Back Clinic Fibromyalgia Team. Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a disorder and syndrome that causes widespread musculoskeletal pain in the joints, muscles, tendons, and other soft tissues throughout the body. It is often combined with other symptoms like temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ/TMD), irritable bowel syndrome, fatigue, depression, anxiety, cognitive issues, and sleep interruption. This painful and mysterious condition affects around three to five percent of the American population, predominantly women.
Diagnosis of FMS can be difficult, as there is no specific lab test to determine if the patient has the disorder. Current guidelines state that a diagnosis can be made if a person has widespread pain for more than three months, with no underlying medical condition. Dr. Jimenez discusses advances in the treatment and management of this painful disorder.
Physical therapy often takes a hands-on approach, which might make you cringe if you’re experiencing pain from several hypersensitive tender points. However, in managing your fibromyalgia symptoms, gentle and effective are used by physical therapy, and will most likely play a part in the recovery process.
Can physical therapy help ease fibromyalgia?
There are a variety of physical therapy techniques. Passive treatments include hydrotherapy, heat therapy, deep tissue massage, electrical muscle stimulation, and ultrasound and relax the body. Your physical therapy program will often start with passive treatments. When you feel ready, you will begin active treatments that protect against fibromyalgia pain and strengthen your body. Your physical therapist may work with you to develop a suitable strategy.
Passive Physical Therapy Treatments for Fibromyalgia
Deep Tissue Massage: Unless you’re in an extreme amount of pain, deep tissue massage is an ideal fibromyalgia treatment because it uses a good deal of pressure to ease deep muscle tension and spasms. Spasms prevent muscle motion in the affected level, which is just one reason people with fibromyalgia experience a diminished range of movement. Physical therapy techniques, including deep tissue massage, can assist you to use your muscles more efficiently. This treatment could be combined with cold or heat remedies to improve the benefits.
Heat Therapy: Heat treatment is one of the most preferred methods of reducing chronic aches and pains associated with fibromyalgia. The body’s natural recovery process is triggered by heat by relaxing your muscles and speeding up blood flow. Extra oxygen is delivered by extra blood and nutrients. Blood removes waste byproducts from muscle spasms.
Heat may not fully eliminate the origin of your pain, but it could effectively lower your pain. This treatment is used in a couple of ways–via dry heat (a heating system or a sterile, warm towel) or moist heat (steam heating or some moist, warm fabric).
When utilizing heat treatment on your own after physical treatment ends, never overheat painful areas. If you are using a heating pad, set it. It is not overly hot, when using a towel that is hot, touch it to make sure. Heat potentially cause burns but also may not only exacerbate your fibromyalgia pain.
Hydrotherapy: As the name suggests, hydrotherapy involves water. As a treatment, hydrotherapy may involve sitting at a bath to ease pain, relax muscles, without adding strain, and condition your body.
Electric Muscle Stimulation: It isn’t debilitating, although electric muscle stimulation seems intense. This technique reduces muscle spasms and is generally believed to trigger the release of endorphins, which can be your body’s natural pain killers.
Ultrasound: This treatment utilizes sound waves to create a gentle heat that increases blood circulation to your deep tissues. Ultrasound helps decrease pain, inflammation, stiffness, and muscle spasms and is successful in relieving variety of motion limitations to people with inflammatory problems.
Active Physical Therapy Treatments for Fibromyalgia
Active treatments help address core stability, flexibility, strength, and joint motion. An exercise program may also be prescribed to attain outcomes. This will not curb recurrent pain but will benefit your general health. Your physical therapist will work with you to develop a schedule based on your particular symptoms and wellness.
Active treatments include:
Core stability: Your core (abdominal) muscles have a greater impact on your general health than you could think. In supporting your spine strong core muscles serve as great allies to your back muscles. It’s called the core since it is the powerhouse of your body. Naturally, your body is provided by a core with a stable centre stage.
