This website is dedicated to all those individuals who live with chronic pain every day of their lives. Relief from chronic pain means returning to full function and participation in family, professional, and modern life. "Chronic" refers to a condition lasting for 3 months or longer regardless of whether it is caused by an injury or illness. The most common conditions that give rise to long term debilitating pain are back pain/sciatica, arthritis/joint pain, and fibromyalgia. There are many others.
Modern western medicine has traditionally considered pain as the outward symptom of another disorder to be diagnosed and treated. The approach was to cure the underlying condition and the pain would go away. However, when the pain didn't go away or the underlying cause could not be determined, the patient's complaints were discounted or not believed. It has only been recently the medical profession has begun to treat the pain itself. This has given rise to many new approaches in the treatment of chronic pain, including specialized clinics and the field of integrative medicine.
Prescription medicines and surgery are still the primary means of treating many illnesses in this country. If the underlying disorder causing the pain is an injured joint or spinal formation, surgery may be offered. Such invasive techniques require extensive rehabilitation, long recoveries, and with sometimes less than perfect results. Determining dosages and managing side effects can be mostly a matter of trial and error as everyone is different in how they respond. This is only only way to manage the pain.
Chronic pain can be a very debilitating condition and depression is a very common sequelae. Even a low grade but relentless condition that never completely goes away can interfere with how an individual goes about her everyday life. Sleep problems also compound these conditions. Sufferers will begin to limit their activities and become isolated, further adding to their misery. Unwinding the overall condition requires a skillful look at all these very common aspects of chronic pain.
Patients are now exploring complementary and alternative treatment options. They are exploring older healing methods of chiropractic, acupuncture, and homeopathy, by using them alone or in conjunction with western medicine. The mind/body connection is being studied to improve the capacity to heal and there has been a shift from just treating the pain disease to helping people maintain a sense of self-control and wellness.
Recovery is faster when patients can be optimistic and feel they have some control over their medical destinies. There are many self-help techniques and products available that may be helpful in controlling pain. The empowerment found in a patient's participation in treatment and recovery is essential to not only manage the illness but to fight off the depression and anxiety that comes with living in chronic pain.
Take control of your chronic pain on your own terms and reclaim your life. There are resources and links to articles, books, products, support organizations, and libraries on this website to help you find the information you need to make informed decisions about your own care.
ARTICLES:
An Evaluation Of The Impact Of Chronic Pain On Quality Of Life
Tips For Finding A Pain Physician
Modern western medicine has traditionally considered pain as the outward symptom of another disorder to be diagnosed and treated. The approach was to cure the underlying condition and the pain would go away. However, when the pain didn't go away or the underlying cause could not be determined, the patient's complaints were discounted or not believed. It has only been recently the medical profession has begun to treat the pain itself. This has given rise to many new approaches in the treatment of chronic pain, including specialized clinics and the field of integrative medicine.
Prescription medicines and surgery are still the primary means of treating many illnesses in this country. If the underlying disorder causing the pain is an injured joint or spinal formation, surgery may be offered. Such invasive techniques require extensive rehabilitation, long recoveries, and with sometimes less than perfect results. Determining dosages and managing side effects can be mostly a matter of trial and error as everyone is different in how they respond. This is only only way to manage the pain.
Chronic pain can be a very debilitating condition and depression is a very common sequelae. Even a low grade but relentless condition that never completely goes away can interfere with how an individual goes about her everyday life. Sleep problems also compound these conditions. Sufferers will begin to limit their activities and become isolated, further adding to their misery. Unwinding the overall condition requires a skillful look at all these very common aspects of chronic pain.
Patients are now exploring complementary and alternative treatment options. They are exploring older healing methods of chiropractic, acupuncture, and homeopathy, by using them alone or in conjunction with western medicine. The mind/body connection is being studied to improve the capacity to heal and there has been a shift from just treating the pain disease to helping people maintain a sense of self-control and wellness.
Recovery is faster when patients can be optimistic and feel they have some control over their medical destinies. There are many self-help techniques and products available that may be helpful in controlling pain. The empowerment found in a patient's participation in treatment and recovery is essential to not only manage the illness but to fight off the depression and anxiety that comes with living in chronic pain.
Take control of your chronic pain on your own terms and reclaim your life. There are resources and links to articles, books, products, support organizations, and libraries on this website to help you find the information you need to make informed decisions about your own care.
ARTICLES:
An Evaluation Of The Impact Of Chronic Pain On Quality Of Life
Tips For Finding A Pain Physician