talking about the initial injury or cause and the resulting pain, but all of the behaviors that have developed as a result.
Pain medicine is a field. This means that those of us in the field don’t just focus on the treatment, we’re just as concerned with the diagnosis.
There are roughly 46 possible causes for lower back pain. In order to accurately diagnose—and therefore treat—any case, we have to look at the patient’s entire story: How did this story evolve? How does the patient describe the pain?
Along with the patient’s story, we conduct an examination and take a close look at the body: How does it move? How do the tendons and the musculature feel? Plus, we conduct studies like CT scans and MRIs.
From the story, examination, and study, we can begin to create a picture of the problem. But even then, with all of this work done, there may still be several causes for the pain. At this point, we may try different approaches to see how the pain responds—or doesn’t respond.
One approach is to try some form of injection, which patients often mistakenly call “shots.” Injections performed by a pain physician aren’t like flu shots, which are blindly injected into the muscle or skin.
Rather, these are diagnostic and therapeutic tools. They’re targeted injections that are specifically placed and contain two components: Local anesthetic and steroid.
With our findings as our guide, we may put a local anesthetic on a specific nerve. If the pain is reduced, we know we’ve found the source. But even if the pain isn’t reduced, we’ve still made progress in our search for the source and possible treatments of the pain.
With the steroid, we’re able to reduce inflammation, promote tissue healing, and allow the nerve to reboot.
Many patients wonder if their treatments will be effective and how long they’ll last. Unfortunately, there’s no way to predict the outcome of any treatment because every patient is different. While we do expect treatments to be effective and last for some time, the reality is that most pain journeys have their ups and downs.
In many ways, the pain journey is about breaking the pain cycle and peeling away the layers of pain. By the time a patient comes to our offices, three to six months after the pain was first discovered, there are so many other factors contributing to it, like altered biomechanics.
Similarly, when people talk about chronic pain in the back, the focus is mainly on the specific points in the back where the pain is felt. In reality, there’s much more to it and things like lymphatics, nerves, and muscles could also contribute to the problem.
As interventional pain physicians and diagnosticians, we feel it’s our responsibility to diagnose and treat what we believe is the primary source of your pain. We also feel it's our responsibility to treat any additional sources of pain. By keeping you appraised of all of this information, we can teach our patients about what they’re experiencing and how we’re managing it.
This means that as you make your way through the pain journey, you can make educated decisions you feel confident about.
Pain management doctors – physicians who specialize in the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of pain – have advanced training that qualifies them as your best source of treatment if you are experiencing any type of pain due to illness or injury.
After a general residency, these physicians undergo an additional one-year fellowship in pain management, and they are board-certified in a specialty, such as sport injuries or cancer pain.
However, most pain management doctors devote their time and expertise to helping chronic pain patients whose needs can sometimes be hard to diagnose and take months or years to treat using multiple therapies.
Pain management doctors most often see patients with pain in the low back, knee, head, hip, and neck. Common conditions treated is these physicians include: arthritis, fibromyalgia, migraines, sciatica, and more.
For one thing, they diagnose the specific cause of your pain and the underlying conditions that lead to it. Take back pain, for example. It could be caused by many conditions ranging from poor posture at your work desk to a herniated disc to a degenerative condition like arthritis.
Once a pain management doctor diagnoses your pain, he or she can find the therapy that works best for you based on their specialized training and the latest research. In fact, pain management doctors often conduct their own trials and studies on patients who haven’t responded to conventional treatments.
Pain doctors often use a wide range of nonsurgical, interventional treatments – along with complementary therapies – as a way of reducing the amount of medication you need to take or to avoid the need for surgery. These may include massage, a weight loss regimen, acupuncture, exercise, yoga, meditation, physical therapy, dietary changes, or chiropractic care.
They may also prescribe pain-killing medications such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), muscle relaxants, or antidepressants. Depending on the severity of your specific condition, they may also recommend epidural steroid injections, nerve blocks, joint injections, radiofrequency ablation, spinal cord stimulation, or neuromodulation. If none of these methods are effective in alleviating your pain, surgery may be an option of last resort.
In any case, your pain management doctor will coordinate treatment between multiple doctors and healthcare professionals. In addition, he or she will continue ongoing care for any physical or mental concerns you may have. In that role, your pain management doctor acts as an advocate dedicated to relieving your symptoms.
To learn more about how a pain management doctor can help you overcome your pain issues, talk to the experts at Pain Specialists of Austin and Central Texas Pain Center. We help patients like you every day. Get the discussion started by calling (855) 876-7246 for an appointment today or request an appointment online.
In a move that’s created a network of fifteen clinics and ambulatory surgery centers, Central Texas Pain Center and Pain Specialists of Austin have merged under the name Pain Specialists of America. This network includes locations ranging from Waco down to San Antonio.
