Health care has many measurements, from BMI to blood pressure to body temperature. Yet for pain, it’s not so easy to put a number on it.
Pain is part of life, but it can make living miserable. For health care providers, pain has two main categories: acute, such as when you sprain your ankle or bump your head, or chronic, when it has lasted for three to six months.
“There are many causes and many approaches to treatment of pain,” said Shawna Schmidt, MD, Avera Medical Group Pain Management in Aberdeen, SD. “From orthopedic injuries to cancer to arthritis, and many others, our goal is to optimize each patient’s treatment.”
Treating pain can take many forms, from physical and occupational therapy to injections, closely supervised medication methods and bio-psychological approaches. “Most people hope for a ‘pain/no pain’ outcome, but that’s rare,” she said. “We aim to achieve progress in increments.”
“With pain, it’s all very unique, and so I try to develop relationships with patients to understand how to help,” said Dawn Flickema, MD, Avera Medical Group Integrative Medicine in Sioux Falls. “We can look at an extensive list of options and find ones that lessen their pain specifically.”
How to Describe Your Pain to a Doctor
One of the best ways to start treating pain is to focus on it when you set your appointment with your primary care provider.
Treat it like diabetes or high blood pressure. Make your primary reason for coming in simple: Pain.
Then you and your provider can pinpoint causes and impacts – as well as solutions.
Go into detail:
- Where is it
- When is it worst
- What makes it feel worse
- What helps or lessens the pain
- What sorts of things you’re doing when it happens
Start with your primary care provider, but realize resources exist, such pain management and integrative medicine. Pain management appointments are referral-based.
Integrative Medicine focuses on treatments beyond surgery and medication, like acupuncture and massage. Trying it for pain does not require a referral.
Treatments are Unique, Proven and Require Patience from Patients
Many forms of pain get worse due to inflammation. Diet and activity recommendations can reduce inflammation and decrease pain.
“Pain can spiral, because it affects what we do, or do not do, and impacts sleep and mental fitness,” Flickema said. “All those things can increase stress. Our team will focus on optimizing your lifestyle, and that can bring less stress, better wellness and, as a result, less pain.”
The limits that pain puts on your life are a place to begin, too. “Functional level improvement is one of the goals our clinic strives for,” Schmidt said. “Let’s say you love camping, but you can’t because of pain. That’s a concrete starting point – something we can improve for function.”
You might not be able to return to some of your “life before” but you can create a “new norm” that provides satisfaction and relieves stress. Being open to treatment options can make progress possible.
Medication Has Its Place
Treatment of pain has changed massively in light of the opioid crisis. Powerful pain-relief medications are no longer used without careful monitoring and specific, short-term durations. Guidelines, algorithms and other guardrails can help avoid addiction or dependence. Schmidt said she knows this issue well; she not only works in pain management but in addiction care.
“Pain and addiction mesh; when you hurt that much, relief is priority,” she said. “That’s why health care professionals take extra time to ensure any red flags are spotted and alternative approaches are implemented.” Schmidt said when patients do exhibit issues with powerful pain meds, they can get help right away to treat the potential abuse before it becomes full-blown.
For Flickema, who sees many cancer patients who seek remedies for certain treatment side effects, the growing number of technologies, along with new studies, help shed light on ways to help people who face daily pain.
“Combinations of treatments can work together to give relief,” she said. “Again, it’s about the patient-provider relationship, and understanding how things new to you might help. It’s not about ‘blind trust’ of a doctor – it’s about collaboration and finding things that work to help you.”
Some of those approaches beyond better diet, acupuncture and massage can include:
- Essential oils, which can modify the body via olfactory responses in the brain.
- Sauna treatments, where heat can loosen muscles, tendons and ligaments and lessen tension or pain.
- Localized electronic therapy for musculoskeletal pain, as well as red light therapy
“Trust in your provider is a vital element, and it can help you try things and see how they help,” Flickema added.
That willingness to try can help almost anyone get back to life – or learn to live and control a sometimes confusing part of life.
“Creatively finding ways to live with a new normal approach works better than thinking that you’ll never do X, Y or Z,” Schmidt said. “Be honest, open and engaged, and you can face pain more successfully.”
Learn more about Avera’s pain management services or talk to your primary care provider about your options.
