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Chronic pain is one of the most common health problems that Americans are facing nowadays. While more than a quarter of the population has experienced chronic pain at one point in their lives, an alarming 50% is disabled due to chronic pain syndrome. Defined as a situation when chronic pain extends for a prolonged period of time without responding to treatment, chronic pain syndrome may be common, but it is definitely one of the most uncomfortable health issues. One of the reasons why such a large number of patients end up bedridden is because they postpone visits to a pain management doctor and underestimate the magnitude of this syndrome. However, it is not only lack of awareness that makes the syndrome such a major threat. In fact, the difficulty in treating the problem stems from the fact that it is not understood to begin with. Contrary to what most people imagine, chronic pain is not a standalone condition, but the symptom of an underlying problem. With that in mine, it is important to point out that, in order to make progress in chronic pain treatments, doctors and patients alike should understand the causes. First of all, chronic pain is often caused by damage to the bone or nervous system. Although the symptom is usually associated with older age, the young population can also require chronic pain treatments in the case of accidents. Sometimes, the problem may worsen over time, as a result of bad habits or improper working conditions. For example, many people who have worked in constructions (or any other field that involves physical effort) go through pain after the age of 40, because the bones can no longer withstand the pressure. The modern, sedentary lifestyle doesn’t help either. By spending eight hours a day sitting in front of the computer, then driving, then sitting at the computer again and then going to sleep with the spine trapped in an uncomfortable position, patients are exposing themselves to many risks. Secondly, chronic pain can be associated with an impressive number of conditions, some of the most common being the ones of the musculoskeletal and nervous system. Thus, when trying to treat the syndrome, pain management doctors will also treat conditions such as osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, disk herniation, sprains, polyneuropathies etc. As previously mentioned, some are caused by accidents, others by repeated damage to the spine. Needless to say, the treatment for each patient depends on the cause. Therefore, for effective results doctors have to conduct through tests and make sure that they suggest both short and long term solutions. The traditional approach to curing chronic pain includes a combination of medication and surgical interventions, but the predominantly unsatisfactory results shows that other treatments should be pursued too. For example, modern pain management centers suggest non-intrusive methods such as dekompressor discectomy, medial branch block or spinal cord stimulation. The most effective treatment depends on the severity of the underlying condition and the way each patient responds to treatment. This is why, in conclusion, it is important to reiterate the fact that doctors have to treat the cause, not the symptom. For more resources about pain management doctor or about chronic pain syndrome, please review this link http://www.georgiapaincare.com/.
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