At some point, everyone has experienced pain. Pain can be mild and uncomfortable or debilitating and excruciating. In most cases, pain is a signal to the body that something is wrong.
Pain is classified into two primary categories: acute pain or chronic pain. Keep reading to learn more about each pain type.
Acute Pain
Acute pain usually comes on suddenly, has a known, specific cause, and lasts less than six months. This type of pain is more severe in the beginning and feels better as the underlying injury or cause resolves. Common causes of acute pain include:
- Broken bones
- Cuts, scrapes or abrasions
- Burns
- Dental work
- Surgery
- Labor and childbirth
- Soft tissue sprains, strains and tears
One common misconception is that acute pain is mild, momentary or temporary. In some cases, that’s true — stubbing your toe or bumping your head probably only causes pain for a few minutes. However, acute pain can last for weeks or months and be very intense. Although acute pain does resolve, it can impact your ability to participate in activities, distract you from work, and cause difficulty sleeping.
Treatment for Acute Pain
Treatment plans for acute pain focus on treating the underlying injury, illness or condition. Common treatment methods include:
- R.I.C.E. Soft tissue sprains, strains and injuries typically heal on their own with rest, ice, compression and elevation.
- Over-the-counter pain medications. Over-the-counter pain medications can help relieve mild pain from cuts, scrapes, abrasions, dental work and soft tissue injuries.
- Prescription pain medications. Prescription medications may be prescribed to relieve pain from a traumatic injury or surgery.
- Physical therapy. Physical therapy can aid recovery and rehabilitation following a surgery or soft tissue sprain, strain or tear.
- Surgery. Some injuries — like fractures or severe ligament tears — require surgery to repair.
Your doctor will create a personalized treatment plan based on the cause of your pain and its severity. Acute pain typically responds very well to treatment.
Chronic Pain
Chronic pain is ongoing, lasts longer than six months, and may not have an identifiable, treatable cause. In some cases, chronic pain begins as acute pain but continues for months or years after an injury or illness has resolved. In some cases, pain is caused by an underlying, long-term medical condition. And in some cases, chronic pain develops without an identifiable cause or injury. Chronic pain is considered a disease state — pain has moved past the point of being a symptom and becomes the disease itself.
Chronic pain is incredibly complex and difficult to diagnose and treat. Everyone experiences and responds to pain differently, so a treatment that helps one person may not work for another person. Common causes of chronic pain include:
- Headaches
- Arthritis
- Neuropathy
- Diabetes
- Back pain/low back pain
- Fibromyalgia
- Cancer
Living with chronic pain takes a physical, mental and emotional toll on the body. Many people with chronic pain experience fatigue, muscle tension, appetite changes, loss of mobility, difficulty sleeping and low energy. Many people also develop depression, anxiety, and feelings of anger, hopelessness, helplessness or social isolation.
Pain Management for Chronic Pain
Treatment plans for chronic pain shift the focus to reducing pain and symptoms, improving functional mobility and increasing your day-to-day quality of life. Pain Management plans usually take a comprehensive approach and include a mix of medicinal, therapeutic and holistic treatments. Common treatment methods include:
- Medications. Prescription painkillers, antidepressants, anticonvulsants and muscle relaxants are commonly prescribed for chronic pain conditions.
- Therapies. Physical therapy can help you reduce pain and improve muscle strength, endurance, flexibility and range of motion. Occupational therapy can help you find lifestyle adjustments that make daily tasks easier and less fatiguing.
- Interventional procedures. Interventional procedures like spinal cord stimulation, intrathecal pumps, nerve ablation, nerve block and steroid injections are commonly prescribed to treat various types of chronic pain.
- Complementary therapies. Complementary or alternative therapies like yoga, meditation, deep breathing exercises, acupuncture, massage therapy, chiropractic care and biofeedback might be able to help you find pain relief, relaxation, and stress reduction.
- Counseling. Speaking with a licensed counselor can help you find healthy ways to cope with your pain and the limitations it causes. Counseling can also be beneficial if you’re struggling with depression, anxiety, anger, or loneliness as a result of your pain.
- Diet and exercise. Eating a healthy, balanced diet and engaging in regular exercise can help preserve strength, boost your mood and feel better.
- Surgery. In some cases, surgical procedures may help reduce your pain and symptoms. Your doctor will let you know if surgery is an option for you.
Your doctor will work with you to find the right balance of medications and treatments that helps you manage long-term pain. You may find that finding the right treatment plan is a matter of trial-and-error and multiple adjustments along the way.
Scrambler Therapy Is an Alternative Treatment Option
Scrambler therapy is a safe and effective alternative therapy for chronic pain conditions, including low back pain, neuropathic pain, cancer pain, headaches, fibromyalgia, and many others. It’s non-invasive, non-drug, non-surgical and has no reported side effects.
Scrambler therapy uses electrostimulation to change the way the brain processes pain signals. During the treatment session, an FDA-cleared device sends rapidly changing, non-pain electrical impulses down the nerve fibers currently transmitting pain signals. After several sessions, the brain begins to accept and process the non-pain signals as the correct information, overriding the pain signals. The human brain is neuroplastic, meaning it can adapt and create new pathways based on new information.
Contact Radiant Pain Relief Centres to Learn More About Scrambler Therapy
At Radiant Pain Relief Centres, we’ve helped hundreds of patients find long-lasting, durable pain relief from scrambler therapy. Our clinic exclusively uses scrambler therapy for the treatment of chronic pain conditions. On average, our patients experience an 84% reduction in pain, and more than 90% of our patients conclude therapy with a pain score of zero or near zero.
We have a start-to-finish comprehensive care model, payment plans and financing options that make scrambler therapy accessible and affordable for everyone with chronic pain. We offer a free evaluation and free scrambler therapy session so that you can make an informed decision on whether or not this treatment is right for you before you invest.
Regain your former quality of life. Please call us today or submit a contact form for more information.