Muscle flexibility and strengthening: Your variety of motion will probably be restricted if you’re experiencing fibromyalgia pain. Utilizing customized strengthening and stretching exercises, your physical therapist can help you strengthen and lengthen your muscles, and improve joint movement. Pain is better handled by strong muscles.
Hydrotherapy: Water-based exercises may be recommended to present gentle aerobic conditioning.
Your physician will teach you self-care principles so you recognize how to best treat your fibromyalgia symptoms. The ultimate goal is for you to develop the knowledge to help control your symptoms.
It’s essential that you understand the exercises and continue them after the proper therapy ends. You won’t like results if you fail to continue with a fitness regimen. You can reduce additional fibromyalgia pain, by caring for your body on your own.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .�
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
Additional Topics: Wellness
Overall health and wellness are essential towards maintaining the proper mental and physical balance in the body. From eating a balanced nutrition as well as exercising and participating in physical activities, to sleeping a healthy amount of time on a regular basis, following the best health and wellness tips can ultimately help maintain overall well-being. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can go a long way towards helping people become healthy.
Fibromyalgia is a mysterious disorder that has been misunderstood for many years, however, there are lots of treatment options available to relieve its symptoms. When it comes to fibromyalgia, exercise can be beneficial to relieve it.
How does exercise help fibromyalgia?
Exercise will be an essential part of fibromyalgia therapy, although your chronic pain and fatigue may make exercising seem excruciating. Physical activity reduces symptoms such as fatigue, depression, and can even help you sleep better. Exercise can be a fundamental part of managing your symptoms.
Exercise for Fibromyalgia
Getting regular physical activity 30 minutes per day, helps reduce perceptions of pain in people with fibromyalgia, according to a 2010 study published in Arthritis Research & Therapy. The signs of fibromyalgia may make exercising a challenge, although exercise is a commonly prescribed treatment for chronic pain.
During a research study, the research team separated 84 minimally active patients (though just 73 finished the trial) into 2 classes. The first group had to perform thirty minutes of Lifestyle Physical Activity (LPA) 5 to 7 days a week. LPA is activity that is moderately intense. In other words, your breathing rate should be increased by it, while you’re doing it but you need to still be comfortable carrying a conversation.
Another group received information about fibromyalgia and attended support groups.
The researchers found that the patients who had routine physical activity increased their average daily steps by over 50 percent. Also, the active patients reported less pain. Although the LPA group underwent physical function and decreased pain perceptions, the researchers observed no difference in tiredness, depression, or body mass index with all the patients in the support group.
Pain can be experienced by individuals with fibromyalgia and that may eliminate any motivation to exercise. But what this study shows is that 30 minutes per day of moderate activity may really make a difference in the way pain is perceived by you. You do not have to operate on a treadmill for 30 minutes or engage in heavy quantities of exercise to attain these results, the researchers state. You could engage in gardening or have a walk, if that’s what you enjoy. Little adjustments, like taking the stairs rather than the elevator, might make a huge difference.
Fibromyalgia and exercise might seem like an odd pair. It’s simple to find out why you might not wish to spend hours in the gym when you have widespread chronic pain. Only the thought of exercise may conjure up some pretty intense imagery (ie, daunting treadmills and chilly, heavy barbells). However, any way you look at it, exercise is a vital part of managing your fibromyalgia symptoms. Some special benefits for fibromyalgia victims are:
It strengthens your muscles. Muscles which are flexible, lean, and robust combat stress. Strong muscles support your body and bones better, which help support and movement.
Energy is increased by it. People with fibromyalgia often experience debilitating fatigue, and physical activity can help enhance energy and endurance levels.
It promotes a relaxed sleep. Research shows that exercise will help you fall asleep and stay asleep longer. Sleep disorders are a common fibromyalgia symptom–just one which exacerbates the widespread pain of the disorder. Better sleep can mean less pain.
It’s good for your mental health. Exercise reduces stress, nervousness, and depression–all frequent symptoms associated with fibromyalgia.
