Opioids are a powerful class of drugs. They can control severe pain. But they often aren't recommended for many types of chronic pain. That's because their long-term use can cause your body to begin to depend on them.
Chronic pain is a blight on the lives of many millions of Americans. Whatever your type of chronic pain, everyone at APMI Sports Health & Regenerative Medicine in Greenbelt, Maryland, works hard to diagnose the cause. Your pain experience is unique and may be complex, but the practice's highly-skilled, multidisciplinary staff considers it their life's work to locate these causes and find the most effective interventional pain management treatments. Find out more by calling the office nearest you today or booking an appointment online.
Opioids are a powerful class of drugs. They can control severe pain. But they often aren't recommended for many types of chronic pain. That's because their long-term use can cause your body to begin to depend on them.
Chronic pain is continual or recurring pain that lasts for three months or longer, and it affects more than 40 million people across the United States alone. In addition to the person suffering from chronic pain, family members and friends also bear a considerable burden.
Some of the more widespread chronic pain conditions include:
Back and neck pain
These conditions frequently lead to radiculopathy — compression of the nerves coming off your spinal cord.
Sciatica, for example, which causes shooting pain from your lower back down one leg, is lumbar radiculopathy.
Other causes of chronic back pain include congenital disorders like scoliosis (where the spine curves abnormally) and vertebral compression fractures, which often affect people with osteoporosis.
APMI Sports Health & Regenerative Medicine can also help with conditions like failed back surgery syndrome.
Other neuromusculoskeletal pain disorders
There are numerous causes of chronic neuromusculoskeletal pain, including:
Acute injuries like sprains and strains can lead to chronic pain if the original injury doesn't heal properly.
Internal pain
Many internal diseases cause chronic pain. Cancer, celiac disease, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, Crohn's disease, postherpetic neuralgia, and ulcerative colitis are some of the most common examples.
The treatment you require for your chronic pain condition varies according to the cause of your pain. Conditions like ulcerative colitis, for instance, might require anti-inflammatory medication, steroids, or in severe cases, surgery, while chiropractic manipulation might be best for back pain.
Physical therapy plays a vital role in most patients' pain management plans. Making lifestyle changes such as losing weight can also make a considerable difference if you have a condition like arthritis.
A few examples of some of the many advanced treatment options available at APMI Sports Health & Regenerative Medicine include: