More than 1 in 5 US adults live with chronic pain, and 8% of them classify their pain as high impact. This discomfort can affect every area of life, making it hard to work, perform household chores, or enjoy time with friends. You may even notice that pain persists when you sit or sleep, which is frustrating for many patients.
Left untreated, chronic pain can destroy your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Unfortunately, many people stop seeking treatment when pain persists for more than a few months. They lose hope and mistakenly think there's nothing they can do to feel better. As a result, their chronic pain may result in a long term disability. In this case they may seek professional help from a doctor and long term disability attorney. The social security disability claims should be processed with the assistance of an attorney as well as helping them to Apply for Disability Benefits.
Chronic Pain Is Hard to Manage
Unlike acute flare-ups that typically resolve within days or weeks, chronic pain persists for months. Doctors often diagnose patients with chronic pain after symptoms continue for more than 12 weeks, and some experience the same symptoms for years. Many patients visit us after medical professionals have claimed there is nothing they can do to help.
Sadly, this happens often, according to Contant Law, P.C.. When conventional medicine fails, many doctors give up on their patients or pass them off to equally unhelpful specialists. This often occurs when doctors don't understand the cause of chronic pain or how to treat it. Patients rack up high medical bills as they desperately seek ways to manage their symptoms.
This isn't fair to patients who desperately need relief, and sometimes it results in symptoms of anxiety or depression. We've even seen patients with post-traumatic stress disorder that stems from a chronic condition. Chronic pain can also make you less responsive to cancer treatment and other types of important medical care. As a result, your body fails to recover quickly, leaving you stuck with unwanted aches and pains for even longer.
A Chronic Pain Treatment Plan Requires Trial and Error
When your body hurts, one of your first thoughts might be, "When will I recover?" Unfortunately, doctors often have no answer for patients with chronic pain because they don't understand the source of their symptoms. By the time some patients make it to our office, they've tried dozens of treatments. We ask about other medical providers during our exams, and many patients can't even remember the names of all the doctors they've visited in the last month, let alone the last year.
Experimenting with numerous treatments can delay your recovery, resulting in a long-term disability that impacts your everyday life. At Northeast Spine and Sports Medicine, we realize you need answers. That's why we work hard to determine exactly why your body aches, whether you've got debilitating nerve pain or a stiff neck that just won't heal. A number of patients do well with interventional pain management, a multidisciplinary approach that addresses chronic pain.
Interventional Pain Management for Chronic Pain
When traditional medicine lets you down, head to our office for interventional pain management. Using minimally invasive techniques, our interventional pain management team has helped numerous patients reduce their chronic pain. Each patient is unique — so the treatment plans we develop are unique, too.
Here are some techniques our team might recommend if you visit us with chronic pain:
- Facet joint injections
- Nerve blocks
- Epidural injections
- Discography
- Spinal cord stimulation
We may also use other approaches, such as chiropractic care, cold laser therapy, or physical therapy, during your visits. The treatment you receive depends on the severity of your symptoms and which techniques you've already tried.
You might be wondering if you're a good candidate for interventional pain management. The answer is likely yes if you suffer from chronic pain, especially if you've already tried multiple treatments with no results. This is true even if you've had surgeries or had pain pumps implanted. Reach out to us if your current treatment plan isn't addressing your symptoms as well as it could.
Disabilities Associated With Chronic Pain
Chronic pain can trigger or worsen the symptoms associated with a long-term disability. This is true no matter how the pain first developed. Some people mistakenly believe that genuine chronic pain only occurs after a serious injury, such as an automobile accident or major fall. They feel as if their symptoms must be in their head because they can't recall a major injury or event that caused their symptoms.
We're here to let you know that anyone can develop chronic pain, whether you're a busy parent or an energetic high school student. If you have pain that persists after a few months, you have chronic pain. The cause may stem from a major injury, but you may have also damaged your body during an everyday activity. This is especially true if you have underlying medical conditions that have not been diagnosed or treated properly.
Here are some conditions and symptoms associated with chronic pain:
- Sciatica
- Neuralgia
- Musculoskeletal disorders
- Arthritis
- Migraine and other headaches
- Nerve damage or compression
- Fibromyalgia
- Low back pain
- Mid back pain
- Neck pain
- Concussion
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Depression
- Anxiety
Nearly any symptom can lead to chronic pain, so don't be surprised if yours isn't listed above. Chronic pain occurs when you don't get the relief you need in a timely manner, regardless of the severity of your condition. As your symptoms persist, it becomes more difficult to perform everyday tasks, such as cleaning, driving, or attending social events.
What Else Should I Know About Chronic Pain?
Chronic pain can impact anyone, even if you're otherwise healthy. You can develop chronic pain at any age, from childhood to your golden years. Pain may last for weeks, months, or even a lifetime if you don't find a treatment plan that works for you. Your pain can also trigger secondary conditions, such as depression and anxiety, when symptoms don't resolve.
We understand the frustration of dealing with chronic pain, and many patients confess they feel hopeless by the time they make it to our office for an initial consultation. This isn't surprising, as doctors often dismiss long-term symptoms and convince patients the pain is all in their heads. To make matters worse, this makes it difficult to get approved for disability benefits, as approval is often based on your doctors' notes.
We believe that your pain is real, and we want to help you get better. We understand it may take time, but we don't want you to wait long. That's why we often use diagnostic tools that explore your nerves and discs so we can get quick answers. Surprisingly, many of our new patients have only undergone X-rays or CT scans prior to visiting our office. That's why medical providers have overlooked the true cause of their symptoms.
We're Here to Help
Don't let chronic pain evolve into a debilitating issue with no signs of improvement. You deserve a fulfilling life where you can do the things you love, whether that means hiking through the woods or meeting your friends for brunch. Give us a call or reach out via our convenient online form so we can learn more about your unique symptoms. At Northeast Spine and Sports Medicine, we have therapeutic solutions for an assortment of ailments. We're here to help you feel better, whether you're living with never-ending back pain or need help managing migraines.