It keeps the weight off. The more weight you carry, the more stress it puts on the body, causing pain. Exercise, along with a balanced diet, will help you maintain or reach a healthful weight.
Where to Start: Exercising with Fibromyalgia
The first step is using a sensible look in the exercise. You don’t need to spend hours in the gym, along with your work outs shouldn’t be boot camp sessions. You can improve your fitness, and thereby strengthen your back to fight your own fibromyalgia pain, together with some stretches, strength exercises, and aerobic that don’t need time.
It is important to understand that development is important to the achievement of any fitness regimen. Don’t leap without first sparking a stretching and aerobic exercise system. If you do not start slow, then you may end up causing more damage than good.
What Exercise Can Do
Promote flexibility and begin by engaging in a stretching program to lengthen tight muscles. Your physician may recommend including in types like walking or swimming.
Supplement your cardiovascular routine or you may want to enlist in an aerobics class, when you feel comfortable. Pilates and yoga could be strength training options that are great, as they utilize your own body weight.
It is important to stress a graded approach to exercise. In training and in research it has been shown that both fatigue and pain improves; however, extreme exercise make them worse. Patients should be cautioned to begin off very slowly. This might be a small as a minute or 2 at a time initially. Many individuals are too competitive in the start and exercise . These patients give up on exercise as a treatment choice and require an approach. The message has to be that a little exercise will make you too much and better can make you worse. The amount of exercise at is the goal.
Talk with your doctor about what exercises will fit you. You’ll need to take physical fitness tests for your pain and you will want to tell your doctor what activities you like to increase to stick with the program. You’ll develop an exercise regimen that can help you provide you a better quality of life and manage your fibromyalgia symptoms.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
Additional Topics: Wellness
Overall health and wellness are essential towards maintaining the proper mental and physical balance in the body. From eating a balanced nutrition as well as exercising and participating in physical activities, to sleeping a healthy amount of time on a regular basis, following the best health and wellness tips can ultimately help maintain overall well-being. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can go a long way towards helping people become healthy.
We do not know what causes fibromyalgia, but today, as a result of a fibromyalgia study, we’ve got a clue. Fibromyalgia may be related to an abnormal blood flow in specific regions of the brain.
How is fibromyalgia associated with circulation in the brain?
Dr. Eric Guedj of the Centre Hospitalier-Universitaire de la Timone in Marseille, France, has been the lead researcher in a research examining blood perfusion (abnormal blood circulation) as a possible fibromyalgia cause.
Fibromyalgia Study Results
Past imaging studies of patients with fibromyalgia have shown above normal cerebral blood flow (brain perfusion) in some areas of the brain and below normal at other locations,” explains Dr. Guedj in a press release about the research.
“After performing whole brain scans around the participants, we used a statistical analysis to examine the relationship between practical activity in even the smallest area of the brain and various parameters associated with pain, disability, as well as anxiety and depression.”
Dr. Guedj’s team analyzed 30 women, 20 with fibromyalgia and 10 with no symptoms. The women answered various questionnaires used in the research field to quantify such things as pain levels and how badly fibromyalgia limits patients’ lives. Then the girls underwent single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), a special type of brain scan. With analyzing their brain scans, the researchers examined the women’s answers in combination.
What Did They Find in the Fibromyalgia Study?
Dr. Guedj’s group verified that women with fibromyalgia have abnormal blood flow in two areas of the brain:
They have too much blood circulation (called hyperperfusion) at the area of the brain that’s supposed to interpret the intensity of pain.
They have too little blood circulation (known as hypoperfusion) in the region of the brain that is involved in the psychological response to pain.
Additionally, Dr. Guedj’s team found that when a participant’s fibromyalgia symptoms were acute (as noticed by the research), then the level of blood perfusion was acute. To put it differently, the severity of the syndrome correlates with the intensity of blood circulation.
The group didn’t find a correlation between blood perfusion and the participants’ levels of depression or anxiety. That’s important to notice because previously, it’s been indicated that fibromyalgia pain is connected to depression: fibromyalgia patients experience widespread pain in part because of depression or nervousness.
