Pain, especially chronic pain, with which many patients simply had to "live". In recent years, researchers have learned much about pain and its physiological and psychological basis, leading to pain treatment center that can provide complete or partial pain relief. Untreated pain can interfere with the healing process by affecting the immune system and leading to other undesirable consequences.

In this blog, we will see what pain management is and what Role of the Pain Management Specialist? But before that let’s know what the basic types of pain are?

What are the basic types of pain?

Neuropathic pain:

The cause of this pain is damage or disease affecting the nervous system. Sometimes there is no obvious source of pain, and the pain may occur spontaneously. Prominent examples of this pain are shingles and diabetic peripheral neuropathy. This pain can occur after a nerve has been cut or after a stroke.

Other examples of neuropathic pain-

Fibromyalgia

Irritable bowel syndrome

Sympathetically maintained pain

Complex regional pain syndrome

Nociceptive pain:

Examples of this pain are a cut or broken bone. This pain initiates tissue damage or injury signals that travel through the spinal cord to the brain via peripheral nerves. Back, leg and arm pain are nociceptive pain. There are two types of nociceptive pain, radicular or somatic.

Ridiculer pain:  this pain occurs as a result of irritation of the nerve roots. It travels down the leg or arm in the distribution of a nerve originating from the nerve root in the spinal cord.

Somatic pain: This pain is confined to the back or thighs. The problem facing doctors and patients with back pain is when a patient goes to the pain management doctor and has a proper history, a physical exam, and appropriate imaging studies (for example, X-rays). , MRI or CT scan), the cause of most back pain is not identified and is classified as idiopathic.

Fluoroscopically (X-ray) guided injections can help determine where the pain is coming from. Once pain is properly diagnosed, it can be better treated by a pain specialist.

Pain management-

Management of either type of pain can be simple or complex, depending on the cause. Sometimes the pain is complicated, it will be irritation of the nerve root from the herniated disc, with pain radiating down the leg. This condition can often be alleviated with an epidural steroid injection and physical therapy.

Sometimes the pain remains unresolved, which may require a variety of skills and techniques such as Medication management, psychological counseling and support, physical therapy or chiropractic therapy, and acupuncture.

Role of Pain Management Specialist-

Pain management specialists are concerned about the patient's ability and quality of work. When the pain is complicated by other medical conditions, the patient's primary care doctor may refer the patient to a pain specialist. Physiotherapists are medical doctors who specialize in physical therapy and rehabilitation. Some physical therapists have advanced training in interventional pain management (IPM). IPM is an area of ​​medicine devoted to the diagnosis and treatment of pain disorders.

In a pain center, A pain management specialist develops a treatment plan to relieve, reduce or manage pain. Helps patients quickly return to everyday activities without heavy reliance on surgery or medication. The physician coordinates care through an interdisciplinary team of health professionals to ensure that all of the patient's needs are met.  

Diagnose the cause of back pain-

In a pain treatment clinic, the doctor understands the cause of the pain before treating the pain of the patient. The cause of pain in spinal fractures is well understood but in cases of chronic pain, the causes can be elusive and make diagnosis difficult. The doctor then relies on the patient's medical history, physical and neurological examinations.

Physical and neurological examination-

A physical exam assesses the patient's vital signs such as pulse, respiration, heart rate, and blood pressure. A neurological exam evaluates the patient's sensory (feeling) and function abilities which include reflexes, balance, ability to walk, muscle strength, and muscle tone.

Intensive Patient Evaluation-

the physician and the patient are deeply aware of the current problem and medical history of the patient. The doctor may ask for details of the pain, when and how the pain started, activities that increase or decrease the pain, and current or past treatments.

Patients should note that there are many types of pain management programs to explore. The process can be confusing or frustrating at times, but the important thing is to work proactively with your health professionals and not give up if one initially finds unsatisfactory results.

 Article source:- https://backandpainclinic.blogspot.com/2021/08/what-is-pain-managem...