Pain management options can make a difference

Chronic pain is defined as “pain lasting longer than expected.” Previously I thought of chronic pain as pain lasting longer than six weeks, however, more recently it has been defined as pain lasting longer than three, six, or even 12 months.

A European telephone study of 4,839 respondents across 15 countries revealed: 19 percent of respondents over 18 years of age had pain lasting more than 6 month, 66 percent of people had pain rated from five to seven on a scale of 10, and 34 percent had pain they rated from eight to 10 on a scale of 10, 46 percent had constant pain and 56 percent intermittent. In addition, 49 percent had pain lasting two to15 years and 21 percent had depression due to their chronic pain. Of those polled, 61 percent were unable to work outside the home, 19 percent had lost their jobs and 13 percent had changed jobs due to their chronic pain. In the United States, there are an estimated 116 million American who suffer from chronic pain — 30 percent of the US population. Of those, 34.3 percent of women and 26.7 percent of men are affected.

Chronic pain is highly associated with depression in part due to the fact that the neurotransmitters travel the same pathways. Sixty-five percent of depressed people also complain of pain. Chronic pain and depression may be undiagnosed. Depression may be associated with anxiety, confused thinking, fatigue, irritability, sleep disturbances, insomnia and weight loss or gain. Often there is a decrease in physical activity due to fear of exacerbating pain.

Patients with chronic pain often are reluctant to shift their expectations from full recovery to pain management. Pain management is meant to improve quality of life and is often accomplished via the combination of many different treatment modalities.

According to WebMD important factors to consider in your routine are: exercise to increase endorphins, meditation, elimination of alcohol which promotes shallow sleeping, elimination of smoking which decreases circulation and therefore the healing response and promotes degenerative disc disease, improving your diet, setting limits or “rest breaks” in your day, distracting yourself with activities you enjoy, correct understanding of your medications and a good support group.

We are blessed in Sandpoint to have so many skilled practitioners to help those with chronic pain. Dr. Ispirescu is board certified in pain management. We have many skilled physical and occupational therapists, chiropractors, acupuncturists, and massage therapists. Because every person responds differently to different modalities, trail and error is often needed.

Physical therapists may be helpful in the early stages to provide hands on treatment via joint and soft tissue mobilization or hands off via home program instruction. Patient education is a big part of what we do, often helping people determine their limitations and how to modify their lifestyle to prevent their pain from increasing.

Please feel free to contact Mary Boyd MS, PT owner of Mountain View Physical Therapy at 208-290-5575 with questions or search the web at www.SandpointWellnessCouncil.com or www.SandpointPhysicalTherapy.com.