What Exactly Does This Mean for Fibromyalgia Sufferers?
Dr. Guedj sums it up nicely in a media release: “This research shows that these patients exhibit modifications of brain perfusion not seen in healthy subjects and reinforces the idea that fibromyalgia is a ‘actual disease/disorder’.”
Quite simply, this study could help move fibromyalgia from syndrome to disease status since it has found a potential reason for fibromyalgia symptoms. Because there isn’t one cause of it fibromyalgia is known as a syndrome rather than a disease. Rather, there are signs and symptoms which point to a fibromyalgia diagnosis: for example, widespread pain, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, and headaches. The analysis could help the medical community better understand fibromyalgia and how to effectively treat it.
Fibromyalgia is a complex condition affecting 3 million to 7 million Americans–many of these girls (hence why only women were utilized in the study). At the moment, there is healthcare professionals which have to diagnose it by eliminating other possible diseases/syndromes and by paying careful attention. This SPECT study could result in a way to confirm a fibromyalgia diagnosis.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
Additional Topics: Wellness
Overall health and wellness are essential towards maintaining the proper mental and physical balance in the body. From eating a balanced nutrition as well as exercising and participating in physical activities, to sleeping a healthy amount of time on a regular basis, following the best health and wellness tips can ultimately help maintain overall well-being. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can go a long way towards helping people become healthy.
Fibromyalgia is a painful, chronic condition, which unfortunately healthcare professionals know little about. Because doctors have yet to determine the exact cause behind fibromyalgia, it can be a big challenge to treat, however, healthcare specialists experienced in chronic pain have gathered some evidence behind its possible causes.
What causes fibromyalgia?
Research studies have reported that women are also more likely to suffer from fibromyalgia. A fact that, unsurprisingly, has no known explanation to this day. There is evidence on what may cause fibromyalgia, but the results are varied. Findings include:
The chronic pain associated with fibromyalgia may be due to abnormalities in the endocrine system and autonomic nervous system. Some researchers feel that changes in the autonomic nervous system (which is triggered whenever you’re stressed) and endocrine system (which releases hormones in response to stress) induces the widespread chronic pain associated with fibromyalgia. An autonomic nervous system that is over-active induces excessive hormones that sensitize pain receptors, causing pain and tenderness.
Fibromyalgia may be linked to physical or emotional trauma via post-traumatic anxiety disorder.
Genetics may play a role because fibromyalgia seems to run in families.
Viral or bacterial infections may cause the condition. Hepatitis C, the HIV virus and Lyme disease have been correlated with fibromyalgia and some evidence suggests the disease may be also caused by vaccinations.
Muscle tissue abnormalities might be to blame. Muscle abnormalities may be structural, metabolic, or functional. Muscle abnormalities may be brought on by disturbances in the endocrine system from repairing, in that diminished growth hormone levels that may prevent muscle tissue.
Some research suggests that the musculoskeletal pain of fibromyalgia may be caused by central sensitization. When the nervous system becomes sensitized, which increases the amount of pain, central sensitization occurs.
It might be linked to abnormal blood flow. A November 2008 study ascertained that fibromyalgia may be linked to blood circulation in two areas of the brain. A study found that women with fibromyalgia have blood flow in the area. Conversely, they have too little blood circulation in the area of the brain that’s involved in pain response. The researchers also found that the more severe the symptoms, the more acute the blood circulation.
Like most ailments, it’s quite possible that fibromyalgia does not simply have one trigger; rather, many factors may impact your likelihood of developing the problem. The study may yield conclusions that are separate, but it’s currently giving the medical community a better comprehension of fibromyalgia. Subsequently, it is going to help create treatments.
Fibromyalgia Diagnostic Process: What Could Occur
It’s extremely tricky to diagnose fibromyalgia. There isn’t one test that a physician can use as a way to definitively say, “Yes, you still have fibromyalgia.” Because there are several conditions that have similar symptoms, including chronic fatigue syndrome, arthritis, and lupus, diagnosing fibromyalgia is more a process of elimination.
