Pain Management
Common concerns:
- Osteoarthritis
- Tendonitis
- Chronic back pain
- Headache and migraine
- Fibromyalgia
There are many potential causes of long term pain. Common problems come from the joints (osteoarthritis), the tendons (tendonitis) or muscle spasm. In the back, bulging of the discs between segments of the spine can cause chronic back pain. Headaches can be due to muscle tension or due to migraines. There is also fibromyalgia which generally presents with long lasting general pain that is commonly linked with extreme exhaustion (chronic fatigue syndrome). These are complicated conditions that require time and patience for treatment to succeed.
Conventional Treatment
Analgesics and NSAIDs are often prescribed with degenerative or traumatic injuries. These can either be administered orally or through injection. When the injury or damage is significant, surgery or even joint replacement can be pursued. Currently, dependency and addiction to pain medications is a concern.
Naturopathic Treatment
Naturopathic doctors seek to find the root cause of the pain. Chronic pain can be developed from poor habits such as sustained improper sitting postures or heavy lifting. In these cases, patient education on correct posture or proper lifting is required.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine theory, pain is associated with stagnation. Acupuncture is helpful in moving Qi and blood to alleviate pain. Ultarsound and laser treatments are helpful in reducing inflammatiion and re-generating tissues.
Herbal based anti-inflammatories such as curcumin can be used to relieve inflammation. Herbal non-addictive supplements for natural pain relieve such as willow can be used to relieve pain. Nutritional supplements such as fish oil is effective in reducing inflammation and pain as well.
Hands-on Muscle Therapy using techniques such as Dry Needling, Cupping, Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization and Assisted Stretching all help to relax tight muscles and alleviates pain
Fibralmyalgia is associated with long-term chronic pain and fatigue. Nutritional supplements such as coenzyme Q-10 serves to improve mitochondrial function and energy. Counseling with respect to stress management is helpful to patients suffering from stress-related fibromyalgia.