While every location will change its name and logo, this expanded ecosystem gives our team a more comprehensive set of resources to rely on. This means that though you may only see one doctor, you’ll have the experience and expertise of a much bigger staff.
If you suffer from chronic pain, call any of our 15 locations for a consultation. At Pain Specialists of America, we offer expert pain care, now even closer to home.
Ambulatory surgery centers, known as ASCs, are health care facilities that provide outpatient surgical care, with no overnight stay required. Recent advances in surgical techniques, anesthesia, and pain management, have allowed ASCs to grow both in the types and quantities of surgeries performed. Surgery centers allow you to save 26% less time compared to having the same surgery performed in a hospital setting.
We’ve built our state-of-the-art facilities from the ground up and designed them to provide our patients with complete comfort, utilizing soft colors and plenty of lighting, including skylights.
They also offer more complex procedures, like those for joints, bones, ear, nose, and throat, plastic, reconstructive, and even the abdomen. Part of the growth of ASCs can be attributed to progress made with minimally invasive surgery (MIS). Because these procedures are far less invasive, the amount of anesthesia, pain, and recovery time is also reduced.
There are other reasons why ASCs have become not just viable, but a comparable option to inpatient.
We seldom wonder if a surgery is going to be “convenient,” but when you consider the amount of staff required, the demands on the space, and the possibility of delays due to sudden emergencies, it’s easy to see how procedures performed in a traditional hospital setting could quickly become inconvenient. Ambulatory surgery centers, on the other hand, offer ease of scheduling and incur fewer delays since fewer emergencies are scheduled. Additionally, they are typically located away from busy (and larger) medical centers, which means easier access and parking.
Medical care is expensive, but ambulatory surgery centers have found a way to decrease those costs. By being specialized in specific procedures and structured to function efficiently, ambulatory surgery centers enjoy lower overhead—which results in lower costs for insurance carriers and patients. Studies have shown ASCs are on average up to 60% less expensive than hospital procedures. And this benefits everybody.
Like any hospitals, ASCs are required to meet federal and state guidelines. To be licensed, they must pass not only an initial inspection, but must continue adhering to regulations and reporting. ASCs are typically Medicare certified, and many voluntarily go one step further and participate in accreditation programs and independent healthcare rating agencies.
Studies also show a lower rate of infection in ambulatory surgery centers. Surgical site infection is half what you would find in a hospital setting on average: Hospital setting = 8.95/1000 while in a surgery center = 4.84/1000 patients*. Simply put, the risk of patients acquiring an illness or contagious disease at an ASC is significantly reduced, by almost half.
Much of this can be attributed to the avoidance of scheduling patients with known infection and the reduced exposure to patients with far more critical medical issues.
Relying on an ASC for your procedure is much less stressful. Along with the reasons above, there’s the added benefit of recovering in your home, compared to a hospital setting.
One final thing to consider: ambulatory surgery centers, like our ASC in Killeen, focus on a select number of procedures, which means your treatment is provided by professionals specialized in your issues. Surveys report higher patient satisfaction with the care provided at an ASC.
It’s easy to see why an ASC is the best choice for your care. And we expect more and more patients will reach the same decision. That’s why, to better accommodate this growing patient population, we’re building two new surgery centers in North and South Austin. This way we can offer the most advanced interventional procedures and surgeries in the safest environment possible. And that means the best outcome for you.
If you suffer from a condition that requires minor or day surgery, consider the benefits of an ambulatory surgery center. Then, give us a call to schedule a consultation. We think the benefits you’ll find in our ambulatory surgery center to be a welcome relief.
Source: https://www.ossmnewark.com/news/infection-risk-ambulatory-surgery-centers-safer-hospitals
Once a way to make phone calls, our mobile phones have become our resource for virtually everything we do: get directions, listen to music, take and share photos, search, shop, socialize, and, yes, even make phone calls.
But all of this phone usage comes at a cost. And sometimes this cost is a condition called “text neck.”
What is text neck? Text neck is neck pain caused by hunching over a mobile device for extended periods of time. Symptoms may include:
These symptoms can often lead to posture problems that only make matters worse.
Unlike other neck issues which can have many different causes, text neck comes from one cause: extended mobile device use with the head tilted down.
And it’s no surprise more and more people are suffering from text neck. The average American spends 5.4 hours per day on their phone. The average weight of the human head is between 10-12 pounds. Factor in the increased angle of the head and neck while looking at a phone and you get an increase of about 60 pounds of weight on our necks. For over 5 hours every day.
What can you do to mitigate this pain? There are a few easy ways to treat the pain on your own. The first—and most obvious—thing is simply to decrease the amount of time you spend on your mobile device. If you can’t limit the amount of time on your phone, be sure to take frequent breaks.
