Chronic pain impacts the lives of over 100 million Americans. Additionally, it is estimated that over 1.5 billion individuals worldwide are affected by chronic pain. Chronic pain is a complicated condition. It typically has an underlying cause; however, there are instances in which the cause is unknown. Individuals who suffer from chronic pain frequently encounter challenges with their sleep, vitality levels, and concentration.
The function of a pain specialist:
A physician who specializes in the assessment, diagnosis, and management of various pain conditions is known as a pain specialist. A physician in this field will typically concentrate on chronic pain, or cancer pain. Diabetes, surgery, nerve damage, and traumatic injury are also among the conditions that pain specialists address.
Given the increasing prevalence of chronic pain, it is essential that certain physicians concentrate on this specific field. Psychological therapy, rehabilitation, and physical therapy are also components of pain management.
When to seek assistance for pain?
Individuals who are experiencing chronic, or severe pain may potentially benefit from pain management. The time to seek assistance is when your pain persists for a period of three months or more.
Some individuals experience unnecessary suffering as a result of their attempts to self-medicate. The pain management specialist is the logical choice.
Dr. Abraham, a board-certified anesthesiologist and pain management specialist at New England Advanced Spine and Pain Center for regenerative medicine, dedicates his time and expertise to assisting chronic pain patients whose requirements can be challenging to diagnose and require months or years to treat using multiple therapies.
Dr. Abraham frequently treats patients suffering from low back, knee, head, hip, and neck pain. Arthritis, fibromyalgia, migraines, sciatica, and other conditions are frequently addressed.
Fortunately, with time and rest, a lot of aches and pains will go away on their own. Many people, however, endure chronic pain in silence and are unaware of the potential advantages of a pain management treatment plan. When pain persists for longer than three months, it is considered chronic.
You should consult Dr. Abraham, board-certified anesthesiologist and pain management specialist at New England Advanced Spine and Pain Center for regenerative medicine, for the following reasons:
1. Persistent pain:
It might be time to consult a doctor if your pain has continued for more than three months and has not improved with conservative therapy or over-the-counter drugs. In most cases, persistent pain indicates an underlying illness that needs specialist treatment.
2. Difficulty performing daily jobs:
It's important to seek expert assistance if pain is making it difficult for you to perform daily tasks. You can manage your pain, regain function, and continue your favorite pastimes and everyday activities with the assistance of a pain specialist.
3. Lack of sleep:
It's time to consult a pain management specialist if your pain keeps waking you up every hour or is so bad that you can't sleep at all. Sleep deprivation can have a detrimental impact on your general health, and pain that keeps you from falling asleep is typically rather severe.
4. Worsening pain:
It's important to pay attention to any increase in pain because it may indicate problems or a worsening of the condition. You can manage and lessen the intensity of your pain with the assistance of our pain management strategies.
5. Medication dependence:
It's time to see a pain management specialist if you are dependent on painkillers to control your pain. To lessen your reliance on medicine and avoid any negative effects, Dr. Abraham might suggest alternate forms of treatment.
Spinal cord stimulators (SCS) and peripheral nerve stimulators (PNS) are electrotherapy devices that are surgically implanted and FDA-approved. These devices are used to manage pain by sending mild electrical pulses to mask the pain experienced by brain receptors. Their advantages include the absence of narcotics or other medications and the application of minimally invasive surgical procedures. These treatments, initially developed in the 1960s, have been consistently enhanced over several decades and are now utilized in a safe and widespread manner.
What are the similarities between spinal cord stimulators and peripheral nerve stimulators?
• Both stimulators employ small devices that deliver a very low-level electrical current to mask pain signals. Each of these electrotherapy devices is connected to one or more leads and is positioned in proximity to nerve pathways that frequently transmit pain signals.
• The patient must wear an external wearable stimulator device to use either technology, which is first used as an outpatient trial. This device is lightweight and roughly the size of a matchbox, and allows the user to control the level of stimulation as needed. The majority of trials last for approximately seven days. The device may be permanently implanted beneath the skin upon successful completion of the trial.
• The trial is regarded as successful when the patients experience at least a 50% reduction in pain.
What are the differences between spinal cord stimulators and peripheral nerve stimulators?
• The placement of the wire leads is the main difference between spinal cord stimulators and peripheral nerve stimulators. SCS leads are always placed near the spinal cord, in the epidural area, where pain sensations originate. PNS leads can be inserted near peripheral nerves throughout the body, usually over the painful area.
• It is uncommon for both of these devices to be utilized simultaneously.
The body is made up of around 60% water. Blood is about 90% water, muscles are about 75% water, and bones are about 25% water. Water is essential for the body, so staying hydrated is important for life and good health. Water helps with digestion, keeps the body temperature stable, gets rid of pollutants, lubricates joints, and keeps every cell alive. The body can't work right without enough of it, and in very bad circumstances, it can only live for roughly three days without water.
What happens when you don't drink enough water?
When the body loses more fluid than it takes in, it becomes dehydrated. This might happen in case of heat, exertion, illness, unhealthy meals, or not drinking enough water. As dehydration worsens, the blood becomes thicker, the kidneys try to keep fluid, and the heart and blood vessels work harder to keep blood pressure stable. It gets harder to control your body temperature, and your mental and physical performance start to decline.
The relationship between dehydration and pain:
Studies have shown that there is a clear link between dehydration and long-term pain:
Inflammation:
Water helps eliminate toxins and irritants that might cause inflammation. If there isn't enough fluid, these irritants stay around, causing long-term inflammation associated with diseases such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, and back pain.
Joint health:
About 60% of the cartilage in joints is water, and synovial fluid keeps them moving and absorbs trauma. If there isn't enough fluid, the joints rub against each other more and wear down faster, which can worsen pain and stiffness.
Muscle function:
Muscles are mostly 75% water. If there isn't enough fluid, your electrolyte balance (sodium and potassium) is disturbed, making it harder for your muscles to contract and recover, which leads to cramps, spasms, and long-term soreness.
Headaches and migraines:
Not drinking enough water can decrease the amount of fluid and blood flow to the brain, which can cause migraines or tension headaches. Studies show that many patients experience improvements after drinking water for a few hours.
Nervous system and pain perception:
Dehydration impacts neurotransmitters, such as endorphins (natural painkillers) and serotonin (controls mood, sleep, and pain), which can make you more sensitive to pain and less able to handle it.
How to stay hydrated?
• Drink at least 2 liters of water during the day, and more if you exercise or are in hot weather.
• Drink water before, during, and after you work out.
• Eat foods with high water content, like tomatoes, berries, cucumbers, and melons.
• Avoid drinking sugary sodas, alcohol, and caffeine, which can make you thirsty.
• Monitor the color of your urine; a light yellow color is ideal.
• If you are very dehydrated, you may need IV fluids.
Drinking enough water is not a cure-all, but it is vital to stay healthy and manage pain. Staying well-hydrated helps with joint lubrication, muscle healing, cognitive function, and controlling inflammation. All of these things help reduce chronic pain.
The most common treatments for nerve pain involve medical interventions, such as corticosteroid injections, prescription medications, and lifestyle adjustments, such as increasing exercise and altering one's diet.
Incorporating supplements into the treatment regimen may also alleviate pain, such as:
1. Vitamins B-complex
Vitamin B1 (thiamine), B6 (pyridoxine), B9 (folate), and B12 (cyanocobalamin) are essential for the effective functioning of the immune system, metabolism, and DNA and RNA production, all of which are crucial for nerve health. Numerous studies have demonstrated that the use of a B-complex supplement can alleviate neuropathic pain, particularly in diabetics.
2. Magnesium
Magnesium may reduce pain sensitivity in nerve endings in the peripheral nervous system by blocking receptor activity, which is achieved by acting on NMDA receptors, to produce an analgesic effect. The development and maintenance of pain depend heavily on NMDA receptors, including those involved in neuropathic and chronic pain.
3. Alpha-lipoic acid
Oxidative stress injury is one of the factors that contribute to neuropathic pain. Alpha-lipoic acid may serve as a therapeutic alternative for nerve irritation due to its antioxidant properties. Alpha-lipoic acid is distinguished from other antioxidants by its ability to exert an internal and external effect on cells. The acid can regulate nociception, a process that is involved in pain perception, and oxidative stress pathways.
4. Curcumin
Curcumin is another antioxidant that functions as an anti-inflammatory. Inflammation is consistently prevalent in peripheral neuropathy. Oxidative stress and inflammation are initiated by peripheral nerve injury. Clinical investigations have demonstrated that curcumin enhances the antioxidant response.
5. Acetyl-L-Carnitine (ALC)
Acetyl-L-carnitine has the potential to generate neuroprotective and neurotrophic effects in the peripheral nervous system. Neurotrophic factors are proteins that facilitate the development of healthy neurons in the nervous system. Researchers have discovered that acetyl-L-carnitine may aid in the protection of the myelin sheath that envelops the nerves and the promotion of nerve regeneration and function.
Neuromodulation is basically a medical technique where doctors try to change how nerves behave. Instead of just giving strong pills that affect the whole body, it focuses directly on the nerves. This can be done either with gentle electrical signals or with tiny amounts of medicine delivered straight to the nervous system.
How does neuromodulation actually work?
There are two main ways:
• Electrical stimulation: Dr. Abraham, a board-certified anesthesiologist and pain management specialist at New England Advanced Spine and Pain Center for regenerative medicine, places the electrodes near the brain, spinal cord, or certain nerves. They are connected to a small device, like a battery, that sends low-level pulses. The pulses can stop pain messages before they reach the brain or sometimes even help nerves that aren’t firing properly to work again.
• Targeted drug delivery: Instead of swallowing tablets every day, a pump under the skin slowly gives medicine right where it’s needed. Because it’s so focused, the amount of medicine is tiny compared to normal pills, sometimes only a few hundredths of the dose, which usually means fewer side effects and more stable relief.
How Dr. Abraham uses neuromodulation?
While chronic pain remains the most frequent indication, Dr. Abraham applies neuromodulation in many areas, as:
• Spinal cord stimulation (SCS): often used in nerve pain that doesn’t get better with drugs.
• Peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS): targets specific nerves like the sciatic, femoral, or occipital, depending on where the pain comes from.
As technology improves and more doctors learn how to use it, neuromodulation is helping more patients.
• Dorsal Root Ganglion (DRG) Stimulation: targets a bundle of nerve cells positioned outside the spinal cord , called ganglion, thus preventing pain transmission from peripheral nervous system to central nervous system.
• Dorsal Root Ganglion (DRG) Stimulation: targets a bundle of nerve cells positioned outside the spinal cord , called ganglion, thus preventing pain transmission from peripheral nervous system to central nervous system.
Why do patients choose neuromodulation procedures?
For many people, long-term drug treatment isn’t enough. The medicine might stop working, or the side effects might be too much. Neuromodulation offers another route.
Some clear advantages are:
• It provides relief without relying on heavy systemic drugs.
• This treatment focuses on the problem area only.
• It can be adjusted, or even removed, if it doesn’t help.
• Many patients find they can move healthily, sleep better, and live more independently.
• In certain cases, it may actually save money compared to years of drug costs.