It could take a while between when you notice symptoms and if you are diagnosed with fibromyalgia, and that may be frustrating. Try to remain patient and remember that your doctor is working to obtain the reason for your pain and symptoms. Making the perfect diagnosis makes treatment much more successful.
Medical History: Your physician will have a full medical history, asking you about any other conditions you have and what runs in your family.
Share Your Symptoms: You will also have to detail your symptoms: where it hurts, how it hurts, and just how long it hurts. Diagnosing fibromyalgia is dependent upon your report of these symptoms, so it’s best to be as specific and accurate as you can. You may choose to keep a pain diary (a record of all of your symptoms) so that it’s a lot easier to share info with your physician through the consultation.
Because fibromyalgia has many potential symptoms and co-existing conditions, attempt to be a thorough as possible when speaking about what you have been experiencing. Tell your doctor if you have been having trouble sleeping, should you are feeling tired a lot of the moment, if you have had any headaches, etc..
Physical Evaluation: The doctor can also palpate (so he is going to apply light pressure with the hands) that the 18 tender points.
Other Potential Tests
As mentioned above, the symptoms of fibromyalgia can be extremely similar to other conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, hypothyroidism, and ankylosing spondylitis. Your physician will want to rule out any conditions, so he or she may order tests. Remember, these tests are not to diagnose fibromyalgia; they are to eliminate any other possible conditions.
The Physician may order:
Anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) test: Anti-nuclear Compounds are abnormal proteins which could be on your blood if you have lupus, a condition with symptoms similar to fibromyalgia). Whether your blood has these proteins, the physician will want to find out in order to rule out lupus.
Blood count: By taking a look at your blood count, your doctor may have the ability to see an additional cause for your intense exhaustion, such as anemia.
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR): An ESR test measures how fast red blood cells fall to the bottom of a test tube. In people with rheumatic disease (such as rheumatoid arthritis), the ESR or “sed rate” is sometimes higher. The red blood cells fall into the bottom of the tube, which suggests that there is inflammation within the body.
Rheumatoid factor (RF) test: In many patients with an inflammatory illness (like rheumatoid arthritis, which has symptoms related to fibromyalgia), a higher degree of the rheumatoid factor could be identified from the blood. A higher degree of RF doesn’t guarantee that your pain is brought on by rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but doing an RF evaluation will help your doctor explore the possibility of an RA diagnosis.
Thyroid tests: These tests can help the doctor rule out thyroid problems.
Closing Note on Fibromyalgia Diagnosis
Again, assessing fibromyalgia can take awhile. Your job as a patient is to be more proactive in the diagnostic procedure; be your personal advocate. By way of instance, as soon as your physician orders a test, ask why. Be sure you know the way that test will help figure and what the results will tell you. Continue asking questions until you do, if you do not understand the outcomes or reasoning.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
Additional Topics: Wellness
Overall health and wellness are essential towards maintaining the proper mental and physical balance in the body. From eating a balanced nutrition as well as exercising and participating in physical activities, to sleeping a healthy amount of time on a regular basis, following the best health and wellness tips can ultimately help maintain overall well-being. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can go a long way towards helping people become healthy.
Chronic muscle pain is defined as persistent, long term pain which can continue for weeks, months, even years after the supposed source of the issue has healed. While many cases of chronic pain can occur due to unknown causes, some cases can be traced back to other underlying injuries or conditions, such as fibromyalgia.
What is fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain disorder that affects millions of Americans annually, mostly women, and may be both physically and emotionally debilitating. Fibromyalgia stems from the Latin term for fibrous tissue (fibro) and the Greek words for muscle (myo) and pain (algia). Indeed, fibromyalgia sufferers experience widespread chronic muscle pain.
An interesting note: fibromyalgia was once considered a psychological disorder, but studies have proven that people with fibromyalgia may have a lower threshold for pain. This could be from emotional distress, harm, or levels of compounds from the brain but the cause is uncertain.
