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.
Dr. Pankaj Mehta (MD, DABA, DABPM), a nationally renowned interventional pain doctor, is the Chief Medical Officer at Pain Specialists of Austin and Central Texas Pain Center.
Dr. Mehta is a Board-Certified Anesthesiologist, trained at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, before completing an interventional pain fellowship at the prestigious Cleveland Clinic. During his training, Dr. Mehta was awarded a Harvard fellowship for NIH-sponsored research exploring the need for certain drugs in chronic opioid therapy.
Dr. Mehta, who has gained national recognition for his contributions to the field of interventional pain management, has been recognized as one of the Top Interventional Pain Management Physicians. He also was a recipient of the American Society of Pain and Neuroscience 2020 Clinical Excellence Award. In addition to lecturing nationwide on breakthroughs in interventional pain management, he is widely published in many prestigious medical journals. He serves as an educator for several healthcare companies that research and develop treatments for chronic pain. Dr. Mehta also collaborates with local clinicians to present pain management programs that encompass multiple interventional strategies.
A leading proponent of cutting-edge technologies, Dr. Mehta is not only a leading IPM practitioner, but he also trains other physicians nationwide on technologically advanced pain treatments. An early adopter of the latest scientific techniques to treat chronic pain, his goal is to provide effective pain management programs that delay or eliminate the need for invasive surgery. Conditions treated by Dr. Mehta include lower back and neck spine and associated leg pain, chronic postoperative pain, headaches, abdominal and pelvic pain, and degenerative joint disease.
Dr. Mehta’s practice at Pain Specialists of America focuses on a multi-disciplinary pain management approach based on each individual’s needs, integrating technologically advanced treatment modalities. His work as director of research for PSA’s ambulatory surgical centers plays a key role in the methodologies he uses to treat chronic pain, as he conducts cutting-edge research involving therapies to develop more effective treatment options for patients with chronic pain.
Dr. Mehta and his Minimally Invasive Spinal Therapy Team are “dedicated to partnering with our patients to eliminate or alleviate their pain, enhance their daily functionality and improve their physical and psychological well-being.” This advanced team offers advanced programs for headaches, PTSD, spine pain and much more.
“We help pain sufferers regain their quality of life as quickly as possible,” Dr. Mehta said, “using evidence-based, cutting-edge therapies. We start with a comprehensive evaluation to diagnose the cause of their pain,” he explained, and “then we create a personalized treatment plan designed to provide long-term relief.”
Among his many accolades, Dr. Mehta is considered a leader in neuromodulation – the process of actively stimulating nerves to produce a natural biological response to pain. Dr. Mehta treats patients referred from across Texas and the country. He is an active member of leading professional organizations, such as the North American Neuromodulation Society, International Neuromodulation Society and American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians.
“What I – and all the doctors at Pain Specialists of Austin and Central Texas Pain Center – want people to know is that they don’t have to live with debilitating pain. There are treatment options that are safe, sustainable, result in improved physical function and strength, enabling a much better quality of life. That’s why we’re here – to help reduce and, if possible, eliminate patients’ pain.”
Pain Specialists of Austin and Central Texas Pain Center is a network of 16 clinics and two surgery centers where medical practices provide multi-disciplinary pain management treatment options to their patients, under the administrative management of Pain Specialists of America. Pain Specialists of Austin and Central Texas Pain Center have provided Texans with high-quality, interventional pain management treatment options for over 20 years.
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.
March 25-31 will mark the sixth annual National Physicians Week, seven days of acknowledgment ending in Doctor’s Day, a celebration of physicians’ dedication, hard work, impact on lives, and sacrifices for the public good.
The weeklong holiday not only recognizes the work of medical professionals in the present, but also commemorates the longstanding history of physicians, a story 27,000 years in the making.
Historians tell us that the first known healers showed up in cave paintings in what is now France, with ancient drawings depicting individuals using plants for medicinal purposes and performing rudimentary medical procedures.
