Where In The Body Is Chronic Pain Most Likely To Develop?

chronic painChronic pain affects tens of millions of Americans every day, and while everyone is going through their own individual battle, many of them are dealing with discomfort in similar locations. But what are some of the most common locations for chronic pain to develop, and why are these the most popular spots? In today’s blog, we take a closer look at five of the most common locations in your body for a chronic pain issue to develop.

Common Chronic Pain Sites

Here’s a look at some of the more common areas of the body that can be affected by a chronic pain condition.

1. Lower Back – The back is likely the most common area of the body for chronic pain to develop, and with good reason. We put a lot of stress on our spines each day, and the system is incredibly complex, with vertebrae, discs and nerves working in close proximity to one another. If acute trauma or natural degeneration causes a vertebra or disc to damage one of the many spinal nerves in the area, chronic pain can develop. Within the spine, the lower back is the most common area for chronic pain because your lumbar spine handles the most stress when you’re bending or sitting.

2. Neck – On the other side of your spine is your neck, and it’s another incredibly common location for chronic pain to develop, especially given the rather recent rise in smartphone adoption. If you’re craning your neck forward to look at your work computer or you’re slouched on the couch scrolling on your phone, your neck is being overstressed from the weight of your head while you’re out of a healthy alignment. Similar to your lower back, there are a number of nerves and soft tissues in the neck region that can become damaged by acute injury or chronic stress, making this area a common spot for pain to develop.

3. Knees – Knee pain is all too common in today’s society, and chronic knee pain can make every step uncomfortable. Because our knees bear a lot of stress when we walk, the protective cartilage that aids in fluid joint movement can break down, leading to bone on bone contact and discomfort. Cartilage degeneration is more common if you are overweight or obese, as this greatly increases the amount of strain on your knees. Obesity numbers in America are growing, so it should come as no surprise that cases or chronic knee pain are also rising.

4. Head – Chronic headaches and migraines are another subject that we cover pretty regularly on our blog, as we’re always trying to help patients put an end to debilitating headaches. Sometimes these headaches are caused by muscle tension from overstress or acute injury to neck and shoulder muscles, while other times a nerve problem is triggering migraine headaches. We can help to relax muscles and stimulate your vagus nerve to help you find a treatment that works for you specific type of headaches.

5. Muscle Pain – Finally, it’s also common for patients to deal with widespread pain in their muscles. This condition is oftentimes referred to as fibromyalgia, and it can lead to chronic pain and tenderness in different muscle groups throughout the body. There is no one-size-fits-all solution for combating fibromyalgia related pain, but many patients find that they can better control symptoms by connecting with a pain management specialist and improving certain lifestyle factors, like exercise, diet and sleep habits.

If you’re dealing chronic pain in one of these locations, or you just want to talk to a pain specialist about discomfort you’re experiencing, reach out to Dr. Cohn and his team today at (952) 738-4580.

Walking Can Significantly Reduce Chronic Knee Pain Risk

knee painJoint issues are a common source of pain for millions of Americans, and oftentimes it’s the knee joints where this degeneration and discomfort is most obvious. Knee pain can make every step a burden, which is why preventing knee joint deterioration is key. According to a new study, you may be able to do just that by taking a few more steps each day.

According to a new study by researchers at the Baylor College of Medicine, walking may be a powerful way to prevent and treat osteoarthritis of the knee. For the study, researchers tracked more than 1,200 individuals aged 50 or older with knee osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis. Participants self-reported their walking habits and frequency, which helped researchers classify 73 percent of the group as walkers and 27 percent as non-walkers.

Walking And The Impact On Your Knees

After looking closer at the medical data between the two groups, researchers found that those who walked for exercise had a 40 percent decrease in the likelihood of experiencing frequent knee pain. X-rays were also used to assess for the progression and severity of osteoarthritis in the knees, and these images showed that walkers were less likely to experience medial joint space narrowing, which is one way to measure arthritis progression. Researchers concluded that going for regular walks could help to both control knee pain and slow to further osteoarthritis degeneration.

“These findings are particularly useful for people who have radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis but don’t have pain every day in their knees,” said first author of the paper Dr. Grace Hsiao-Wei Lo. “This study supports the possibility that walking for exercise can help to prevent the onset of daily knee pain. It might also slow down the worsening of damage inside the joint from osteoarthritis.”

Walking is such a simple act that can be performed almost anywhere, and it’s not overly stressful on the body. While it may not be able to cure you of your arthritis, it can help to maintain function in your knee, aid in pain control and slow continued arthritis progression, all of which are important for your quality of life.

So if you’re dealing with chronic knee pain, know that you don’t need to pursue an intense workout at the gym to help combat your symptoms and make your knee healthier for tomorrow. Simply lace up your walking shoes and walk for 30-45 minutes a day! And if you’re still looking for help overcoming a chronic pain issue, make sure you reach out to Dr. Cohn and his team. For more information, or for help with a different pain management issue, give our team a call today at (952) 738-4580.

Four Tips For Overcoming Chronic Knee Pain

knee painOur knees handle an immense amount of stress each day as we run and walk, and if you develop pain or discomfort in your knees, it can make movement downright difficult. And while knee replacement operations are available for severe knee joint deterioration, you may be able to avoid surgery and alleviate symptoms if you know how to treat chronic knee pain when it first develops. In today’s blog, we share four tips for overcoming chronic knee pain.

How To Treat Chronic Knee Pain

Here’s a closer look at some of the most commonly recommended treatments for chronic knee pain, and why they may be helpful for your joint discomfort.

1. Movement – It may sound odd that we’re recommending putting more stress on an area of your body that’s hurting, but movement and exercise can be exactly what your knee needs. Movement helps to push healthy blood to and from the area, and it strengthens nearby structures to make it easier for the knee to handle stress. You just want to be smart in what types of movement you pursue. Low-impact movements and exercises are preferred to a high-impact exercise like running, so start walking, swimming or cycling more often, and your knee should become stronger.

2. Weight Loss – Another way to help lessen knee pain is to find ways to take stress off the area, and one such way is to lose weight. Your knees handle the stress of your body when you’re standing and moving, so the less you weigh, the less pressure they’ll be under. Even losing just a few pounds can take a large load off your knee, so dieting and exercising can really help to alleviate chronic knee pain.

3. Physical Therapy – You can also target the knee and surrounding tissues specifically with the help of physical therapy. In Minnesota, you don’t need a referral in order to seek assistance for a medical issue with a physical therapist, so you can go directly to the source if you’d like to see if PT can help. They’ll conduct a baseline assessment, have you perform some in-person exercises and set you up with an individualized therapy routine that you can perform from the comfort of your home to strengthen your knee.

4. See A Pain Specialist – Knee pain is one of Dr. Cohn’s specialties, and he’d be more than happy to conduct a comprehensive examination of your knee and the connected systems to understand the full scope of your knee issue. Not only can he walk you through some non-operative treatment methods, but he can explain why these techniques should help provide relief. When you have a clearer understanding of your issue and the ways to treat it, you’re more likely to have success pursuing these treatment options.

So if you are dealing with lingering knee pain that is preventing you from enjoying certain aspects of life, consider the above tips or take a minute to set up an appointment with a pain management specialist like Dr. Cohn. We can help you regain your independence and improve your quality of life by reducing or eliminating your knee pain. For more inforamtion, give his office a call today at (952) 738-4580.

The Prevalence Of Chronic Pain Between Different Age Groups

pain ageChronic pain is an issue that affects millions of Americans each year, and it can affect everyone in different ways. One factor that can impact how a chronic pain impacts a person is their age. But how does chronic pain affect different groups based on their age, and what can that tell us about the best ways to treat it? We answer those questions and more in today’s blog on chronic pain between different age groups.

Chronic Pain And Your Age

Recent data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention decided to take a closer look at the prevalence of chronic pain among different age groups. Although chronic pain affects children, the data only looked at chronic pain in individuals over the age of 18. Researchers not only looked at the prevalence of chronic pain, which is categorized as having pain “most days” or “every day” over the last three months, but also whether or not the pain was considered “high impact,” in that it prevented people from doing certain work or lifestyle activities.