Individuals with fibromyalgia also report irritable bowel syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, sleep disorders, and migraines. Physicians have yet to find the connection between these ailments and fibromyalgia.
Questions About Fibromyalgia
What are the signs of fibromyalgia?
Widespread pain is the most frequent symptom of fibromyalgia. However, patients typically experience several symptoms, such as extreme fatigue and pain. People with fibromyalgia additionally have nervousness and/or melancholy as well as problems sleeping.
What conditions co-exist with fibromyalgia?
Irritable bowel syndrome
Irritable bladder
Migraine headaches
Raynaud’s Syndrome
Restless legs syndrome
TMJ or Temporomandibular joint disorder
What causes fibromyalgia?
Doctors have yet to ascertain fibromyalgia’s exact cause, though research findings are shedding light. Causes include abnormalities in nervous systems and the endocrine, genetics, muscle tissue abnormalities, and blood flow. It’s very possible that fibromyalgia does not simply have one cause many factors may impact your likelihood of developing the condition.
What are some treatment options to deal with fibromyalgia?
The type of treatment you’ll need will depend on your symptoms. For instance, your doctor can prescribe an antidepressant to not just lessen your pain but also address melancholy. If you are stressed or have difficulty sleeping, an exercise program will help.
Medicines to treat fibromyalgia include:
Lyrica (pregabalin) is a nerve pain medicine
Cymbalta (duloxetine hydrochloride) an antidepressant that may help alleviate pain
Savella (milnacipran HCI) is an antidepressant and medication for nerve pain
Muscle relaxants
Over-the-counter pain relievers
Some common treatment options include treatments such as massage and biofeedback therapy to help manage stress. Your doctor may recommend that you see a physical chiropractor, and a psychologist may address fibromyalgia’s mental and psychological toll.
Who treats fibromyalgia?
Your primary care physician (PCP) might be able to diagnose and treat your condition. But if your PCP doesn’t understand enough about fibromyalgia, a professional might be your best alternative.
Arguably more than any other physician, rheumatologists , closely follow fibromyalgia improvements and will have the best knowledge base on the status. You might also want to visit a neurologist for drugs to control your pain. Another choice is to consult with with a pain management doctor. These doctors treat all sorts of pain, such as that.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
Additional Topics: Wellness
Overall health and wellness are essential towards maintaining the proper mental and physical balance in the body. From eating a balanced nutrition as well as exercising and participating in physical activities, to sleeping a healthy amount of time on a regular basis, following the best health and wellness tips can ultimately help maintain overall well-being. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can go a long way towards helping people become healthy.
Chronic pain is known as pain that persists for 12 weeks or even longer, even after pain is no longer acute (short-term, acute pain) or the injury has healed. Of course there are many causes of chronic pain that can influence any level of the spine, cervical (neck), mid back (thoracic), lower spine (lumbar), sacral (sacrum) or some combination of levels.
What treatments do interventional pain management specialists perform?
Oftentimes, early and aggressive therapy of chronic neck or back pain can earn a difference that is life-changing. But remember that knowledge is power: Be certain that you know your choices. There are various treatment procedures and treatments available for chronic pain, each completed by a treatment specialists. Interventional pain management specialist treatments may be a fantastic solution for some people with chronic pain symptoms.
Interventional Pain Management Specialists
Interventional pain management (IPM) is a special field of medicine that uses injections and small processes to help patients control their own chronic pain. Interventional pain management specialists are trained to diagnose and cure ailments, and their goal is to improve patients’ quality of life.
