 The
subject of chronic pain management is vast... It is also common for patients to have more than one pain and so several areas covered may be relevant to an individual. Please note that there is a recurring theme in the treatment of pain that can be divided into the three broad categories:
The most important thing to remember is that each patient’s treatment is individualised.. pain is a 'subjective' sensation. What works for one person may not necessarily work for the next even though the diagnosis is the same. |
| Low
Back Pain "When the pain is primarily from the back then it may be either confined to that area or associated with pain in the legs, groin or abdomen or even further up the back even as far as the neck, shoulders and head"... more >> |
Fibromyalgia "Fibromyalgia syndrome affects about 3% of the female population and 1% of the male population. Patients have often spent many years looking for a cause for their pain with multiple investigations revealing no organic abnormalities" ... more >> |
Complex
Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) "This is a common condition and describes a group of symptoms occurring together in a painful part of the body. The condition can occur spontaneously, especially in children." ... more >> |
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| Drugs
prescribed in the pain clinic "Patients frequently come to the pain clinic on medications which are either simply not working on their pain or are giving them inadequate pain relief. There may be many reasons for this" .. more >> |
Phantom
Sensations and Pains "Phantom sensations occur after loss of a part of the body, most commonly a limb. The person feels that the part of the body is still there. If it is painful as well then it is known as phantom pain."... more >> |
Pain
Relief from Electrical Stimulation "directed at interrupting the pain signal in the spinal cord... The theory basically is that that there is a nerve gate which can be closed so as to prevent the brain from receiving the painful signal. "... more >> |
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| Myofascial
Pain "This is pain affecting muscles and connective tissue which is more localised than fibromyalgia. It is associated with trigger points. These are string-like areas of muscle which one can literally role ones finger over. They are rather painful" ... more >> |
Body
Surface Pain "This refers to postherpetic neuralgia, scar pain and other tender points and trigeminal neuralgia. Postherpetic neuralgia needs a little explanation as people do get confused about it and shingles. " ... more >> |
Neck
Pain "As with all pain clinic assessments of paramount importance is to exclude sinister causes for the pain. These include cancer pains".. more >> |
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| Questions? Comments? | ||||
| For further queries and to give me feedback, both negative and positive, please e-mail me at mwm1968@aol.com | ||||
Dr
Mark Miller FRCA |