Overall, 20.4 percent of American adults say they’re living with chronic pain, with 7.4 percent saying their pain is high impact. Here’s a look at how each age group fared:

18-29 – Of the groups polled, this is the group that is least affected by chronic pain, with 8.5 percent of responders saying they have chronic pain, and 2.2 percent saying it’s strong enough to limit their daily activities. This group does not have as much wear and tear on their body, which means they are at a lower risk for chronic pain compared to older groups, but those with chronic pain face the added challenge of “invisible” pain, as others their age my not be able to empathize with their situation as easily.

30-44 – There is a noticable uptick in chronic pain in this age group, with 14.6 percent of respondents experiencing chronic pain, and a two-fold increase in the amount with high impact chronic pain (4.4 percent). Chronic pain in this group tends to be the result of a physical injury that never correctly or fully healed, or worsened by an unaddressed psychological issue, like anxiety or depression.

45-64 – Once you hit this age range, you’re actually above average for chronic pain onset compared to the average person, as 25.8 percent of respondents in this group said they experience chronic pain on a regular basis, above the 20.4 percent average among adults. Of those with chronic pain, 10.3 percent have high impact chronic pain. Treatment is important for all groups, but it’s especially important to work to find solutions if you develop chronic pain at this age range because you have a better chance of successfully treating it as opposed to letting it linger until you’re in the final group.

65 and up – This is the group with the highest rate of chronic pain, with 30.8 percent in this demographic experiencing some sort of chronic pain, with 11.8 percent saying it affects their daily activities. Chronic pain can be especially isolating at this age, and treatment isn’t always easy, but patients can fight back by connecting with a pain management specialist and trying certain activities like physical therapy, yoga or swimming to help develop muscles and stay active.

If you’re dealing with chronic pain, no matter your age, it’s important to sync up with a specialist to work to calm or alleviate symptoms. In the greater Twin Cities area, we hope you’ll connect with Dr. Cohn! Give his office a call today at (952) 738-4580.

Pain “Catastrophizing” Can Make Chronic Pain Worse

pain CatastrophizingChronic pain can be a cyclical battle that can be tough to break out of. Pain can leave you feeling discouraged, and this discouragement can have real world implications for your chronic pain treatment. In other words, unless you really focus on beating your chronic pain, it’s only going to get tougher to treat.

Don’t Let Pain Control Your Life

This sentiment was given credibility based on a recent study led by researchers at Penn State. For their study, researchers took a closer look at how people felt about their chronic pain condition and cross-referenced it with whether or not the were physically active later on in the day. In the study that focused on patients with knee osteoarthritis, researchers found that patients who “catastrophized” their pain (classified as feeling an exaggerated sense of helplessness or hopelessness) were less likely to be physically active later in the day. Moreover, this contributed to a domino effect of sedentary behavior followed by even more pain catastrophizing.

So while the results show that it can be hard to break free from chronic pain, it also shines a light on how we can best help patients with chronic pain conditions.

“Reducing daily pain catastrophizing may help  to be more active and less sedentary on a daily basis,” said Ruixue Zhaoyang, assistant research professor. “This could help improve their chronic pain condition, physical function, and overall health, and reduce the possibility of hospitalization, institutionalization, and healthcare costs in the long term.”

Nobody looks favorably on their chronic pain condition, but at the same time, if you’re constantly focusing on how the condition is negatively impacting your life, it can lead to pain catastrophizing. Researchers say patients who think that their pain is “terrible and never going away,” or those who say they “can’t stand their pain anymore” may be catastrophizing their condition and subliminally decreasing their likelihood of pursuing active treatment solutions, like exercise and physical therapy.

So if you are struggling with your chronic pain condition, really take a hard look at how you’re viewing your pain condition in your head. Are you constantly negative about your pain, and do you shy away from activity when you’re frustrated by your pain. If so, you’re not alone, and you should know that solutions are right around the corner. We can help change the way you think about your pain condition so you’re more likely to follow through on proven active treatments to help with your condition. For more information, or to learn more about how we can help treat the physical and mental aspects of chronic pain, reach out to Dr. Cohn and his team today.