IPM’s Role in Treating Chronic Back Pain
Pain control plays a big role in chronic pain since many forms of pain can’t be cured, so pain victims must find out how to live with and work around the pain. A pain management specialist can help them locate the pain relief that they need to work in the daily. The interventional treatments are part of a multi-disciplinary approach that might include use of medications, psychology, and therapy. Part of IPM is currently finding treatments that works best for your treatment or combination. Some potential interventional pain management therapies are:
Injections
Your interventional pain management expert will have you try injections, which send anti inflammatory medications and strong pain-relieving straight. A few examples of injections used for chronic pain are:
Epidural steroid injection: This is one of the most commonly used injections. An epidural steroid injection (ESI) aims the epidural space, that is the space surrounding the membrane which holds the spinal fluid around the spinal cord and nerve roots. Nerves traveling through the epidural area and then branch out to other parts of your body, like your thighs. When a nerve root is compressed (pinched) from the epidural space, you’ll have pain that travels down your spine and into your legs (commonly called sciatica, even though the technical medical term is radiculopathy). An epidural steroid injection sends steroids right to the nerve root that’s inflamed. You need 2-3 injections; normally, you shouldn’t have that because of the potential side effects of the steroids.
Facet joint injection: Also called facet blocks, facet joint injections are helpful in case your facet joints are causing annoyance. Facet joints in your back allow you to move and provide stability. Though, you will have pain, if they get inflamed. The joint wills numb and can lower your pain.
Sacroiliac joint injection: The joint is where your pelvis and spine come and also an aching sacroiliac joint can be extremely debilitating. The injection may reduce inflammation and pain.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
Additional Topics: Wellness
Overall health and wellness are essential towards maintaining the proper mental and physical balance in the body. From eating a balanced nutrition as well as exercising and participating in physical activities, to sleeping a healthy amount of time on a regular basis, following the best health and wellness tips can ultimately help maintain overall well-being. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can go a long way towards helping people become healthy.
When affected by chronic pain, an individuals initial concern often involves what type of treatment they should seek for their particular issue. While many doctors are qualified and experienced in treating a variety of injuries and conditions, only some specialists can be classified as pain experts: pain management specialists.
What is a pain management specialist?
Pain medicine or pain management specialists provide varied treatments, including medications, action modification, therapeutic injections, physical therapy, and alternative kinds of care like acupuncture, manipulation, and music or art therapy for chronic pain. Multidisciplinary pain medicine joins two or more treatments to maximize pain management.
Concerning Pain Management Specialists
A pain management specialist is a physician or osteopathic physician who treats pain. Although called interventional pain management specialists or pain medicine specialist, a number of these doctors are physiatrists or anesthesiologists. Pain management and medication treatment is a team effort frequently involving the patient’s primary care doctor or other treating doctor, and specialists in radiology, psychiatry, psychology, oncology, nursing, physical therapy, complimentary alternative medicine, and other fields.
Education and Training
After graduating medical school and finishing a one-year internship, the doctor enters a program in anesthesiology or physical medicine but from different fields such as psychiatry and neurology. Upon completion of a residency program (typically 3 years long), the doctor completes a one-year fellowship for advanced training in pain medicine.
Pain medication specialists are board certified. The associations that board certify physiatrists, anesthesiologists, neurologists, and psychiatrists all collaborate to provide the board examination to the subspecialty of pain medicine. Pain medicine and management specialists keep their education and training throughout their careers. There are many opportunities for pain management specialists to remain current with technical and medical improvements in pain medication, such as society meetings and journals.
Goals of Pain Management
By reducing pain, frequency and intensity, a pain management specialist’s goal is to handle chronic or acute pain. A pain management program can manage your operational goals for activities of daily living besides fixing pain problems. In general, a pain medication program intends to give you a feeling of well-being, increase your level of action (like return to work), and reduce or eliminate your dependence on drugs.
Kinds of Pain Treated
Pain medicine specialists treat all kinds of pain. Intense pain is described as severe or sharp and may signal something isn’t right. The pain experienced during care is an instance of acute pain. Infection lasting more or even 6 months is described as chronic. This kind of pain is persistent and varies from moderate to severe. Spinal arthritis (spondylosis) pain is often chronic. A good outcome is produced by combining different treatments although chronic pain is difficult to manage.
