Managing Rheumatoid Arthritis Flares- Strategies for Relief and Prevention
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a condition marked by chronic pain and challenges. It can make everyday activities such as walking or picking up objects significantly more difficult. Additionally, it involves an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and depression. When pain and other symptoms increase or become more frequent, you may be experiencing an RA flare-up. RA flare-ups can even occur during day-to-day activities like getting out of bed or holding a cup, resulting in more joint pain than usual. When you avoid managing RA flare-ups, they can cause further damage to your joints, cause other problems in your body, and
Pain Treatment Guide: What Activities Should Be Avoided With Fibromyalgia?
Do you ever find yourself struggling with ongoing fatigue, muscle pain, or difficulty concentrating? Fibromyalgia might be the culprit, and it's more common than you might think. This chronic pain condition causes widespread pain in muscles and joints. It often comes with fatigue, sleep issues, trouble concentrating (called "fibro fog"), and mood changes. The exact cause isn't fully understood, but it’s centered around the way the brain processes pain and changes in certain brain chemicals. Some people also experience headaches, irritable bowel symptoms, and tingling sensations. Certain activities can worsen fibromyalgia pain and symptoms. Intense exercise without warm-up leads to muscle fatigue and
Why You Shouldn’t Give Up Hope After Failed Back Surgery
Back surgery is the most common treatment for chronic pain that has failed to respond to other treatments. However, surgeries may not always give the desired results due to factors like individual variations or underlying complexities. Patients might experience a failed back surgery when the procedure doesn't lead to the expected relief or improvement in symptoms. This can be discouraging, but you should stay hopeful and explore alternative paths for healing and pain management. Talking to pain care specialists to learn more about other treatment options can help in finding the relief you deserve. Advanced Pain Care can provide relief when
What Conditions Can A Spinal Cord Stimulator Treat?
Living with persistent pain can be a steady battle, creating hurdles and distress that are difficult to ignore. Chronic pain affects millions, often interfering with daily life and making even simple tasks hard to manage. However, advancements in therapeutic innovation, like spinal cord stimulators (SCS), offer hope for managing this pain and bringing effective relief. These tiny devices are put beneath the skin to send gentle electric signals to the spinal cord. These signals disrupt pain messages before they reach the brain, relieving many patients of chronic pain. If you’re seeking relief from chronic pain, consult the spine doctors at Advanced
Lingering Post-Surgical Pain: Is It All In Your Head?
Post-surgical pain implies pain that persists over 3 to 6 months after you've undergone a surgical procedure. Essentially, it is due to a surgery-induced injury to a major nerve. It is characterized by discomfort and pain that may be constant or intermittent and can last for days, weeks, or even months after surgery. Over 45 million surgical processes are performed in the United States every year(1). Pain management after surgery is important to prevent negative effects (2), such as difficulty performing daily tasks, lower quality of life, and higher medical costs. Moreover, poorly managed pain can disrupt sleep and impact mental
When Should You See a Pain Management Specialist?
Have you ever experienced a sharp pain in your neck or back while doing everyday tasks like grocery shopping? Well, you’re not alone. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that 20.5% of U.S. adults experience consistent pain frequently or almost every day (1). This pain is usually felt in the back, hip, or foot. Most people find it hard to decide if they need to see a professional. Pain can affect daily life in many ways. Seeking treatment can alleviate chronic pain and reduce psychological and social stressors. A pain management specialist is a doctor who finds and treats
The Role of Neurosurgery in Treating Chronic Pain
Chronic pain is a widespread and challenging condition that impacts millions of people across the globe. It’s persistent pain that can be challenging to manage and treat, often interfering with daily activities, work, and overall quality of life. However, advancements in medical science have opened up new avenues for effective chronic pain management, one of which is neurosurgery. If medication and physical therapy don’t work, neurosurgery can directly address the pain. Procedures like spinal cord stimulation and decompression surgery can relieve chronic pain and improve movement. If you want to consult a neurosurgeon in Austin, TX, visit Advanced Pain Care. Our specialists
What Are Positive Coping Strategies for Chronic Pain?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 50 million adults in the United States experience chronic pain(1). This kind of pain can have a life-changing impact on people. Over time, the pain can take away the enjoyment of everyday activities, from work to family life. Experiencing chronic pain can be depressing. It can interfere with relationships, and can make sufferers angry or withdrawn. However, there are several coping strategies to help you manage your pain. Numerous studies(2) have revealed that chronic pain is heavily influenced by how our brain processes pain signals. The brain can also learn
How Effective is Spinal Cord Stimulation for Chronic Pain?
Everyone experiences occasional pain due to several factors, such as occupation, inappropriate postures, injuries, etc. However, when that pain affects our ability to function or grows more severe, it's time to consult a pain management doctor. Pain lasting for months or even years is termed chronic pain. Sometimes, it does not subside even after multiple treatment approaches. When all non-surgical treatments have been exhausted, pain specialists recommend a special nerve stimulation therapy known as spinal cord stimulation or neurostimulation. A spinal cord stimulator uses electrical pulses to disguise pain signals before they reach the brain, making it an effective solution for