Of course, if you don’t see results from doing these exercises, we’re here to help. Our Care Team is ready to walk you through a treatment plan, step by step. You’re just a mobile phone call away from expert pain care, close to home.
Living a life with chronic pain can be complicated. Pain not only affects you, but it can also affect your friends and family, and potentially your work productivity. It can impact every aspect of your life, from difficult physical exertion to common tasks, like tying your shoes.
If you’re experiencing chronic pain, you’re not alone. As many as 100 million Americans deal with some form of chronic pain.
The beginning of a new year is almost always seen as a renewal, a fresh start, a sense of hope for something better. You can take your life back from daily chronic pain. You may have started and stopped many times in your pain management journey, that’s ok. Sometimes it’s necessary.
Here are a few tips to begin or continue your pain management journey in 2022.
Set up a system, not a resolution or goal
The goal or resolution to live a healthier life can be better achieved through establishing a system. A system makes your goal attainable. It’s concrete. It gets you moving in the right direction. A system is something you do on a regular basis. It might look like:
Drink more water. Whatever you are drinking now, double it if it is less than 40 oz per day. Dehydration can make chronic pain worse. Make sure you stay hydrated by drinking an adequate amount of water. Avoid caffeinated drinks, like coffee and tea, as well as alcohol since these beverages will actually make you more dehydrated.
Move more. Analyze how much you sit and how much you move. Adjust accordingly—even if it’s a small amount.
Find support in fellow pain warriors. Stay connected with others who might share the same battle. Holding space for your pain flare ups with an understanding friend might help you go through those moments with less grief.
Create a sleep routine. One-third of Americans don’t get enough sleep on a regular basis, according to the CDC. The Sleep Foundation offers these tips to build a better sleep routine: decide on bedtime, leave electronics alone, have a light snack or bedtime tea, take a warm bath, listen to music, stretch & breath, practice meditation, read a good book, write down a to-do list or journal and prep your bedroom. Pick 1-2 changes you can start implementing today.
Research your pain management options
It’s common that most people do not know the difference between conventional pain management and interventional pain management. Conventional pain management includes medication treatments and over-the-counter medication to manage pain flare-ups. Essentially any type of treatment that does not invade the body in order to alleviate pain. It does not address the root of the problem; it simply band-aids. Interventional pain management (IPM) focuses on finding the root cause and interrupting the pain cycle. IPM is an ideal treatment for both acute and chronic pain and can be used to alleviate even the most complex source of pain. Interventional pain management doctors partner with you to establish a comprehensive treatment plan that addresses your specific needs. Pain sufferers are aware of the opioid epidemic that plagues our nation. Interventional pain management doctors are at the forefront of making a change to better the lives of pain sufferers through comprehensive treatment plans.
[maybe more on what an interventional pain doctor does?]
IPM doctors start with a thorough evaluation of your pain and overall health. With this data, the doctors consider all of the available, relevant treatment options and create the plan that best addresses the causes of pain. For a more complete look at IPM, read our blog from last month.
Everyone's pain is different and there are many factors that cause flare-ups. Stress, depression, anger, anxiety or fear, intrusive thoughts, isolation, underdoing, or overdoing can create more pain signals in the body. Taking back your life by putting yourself in charge of your day helps you manage chronic pain better.
The goal of interventional pain management is to help you find the best function and quality of life possible.
If pain is disrupting your life, there’s hope. Our interventional pain management team can help you take control of your health by providing you with information and treatment options. It’s time to get your life back. There’s no reason for you to suffer. Your first step is to click or call. Our Care Team is ready to walk you through your recovery, step by step. We provide expert pain care, close to home.
According to Dr. Pankaj Mehta, our Chief Medical Officer, “The priority of interventional pain management (IPM) is finding the root cause and interrupting the pain cycle. IPM is an ideal treatment for both acute and chronic pain and can be used to alleviate even the most complex source of pain.”
To describe what we do as “pain management” would be true, but it wouldn’t tell the full story. Yes, we provide pain management, but it goes much further than that.
We provide a variety of interventional treatment modalities to help manage your pain by creating a personalized plan —no matter what the cause or source.
As Dr. Mehta says, “We partner with patients suffering from pain. We help them optimize pain control, enhance daily functionality, and improve physical and psychological well-being.”
What’s the difference? Conventional pain management includes medication treatments and over-the-counter medication to manage pain flare-ups, essentially any type of treatment that does not invade the body in order to alleviate pain. It does not address the root of the problem; it simply band-aids.
Patients frequently come to us with multiple “pain generators,” which are sites of illness or injury that contribute to pain and suffering and detract from your quality of life.