With the Enlightenment Period of the 17th Century came a surge in the natural sciences and a new knowledge of chemistry that disputed the premise that all things were made up of earth, air, fire, and water. By the 20th Century, past strides and exponential growth in medical knowledge, techniques and tools combined to empower the modern physician in ways once unthought-of and inspire the scientific community to reach even greater heights in the fight against infirmity, injury and disease.
A lot happened in between, of course. Still, the point is that there have always been people who chose to dedicate their time and effort to relieving the pain and improving the lives of others, using whatever tools and knowledge available. The healers of the past would be astonished by the resources available to their counterparts today, but likely not by their dedication to their profession and patients.
Perhaps this is why we love to imagine physicians as superheroes in white coats, without capes but with the same fervent drive to correct what is wrong. This humble recognition of the positive impact physicians make has only further increased since the start of 2020 and the emergence of the global pandemic.
National Physicians Week marks a special time to reflect on the stresses these everyday heroes undergo, the years spent in training, the student debts they may have accrued, the increasingly hectic world of the ever-changing modern healthcare system and other sacrifices and obstacles they have to overcome.
With that top of mind, we recognize our own team members, who show up each day with smiling faces, a deep enthusiasm for positively impacting patient’s lives, and unmatched skills every day in their chosen field of pain management. We appreciate all they’ve done to get to this point, what they do for our patients and the ways in which they work diligently to advance our practices.
We’re proud of our doctors, and we encourage our patients to give them a shout-out, as well. Whether it be giving a carnation, writing a thank you note, or perhaps giving them a great online review, we really appreciate all of the kind remarks.
Happy National Physicians Week and Doctors Day to all medical practitioners and the people they serve!
Thanks to daylight saving time (Mar. 14), you will likely miss out on some sleep this week; however, there’s never been a better time to start new habits – your body will thank you
At precisely 2 a.m. on Sunday, Mar. 14, a majority of Americans will transport forward in time, losing an hour of their beloved weekends and likely, 60 minutes of sleep. This isn’t science fiction, rather a century-old societal tradition we have come to know as daylight saving time, which occurs twice per year, seasonally each Fall and Spring.
While there’s much debate over whether daylight saving time still has a place in modern societies worldwide, there’s mounting evidence it may be significantly impacting our health. Because sleep is so essential, especially for those suffering from chronic and acute pain, our team of pain management experts is challenging patients to put extra preparation into daylight savings time this year.
In addition to springing forward clocks on Saturday night or Sunday morning, we are encouraging patients to take this time to examine their current sleep patterns and choose better habits – As part of Sleep Awareness Week (Mar. 14-20). Even small measures to improve sleep can dramatically improve overall health, mood and even reduce pain.
Circadian rhythms & the problem with change
Our bodies rely on an internal clock or circadian rhythm to regulate the function of cells and systems. This rhythm has variations from person to person but generally alerts us with a boost of energy in the morning, causes mid-day grogginess, and finally helps us fall asleep in the evenings. Beyond regulating alertness and energy levels, these circadian rhythms also influence hormone release, eating habits, digestion, body temperature and more.
With so many components of healthy body function connected to our circadian rhythm, even slight changes can wreak havoc. The desynchronization of our body clocks, which occurs twice a year due to daylight saving time or when we don’t get enough sleep, has been linked to increased health risks such as depression, obesity, heart attack, cancer, and even car accidents.
What is a good night’s rest? There’s no one-size solution
According to the Center for Disease Control, more than a third of adults in the U.S. don’t get enough sleep. As previously discussed, this negatively impacts our circadian rhythm and throws our bodies out of balance. Further, those who do not regularly get enough sleep can quickly become victims to sleep deprivation, a form of cognitive impairment that affects memory, motor skills and mood regulation. So, we need more rest, but how much?
The amount of sleep adults need varies but generally changes as you age. During infancy through the teen years, our bodies crave sleep, which powers development. As adults, we typically require seven or more hours per night. What is most important is that hours spent sleeping are good quality.
Goal Setting – Quality & quantity
With a target goal of getting approximately seven hours of sleep each night, how can we improve the quality of those hours? This isn’t simple. For those who live with the feeling of waking up tired after a full night of sleep, it can be frustrating or downright demoralizing. If experiencing this, it may be worthwhile to explore several factors:
Finally, consider tracking your sleep through your phone. There is an abundance of phone applications that can monitor habits, sleep quality and even remind you of bedtime hours.
Tips for those in pain
Research has shown a strong indication that sleep is an effective painkiller. However, those suffering from chronic pain are often unable to fall asleep, frequently awaken throughout the night, and generally do not enjoy a high-quality sleep. This compounds fatigue for pain sufferers and can contribute to the development of more severe long-term health conditions.
We’ve examined the importance of sleep, the amount needed each night and how to improve sleep quality; however, this means little unless those in pain can break the cycle of insomnia. For those living with chronic pain and looking to improve their sleep, there are a few things our experts recommend:
If you are experiencing sleep issues because of chronic or acute pain, we encourage you to seek professional medical guidance. Our team of dedicated pain relief specialists can help answer your questions and offer personalized care recommendations to help you rest and play without pain.
A creeping pain beginning in your lumbar or buttock area and running down the backs of your legs could mean problems with your sciatic nerve
With an estimated 40 percent of individuals experiencing lumbar radiculopathy at some point in their lives, it’s likely that you or someone you know has experienced or is experiencing this debilitating issue. Although familiar, many people still don’t fully understand what causes lumbar radiculopathy, how to identify it and the best ways to reduce its impact on our daily lives.
What is lumbar radiculopathy or sciatica and how do I know if I have it?
Lumbar radiculopathy, sometimes referred to as sciatica, is the irritation or inflammation of the sciatic nerve, which originates from the lower lumbar areas of our backs and branch out to the buttocks and backs of our legs. The sciatic nerve plays a vital role in controlling muscles and sensations in the lower body and is the longest and widest nerve in the human body.
Lumbar radiculopathy commonly occurs in people between the ages of 30 and 50 years. It is most often associated with a shooting or radiating sensation of pain beginning in the lower back and traveling down one leg or both. This is a crucial differentiator between sciatica and other kinds of pack pain, which often do not affect the legs. Often, patients with sciatica will describe the pain as dull, aching or even burning, with some also experiencing tingling and weakness.
Even if you are experiencing these symptoms, a doctor’s assessment is needed to diagnose the condition properly. Your doctor will typically evaluate your medical history and conduct a physical exam and may even request additional tests like x-rays, an MRI or a nerve conduction study to diagnose lumbar radiculopathy effectively.
What treatments are available?
Given proper rest, lumbar radiculopathy symptoms typically dissipate in a few days or weeks without the need for medical intervention. For those with persistent pain, there are several ways to relieve this and promote the healing process. They include:
What are the causes?
In most cases, lumbar radiculopathy is caused by:
lumbar radiculopathy or sciatica and Winter Weather
With Texas recently experiencing a blast of unprecedented winter weather, an increasing number of individuals may now be experiencing lumbar radiculopathy for the first time or dealing with worsening sciatic pain. It is commonly believed that lumbar radiculopathy is compounded by cold and although this may seem like an old wive’s tale, there’s evidence that this may be the case.
Cold weather and everyday activities required while living in cold environments can dramatically impact pain – including pain caused by sciatica. Reasons pain could increase during cold snaps include:
As discussed, rest and typical household pain remedies can effectively manage minor onset lumbar radiculopathy; however, for many medical interventions may be required. If you are experiencing debilitating sciatic pain, our pain management experts are available for patient consultations.
If you’re experiencing ongoing neck pain, it may be time to stop reaching for the aspirin and begin looking for an interventional solution.
Neck pain can run the gamut from the occasional discomfort of being bent over a computer to ongoing agony after a fall. In the middle are causes – some obvious, some mysterious – that must be uncovered before treatment can begin to alleviate or eliminate the pain. Among the most common culprits are:
In searching for the cause your neck pain, it’s important to completely and accurately share your accompanying symptoms with your physician. These can include achiness and stiffness; shooting pains; numbness; shoulder and arm pain; headache; dizziness; nausea; fever; vomiting; difficulty swallowing or breathing; and anything else that is new or aberrant.
Diagnosis also will include a deep dive into your health history and a physical exam. It may also be necessary to do an MRI and/or CT scan, X-rays and blood tests to get to the bottom of the problem.
Depending on the cause, the solution can be found in many courses of action and treatment, from physical therapy to medication to injections to nerve blocks and ablation. While seldom necessary, surgery also is an option when the patient isn’t getting sufficient relief with other treatments.
To get to that end, your primary physician may refer you to a pain management specialist, a clinician or group with experience in neck injuries and experience in treating the pain they produce. Or you may decide to make pain management your starting point – hopefully with us.
The fact is that persistent neck pain could be a signal for a serious underlying cause and early intervention often is key to addressing it. If you’re ready to take that first step into action, call us for a consultation.
We’re here to help.
The statistics on sufferers of chronic pain are staggering – and irrelevant if you’re the one with the pain.
The sad fact, though, is that many of these sufferers don’t have to suffer, yet they do, many because they just flat out don’t know what to do or how to go about it.
To help address this, this blog looks at our specialty – pain management – with emphasis on when to turn to a pain management specialist, hindrances to avoid in making the move and what to do when you get there.
Acknowledge the Impact
The National Institutes of Health defines chronic pain as lasting more than three months with an intensity that:
If any of those factors are impacting your life, it’s time to take charge of your pain management, consulting a specialist in the field. The sooner you make the move the better, and the closer you’ll be to improved quality of life.
Be Aware of Barriers
Perhaps the greatest barrier is the surrender that comes after other doctors have failed to discover a diagnosis that would lead to effective treatment. Others include:
None of these represent action to address your pain in a meaningful way, and the only one who can take action is you.
Consulting an Expert
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.
Here are a few things to remember when working with such a specialist.
As the field of medicine learns more about the complexities of pain, it has become more important to have physicians with specialized knowledge and skills to address it.
Now, more than ever, help is out there. We’re here if you need it.
Millions of Americans suffer from chronic pain. Many don’t have to. Are you one of them?
The truth is, people can become so used to being in pain that they accept it. They structure their lives around the discomfort or agony, which governs everything they do. They may have even sought some help in the beginning, but when “nothing worked,” they gave up trying. If this sounds all too familiar, take action now to make 2021 the year you took back control.
According to the National Institutes of Health, medical knowledge doubles every 73 days. That means constant introduction of new techniques and deeper insights into ailments and injuries, their causes and treatments. The science of understanding pain has benefited from this rapid advancement, resulting in the development of new therapies and multi-disciplinary approaches to pain management.
For instance, we recently wrote about the VERTIFLEX® implant for lumbar spinal stenosis, a 30-minute procedure with the potential to provide lifetime pain relief in the affected area of the back for many patients. As it was approved by the FDA just five years ago, it may not have been an option when sufferers last sought solutions.
At PSA, we treat both acute and chronic pain. Treatment plans may include minimally invasive procedures, joint injections, regenerative medicine and sometimes medication. Through an extended portfolio of resources, interventional therapies and advanced technologies, our experts at clinics across Central Texas customize targeted pain management solutions for speeding a patient’s return to a functional life.
Another example is Degenerative Disc Disease, which there are a number of treatment options for depending on its severity and naturally occurs with age. Treatments may include physical therapy, targeted interventional procedures, or more advanced spinal therapies. There are also more novel approaches, such as stem cell therapy.
The operative word here is “choice.”
This New Year, let us work with you to make the right choices to address your pain. From your head to your toes, from migraines to plantar fasciitis, our experienced and highly trained physicians and advanced practitioners will look at the condition – and you – to create an individualized roadmap to better days and greater health.
Call today for a free consultation, and from there, we will work together to get to back to life.