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Month: August 2022

September is Pain Awareness Month, a time to promote pain education and raise awareness about issues related to chronic pain. Approximately 50 million Americans suffer from chronic pain that impacts their daily activities and overall quality of life. Fortunately, there are treatment options available that can help alleviate suffering and bring patients relief. As we begin Pain Awareness Month, here are some available options to relieve chronic pain.

Injections

Depending on the source of pain, an injection may be the best solution for treating pain.

  • Joint Injections are a commonly performed treatment to provide quick relief of pain and inflammation in your joints.
  • Epidural Steroid Injections are common for lower back pain but may also help with upper back and neck pain.
  • Trigger points are painful areas in muscles that can be described to feel like a “knot” or specific area of tightness. When pressure is applied to the trigger point, the pain spreads out to other areas of the body. Trigger Point Injections are administered directly to the trigger point, which can reduce pain and increase physical function.
  • Bursa Injections are injections of a steroid medication into your bursa – the gel-filled sac that helps muscles and tendons glide over bones. When bursae get swollen, they can cause joint pain.
  • Facet Joint Injections can reduce pain, as well as help in determining if the facet joint is the cause of the patient’s pain. Each vertebra on the spine has two pairs of facet joints, one pair points up (connecting with the vertebrae above) while the second pair points down (connecting with the vertebrae below).

Medication Management

When other therapies and injections don’t seem to work, medication may be the best option. Medication can play a crucial role in the management of chronic pain, but needs to be monitored closely by a specialist to ensure the correct medication is being administered and that it is working as it should be on the patient.

Surgical Implants

  • An Intrathecal Infusion Pumps is a device that delivers small quantities of pain medication directly to the spinal fluid. When delivered in small doses, pain medications may minimize the side effects often experienced with larger oral doses of the same medications.
  • Spinal Cord Stimulation is an implantable device that sends low levels of electricity to the spinal cord. Designed to relieve pain, this device blocks pain signals prior to them reaching the brain.

Radiofrequency Ablation

Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) uses an electric current to heat up an area of affected nerve tissue to reduce pain. This procedure stops the nerve from sending pain signals to the brain.

Headache Therapy

Headache is one of the most common pain conditions in the world. Up to 75% of adults worldwide have had a headache in the past year. They are different for each patient so treatment depends on symptoms, severity of pain, frequency, etc. Headache Therapy treatment options range from medication management to stress management to physical and neurological examinations to help determine cause. OnabotulinumtoxinA Injections can be used to prevent headaches in adults suffering from chronic migraines that are sometimes accompanied by nausea and sensitivity to sound or light. Patients who are candidates typically suffer 15+ days each month with headaches lasting four hours or longer. This injection is given as a number of tiny injections intended to affect only the area where injected.

Recognizing the far-reaching effects of chronic pain, Southwoods places great importance on providing access to the region’s most capable team of physicians and advanced practice providers. The comprehensive team at the Southwoods Pain & Spine Center is dedicated to finding effective results that reduce or eliminate pain altogether. If you or a loved one is suffering, call 330-314-9100 to schedule an appointment.

Sometimes it feels like as soon as you’re done unpacking from your summer vacation, it’s time to start packing new school supplies into backpacks and preparing lunches again. Getting back into a routine to start the new school year can be tricky to navigate at first, but, if you plan ahead and explain the plan to your kids in advance, your school year could get off to a smooth, organized start!

Get Back to a Bedtime Schedule Now

When the school year ends, parents and kids are typically excited to relax the rules and sleep later than usual. While this is enjoyable at the time, it can complicate things when the next school year comes around. To get back on track, parents should start setting bedtime guidelines before the first day of school. On average, it takes 10-14 days for our bodies to fully adjust to sleep pattern changes. You should make changes in smaller increments and start bedtime about 30 minutes earlier each time. Then continue to move bedtime up every couple of days until you reach the appropriate bedtime start.

Make Back to School Shopping a Joint Effort

While kids may not be excited to have homework, they may be more enthusiastic to use the supplies they helped pick out to complete it. With most schools supplying parents with recommended shopping lists, kids can be involved in choosing which pencil case, bookbag, folders, and more they wish to use throughout the year. The same can be said when it comes to new clothes and shoes. While parents may not always agree with their kids’ style choices, looking good can lead to feeling good and build confidence for kids heading back to the classroom. It can be fun picking out everything they need to start the new school year off right!

Develop a Morning Routine

Just like developing a steady bedtime routine is important, a morning routine can be the difference between catching the bus and missing it. If you discuss with your children how the mornings should go, it can make things easier and prepare them to get ready for their day. If several family members are trying to get ready to get out the door at once, having dedicated time in common areas can help everyone get to where they’re going on time. Communication is key to getting everyone on the same page.

Prep the Night Before

While the best laid plans can make your mornings go more smoothly, you’ll still have hiccups that arise to keep things from going according to plan. If you can do some prep work the night before, your morning routine will be easier. Some things you can do ahead of time include:

  • Laying out clothes so kids can get dressed quickly
  • Preparing lunches and snacks as much as possible
  • Showering or bathing at night instead of in the morning
  • Packing book bags once homework is complete so kids can grab and go

The start of the school year can be hectic and stressful for students and parents. But if you start with a plan and develop a routine everyone is comfortable with, you can make the first days back more enjoyable. And students who are well-prepared at the start of each day, are poised to thrive and succeed throughout the year!

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