Pain not only affects you, but it can also affect your friends and family, and potentially your work productivity. It can impact every aspect of your life, from difficult physical exertion to common tasks, like tying your shoes.
First, we believe it’s critical to listen to the patient; to go beyond the traditional doctor-patient relationship, and create a partnership. Plus, no two people experience pain the same way, so personalized plans are critical.
Our approach to interventional pain management begins with a conversation. We listen to your concerns and your needs; how pain is affecting your life.
“This is why a partnership is important,” says Dr. Mehta. Because if you don't individualize the pain treatment for each patient, the outcome may not be as effective.
Along with our Care Team, we thoroughly process the information, imaging, and diagnostic testing to determine a diagnosis. The diagnosis helps us determine the range of treatment methods to address your pain. We take the “S.A.V.E.” approach to your course of treatment: Surgery At the Very End. There are many less invasive options to help you regain a functional life.
We create a “pain management ecosystem,” a complete program of the specialists, therapies, and other elements needed to reach your goals. A vital part of this ecosystem is your involvement.
According to Dr. Mehta, “We educate you on the non-opioid therapies available. This education not only empowers you on the choices you have but can help with your peace of mind.”
Our goal is to create a comprehensive approach to treat your suffering, to allow you to enjoy the quality of life you want.
We’re not limited to back and neck pain. We treat all kinds of pain, from headaches down to foot pain and neuropathy—and all points in between.
If pain is disrupting your life, there’s hope. Our interventional pain management team helps you take control of your health by providing you with information and treatment options. It's time to get your life back. There’s no reason for you to suffer. Your first step is to click or call. Our Care Team is ready to walk you through your recovery, step by step. We provide expert pain care, close to home.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates as many as 100 million U.S. adults suffer from chronic pain. More alarming was that 8 percent of U.S. adults (19.6 million) reported having high-impact chronic pain directly proportional to suffering. Clinicians at Pain Specialists of Austin and Central Texas Pain Center have helped thousands of patients by identifying and treating the source of their chronic pain.
Chronic pain, as explained by Dr. Pankaj Mehta (MD, DABA, DABPM), a nationally renowned interventional pain doctor and Medical Director at Pain Specialists of Austin and Central Texas Pain Center, is pain that persists for at least three months, despite treatment, with an intensity that disrupts normal physical function and sleep patterns, reduces strength, limits daily activities and negatively impacts one’s ability to work and recreate with family and friends.
According to Dr. Mehta, chronic pain is generally the result of damaged, inflamed or dysfunctional nerves resulting from structural deterioration associated with aging, physical injury or trauma, muscle strain and disease. Conventional pain management (CPM) treats pain with medications and prescription drugs. Medication temporarily alleviates pain symptoms but does not fix the cause of the pain. There’s a better method for treating chronic pain with interventional pain management (IPM). IPM focuses on identifying the underlying structural cause of the pain and interrupting nerve transfer of pain signals at their source. We don’t just treat the pain symptoms; we treat the structural cause of your pain.
“Pain almost always has an underlying pathology, a structural deficit that in many cases can be treated effectively with advanced IPM,” he explained. “If you have chronic pain, there has to be a nerve or a group of nerves involved, which a local anesthetic block can diagnose.
This approach to addressing the underlying cause of your chronic pain is a concept Dr. Mehta calls “dampening the bad electric signals,” which he does through therapies such as nervous system stimulation or correcting spinal nerve compression via minimally invasive advanced spine therapies.
Pain does more than hurt physically,” he added, “it can impact physical, emotional and psychological well-being preventing individuals from being able to live a full and happy life.”
Dr. Mehta has found that many pain sufferers assume that they have no choice but to live with debilitating discomfort. Many times, they become discouraged after less effective treatment options do not work.
“Many people believe pain is an inevitable consequence of getting older, a lingering injury or a hereditary condition that runs in their family. Some hope the pain will just go away. Others don’t want to be perceived as complaining to their family and friends, so they just suffer in silence.”
Unfortunately, “a primary barrier to pain sufferers seeking treatment is a fear that they will be prescribed, and then become addicted to, opioid drugs.” That’s due to a public perception that “pain management treatment can only be accomplished with opioids,” he said, which, ironically, can be both an attraction and a repellent to people seeking pain treatment. “We’ve had people tell us that we don’t care about them because we won’t prescribe opioids, however, our unwillingness to allow them to become dependent on opioids shows how much we do care about them. We seek a long-term solution and not a quick, short-lived medicative numbing approach for their chronic pain.”
To learn more about Pain Specialists of Austin’s and Central Texas Pain Center’s multi-disciplinary, interventional pain management treatment options and how the science of pain management can change your life, please visit their website www.psadocs.com.