Most people endure at least some type of pain in their lives, making it challenging, at times, to know whether that pain they suffer from warrants medical attention. Often times, aches and pains stem from a wide variety of temporary factors and will clear up on their own, over time. But that's not always the case. There are many times when people suffer from chronic pain, and, having lived with this pain for so long, don't realize that they could benefit from a pain management treatment plan. How do you know if the pain you experience warrants pain management consideration? Here are five signs we recommend you look out for:
1. If pain persists with a specific motion
If this sounds like something you can relate to, then visiting one of our board-certified pain management doctors could be exactly what you need. One of the first steps we'll take is to try to pinpoint the location where the pain is originating, using such methods as pain mapping or selective nerve-root blocking. Once we gather enough information about what's happening inside your body, we can develop a customized course of treatment to relieve you of your pain.
2. If you struggle to perform day-to-day movements
In some instances, pain will decrease over time, naturally. If you find that your pain isn't decreasing, then you should consider visiting one of our pain management centers in Marrero, Metairie, or Covington. It's not uncommon for an injury to debilitate normal range of motion for a period of time. But long-term debilitating pain that prevents you from performing day-to-day activities without struggle is not normal and should be looked at.
3. Radiating pain or strange sensations
We often tell our patients that if pain begins to radiate throughout a limb or your entire body, then that's a sign that you should see a pain management specialist. But radiation isn't the only sign to look for – both numbness and tingling signify potential serious issues that should be addressed at our clinic. These odd sensations and radiating pain could indicate where a nerve may be pinched or where a herniated disc may be located, allowing our team to develop a pain management treatment plan to ease you of this discomfort.
4. A dependency on medication
Some of our patients come to our clinic and say that they've successfully been able to manage their pain on their own, through medication. But relying on pain medication – just to get through the day – is not healthy. The side effects of these medications – when used long term – could cause even further damage to your body and quality of life. At our pain management clinics throughout Southern Louisiana, we offer a wide variety of treatment options that have far fewer side effects than most medications.
5. An inability to get a good night's sleep
There are varying degrees of pain, and, of course, each person's perspective on pain has to be factored in. However, we consider any type of pain that prevents you from sleeping as severe, as this lack of sleep can have a domino effect on your health. Does your pain keep you up at night? Does it wake you up every hour or so? Then it's about time to come see one of our pain management specialists.
There is an alternative to living with pain
At Southern Pain and Neurological, our entire team is dedicated to developing the most appropriate treatment plan to address your unique pain condition. Each of our patients is treated as an individual, with a course of treatment tailored to your goals and needs. Once we determine the cause of your pain, we'll work closely with you to come up with a solution, whether it's implanted nerve stimulators, joint injections, or one of our other many treatment options.