Pain Relief Rehab

Archive for July, 2010

Pain can be caused by many things or problems. Pain is just a sign that there is something wrong in our bodies. Since it is difficult to know the exact cause of pain by just looking at the hurting place, you need to seek medical attention to be able to know the cause of pain. In the even that you feel pain, you need to ask a doctor to perform an assessment test to identify the cause of the problem and treat it. There are different types of pain, the main two being acute and chronic pain. When you have a pain that is short and intense, then you are suffering from acute pain. If you however feel some pain that lasts a little longer and is persistent seek medical help because you are suffering from chronic pain.

The main reason that we experience pain is the body has a mechanism that shows us we need medical attention. Pain helps you to understand that you need to see a doctor to be diagnosed for a certain problem in your body. Pain cannot just occur without any good reason therefore there is a great need to seek medical attention when you feel some pain in your body.

Pain management heavily depends on the cause of the problem or the underlying problem. If you experience pain then you need a doctor to treat the problem. If the problem which had caused the pain is solved then pain may disappear completely. In an instance where the pain is caused by an infection, the treatment of the infection ensures the pain goes with the infection. There are other times though that may require analgesics. These are times when the infection causing the pain has been effectively treated but the pain does not go away. In the event the pain does not go away, then you can use the following analgesics.

Opioid analgesics- They are painkillers used by people for a long time to help in the reduction of certain pain caused by burns, broken bones or surgery. They can also be used to reduce other pains and are prescribed by the doctor to be taken in small doses as you increase with time. If the intensity of he pain decreases then the dosage is also reduced.  These drugs are normally addictive and patients should be monitored to avoid abusing the drugs.

Nonopioid analgesics- These pain killers are used by the patients who are experiencing moderate pains. These drugs are not addictive and their effects are not harsh as you continue using them.

NSAID- This is a short form of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, they are usually used in high doses to treat joint inflammation. In low doses they can be used to treat minor pains, headaches, fever and muscle aches. These drugs have been proven to effectively reduce pain when used as prescribed by the doctor. They are easily available because you can purchase them over the counter. It is always good to read instructions on the cover of the drugs before using them.

When you are suffering from gout, one of the symptoms that you experience is severe pain that prevents you from enjoying your life. The pain causes a lot of discomfort and is usually coupled with stiffness of the joints that are affected making it hard for you to move. The initial priority when it comes to treating gout is relieving the pain.

One method that you can use to alleviate gout pain effectively is taking pain medications. The most commonly prescribed pain medications are the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs in short. They are effective in treating swelling, inflammation and pain and in the case of gout, the most well known are Motrin, Allopurinol, Colchicine and Advil.

Pain medications are beneficial in that they bring about fast gout pain relief. Some of these medications also bring down the levels of uric acid in the body in a long term manner and this helps in preventing future attacks of gout. Gout pain medications may cause side effects such as skin reaction, stomach ulcers, queasy stomach and vomiting. For this reason, you can use other methods of relieving gout pain.

These methods involve the use of herbal, natural and other therapies, which also reduce the chances of gout reoccurring. Natural remedies involve eating foods with high concentrations of ascorbic acid, which naturally resists inflammation. One well known gout treatment that is natural is cherries. You can also use frozen or chilled cabbage leaves to relieve gout pain by placing them directly onto the irritated joint.

You can also alleviate gout pain by taking the right types of foods. You should avoid taking foods that have high concentrations of purines and these include all types of protein foods. Purine is the substance that leads to the production of uric acid in the body. The crystals of uric acid are responsible for forming the tissues around the joints that cause severe pain. Other food items that have high concentrations of purines include herring, organ meat such as liver, mushrooms, meat extracts, cauliflower, spinach, asparagus and all drinks containing alcohol.

The diet that you should take in order to alleviate gout pain is one that contains foods that are high in complex carbohydrates. This includes foods such as whole grains, vegetables and fruits. Dark cherries such as strawberries and blueberries are especially recommended for gout treatment. Other beneficial fruits are tomatoes, celery and bananas. When taking dairy products, you should ensure that they are low in fat.

You should also take a lot of water because it too is helpful in alleviating gout pain. By consuming a lot of water, you decrease the urate levels in your body. You should seek to take ten to twelve glasses of water daily so that your body will be able to get rid of the excess urate through urine.

By taking foods or drinks that neutralize uric acid, you will easily reduce the frequency and intensity of gout pain. You can also alleviate gout pain by taking pharmaceutical grade fish oil in dosages of five to ten grams each day.