Treatment may include:
Limit activities that increase pain (activity modification)
Prescription medication: Nonsteroidal anti inflammatory medications, muscle relaxants, narcotics (opioids), anti-depressants, and antiseizure drugs. Some antiseizure and antidepressant medications have proven to help manage specific types of chronic pain.
Injection therapy: provide pain relief, as well as Injections may help to pinpoint the reason behind pain. Therapies include facet joint anabolic steroid, and joint injections; and nerve rootbranch, peripheral and sympathetic nerve block .
Physical Therapy: Heat/ice, massage, spinal traction, transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS), ultrasound, and therapeutic practice.
Pulsed Radiofrequency Neurotomy is a minimally invasive procedure that prevents nerves from sending pain signals to the brain.
Rhizotomy utilizes electrodes that are heated to turn off pain signals from nerves that are particular.
Spinal Cord Stimulation is an implanted device that produces electrical impulses to block pain perception.
Intrathecal Pumps are sometimes referred to as pain pumps. The device is surgically implanted and dispenses doses of medication within the spinal tract.
Acupuncture is the insertion of needles to some of 2,000 acupuncture points or the body’s 20 Meridian factors. Acupuncture is central to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which includes other holistic treatments.
Manipulation is performed by chiropractors, osteopathic doctors (DO), and some physical therapists, even though the treatment varies among these careers. Manipulation is described as the use of force or pressure to take care of a disorder.
Art and music therapy are approaches to distract your mind. Besides a creative outlet, comfort is promoted by these therapies, provide a way for expression, help to reduce anxiety, raises self-esteem, and are fun.
What to Expect During an Appointment
Your consultation with interventional pain management specialist is much like other physician visits. Even though there are a number of similarities, the focus is quickly managing it, and on your pain, the cause or contributing factors.
Pain medication doctors perform a physical and neurological evaluation, and review your medical history paying special attention to pain history. You may be asked many questions about your pain, such as:
On a scale from zero to 10, with 10 being the worse pain possible, speed your pain.
When did pain begin? When pain began what were you doing?
Does pain disperse into different areas of the human body?
Is its intensity continuous, or can it be worse at different times of the night or day?
What helps to relieve the pain? Why is pain worse?
What treatments have you tried? What worked? What failed?
Do you take herbal supplements, vitamins, or over-the-counter medications?
Can you take prescription medication? If so, what, how much, and how?
Most pain medication specialists utilize a standardized drawing of the front/back of the human body to let you indicate where pain is sensed, as well as indicate pain spread and type (eg, gentle, sharp). You may be requested to complete the form each time you stop by the pain physician. The drawing can help to evaluate your treatment progress.
Accurate Diagnosis Key to Remedy
Pain medication involves diagnosing the cause or source of pain. Making the proper diagnosis may entail obtaining an X-ray, CT scan, or MRI study to confirm the cause of your neck or back pain. When treating spine-related pain (which may include leg or arm signs), additional tests, such as discography, bone scans, nerve studies (electromyography, nerve conduction study), and myelography could be carried out. The identification is essential to a successful treatment program.
Some spinal disorders and pain therapy requires involvement including orthopaedic surgeon, neurosurgeon, your primary care doctor, and practitioners in radiology, psychiatry, psychology, oncology, nursing, physical therapy, and complimentary medicine. The pain medicine specialist may consult with and/or consult with spine surgeon or a neurosurgeon to ascertain whether spine surgery is required by your pain issue.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
Additional Topics: Wellness
Overall health and wellness are essential towards maintaining the proper mental and physical balance in the body. From eating a balanced nutrition as well as exercising and participating in physical activities, to sleeping a healthy amount of time on a regular basis, following the best health and wellness tips can ultimately help maintain overall well-being. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can go a long way towards helping people become healthy.
IFM's Find A Practitioner tool is the largest referral network in Functional Medicine, created to help patients locate Functional Medicine practitioners anywhere in the world. IFM Certified Practitioners are listed first in the search results, given their extensive education in Functional Medicine
