New Chronic Pain Care Guidelines Recommend Ditching Medication

April 8, 2021 / Thomas Cohn, MD

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recently released some updated guidelines for how pain practitioners should help their patients deal with their chronic pain condition. The most notable suggestion is that NICE is advising doctors to avoid prescribing pain medication for a pain condition and instead believes they should recommend exercise or psychological therapy for the most effective treatment. For chronic pain sufferers who rely on pain medication as part of this treatment process, the news may cause anxiety and fear over whether or not they’ll have their access to these medications restricted.

We’re here to let you know that while these recommendations certainly have merit, no physician worth his salt is going to take medications away from someone who is using them responsibly and progressing in their rehab. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at the recommendations and explain how they’ll likely be implemented going forward.

Exercise Over Medication

If we just look at the headline and start to draw conclusions from there, it’s easy to get worked up over the latest recommendations. We’re here to help calm your fears and explain that although the recommendations are rooted in sound science, applying them unilaterally to a condition so unique as chronic pain is a terrible idea. Pain is unique to the individual, which is why there is no one-size-fits-all treatment for chronic pain. Even when two people are suffering from the same diagnosis, their treatment regimens may be different. That’s why we can’t just say that medications should never be used for effective pain care.

Nobody is saying that all you need to do to rid yourself of your chronic pain condition is to lace up your running shoes and go for a jog, but as we’ve talked about on the blog in the past, there is extensive research behind the idea that exercise and movement can be a key factor in helping fight back against a chronic pain condition. Exercise is an active solution that improves muscles, helps to control inflammation and works to stabilize joints that could be contributing to your pain issue. Medications, on the other hand, are a passive treatment that work to mask pain instead of treating the underlying issue. Medications alone will not cure your pain condition, but exercise and strength training or psychological therapy could.

With that said, painkillers and active treatment modalities can absolutely compliment one another, and this is when we’re all for prescribing medication to patients. If medication can make it easier for you to follow through on a physical therapy routine or to stick to your exercise program, then we’ll gladly walk you through a responsible painkiller management plan. We want to give patients all the tools they need to take control of their pain condition, and pain medications can certainly be part of that equation, so long as the patient is educated on their purpose and continues to prove that they can use the medication responsibly.

So in spite of the new recommendations, know that your pain physician will only recommend tapering off your medications if they aren’t actually promoting your recovery. If they aren’t doing any good and are putting you at a heightened risk for dependency or overdose, any good physician will adjust treatment to find a more effective method.

If you have been unable to find an effective solution for your pain, or you just want to talk to a physician who will take the time to get to know you and your diagnosis to provide the best level of care, reach out to Dr. Cohn’s office today.

Can You Fool Your Brain Into Chronic Pain Relief?

April 1, 2021 / Thomas Cohn, MD

Happy April Fool’s Day! We thought we’d try to keep on topic by talking about how you can “fool” your brain into helping you overcome your chronic pain condition. So even though we’re sharing this on a day reserved for tricks and pranks, know that this is actually a real idea with real science behind it!

Your brain helps dictate how pain is perceived in your body, but it also performs countless other tasks, so if we can take its attention off our pain, we may be able to help drown out some of those pain signals that are causing discomfort. That’s why we always preach on this blog that chronic pain is both a physical and mental task. Your brain needs to heal and help fuel recovery just like the area of your body that’s causing pain. And you can help do that by distracting it.

Now, that’s not to say that every time a flare up develops that you should just go for a run or work on a crossword puzzle to help distract your brain, but engaging your brain has been scientifically proven to help reduce pain sensations. Find outlets that really engage your mind, and odds are you may notice that you’re not noticing your pain as much. Bonus points if it’s an active activity, because exercise and movement can also help drive home physical recovery.

Setting Expectations

Your brain is also in control of setting expectations for things, including pain. If a nurse says a shot is going to hurt, all of a sudden your brain starts to anticipate this pain and it could actually lead to you being more perceptive to pain, which isn’t a good thing. Conversely, it’s why it may take a second longer to realize you’re in pain if you accidentally have the sink running too hot when you go to wash your hands. It’s still going to be painful, but the expectation wasn’t there, and that plays an interesting role in how you perceive pain.

Expectation setting is very important in how you manage your chronic pain condition. It’s why we always preach that you work towards a good head space and focus on the positives instead of the negatives. If you wake up every day expecting chronic pain to dictate your life, you may actually be more perceptive to this pain. It can be a self-defeating cycle, but if you’re aware of how your expectations affect your perception of pain, you can fool your brain into making chronic pain less of a problem.

This is easier said than done, and oftentimes it’s easier to do with a pain management specialist by your side. We can talk over your concerns, your goals and the biggest challenges chronic pain is causing in your life. Then, we’ll work on how to focus on the positives and your goals instead of the negatives and your shortcomings. This individualized assessment can help you get to a great mindset to tackle any challenges your chronic pain condition throws your way.

So if you are dealing with a chronic pain condition and you want help tackling either the mental or physical side of the problem, reach out to Dr. Cohn’s office to see what we can do for you.

Why The Pandemic Is Making Chronic Pain Worse For Most Patients

March 3, 2021 / Thomas Cohn, MD

There is little doubt that the pandemic has been hard on everyone. We’ve had to readjust to a new normal and find new ways to juggle our personal and professional lives. Everyone has been hit hard, but new research shows that it has been especially difficult for chronic pain patients. For many of them, their chronic pain condition has gotten worse during the pandemic.

Chronic Pain Worsening During The Pandemic

According to a new study, the majority of chronic pain patients have seen their chronic pain condition worsen throughout the course of the pandemic. For the study, researchers surveyed 502 chronic pain patients, with 88 percent of the group being females between 30 and 59 years old. More than 87 percent of patients had pain in more than one location, and the most common locations of pain were in the lower back, neck and abdomen. Participants were asked to complete online surveys about their condition and the pandemic to get an understanding of how their pain had changed since lockdowns began (This study took place in Spain, but the results likely mirror chronic pain here in the US).

According to the data, 70 percent of respondents said their chronic pain condition worsened in terms of severity, frequency of episodes or in how it interfered with their daily activities throughout the pandemic. Researchers also looked into why chronic pain frequency was on the rise during the pandemic. They surveyed respondents and came up with some of the most common stressors that could have a negative effect on a person’s chronic pain expression. Those factors include:

Job insecurity
Worries about the future
The number of people living in the same dwelling
Having someone close to them who died of COVID-19
Fear of becoming infected and its relation to their chronic pain condition

Additionally, the study found that some new pain triggers emerged from the pandemic. Prior to COVID-19, the most common new pain triggers were stress and weather changes. Now, patients cite an increase in triggers like sleep problems, negative thoughts, sadness, insufficient physical activity and fear of the contagion.

Finally, the study also shed light on how people are coping with chronic pain, and it’s not encouraging.

“The study has shown that since the state of emergency began, more than half of the patients have used rest to manage their pain, and a similar percentage have increased the consumption of medication. Both could have counterproductive effects,” explained Rubén Nieto, professor and researcher at the lab that conducted the study.

The pandemic has worsened chronic pain conditions for countless patients across the world, but it’s important that you don’t let the state of the world draw you into bad pain management habits. Now more than ever, it’s important that you get regular exercise, eat a healthy diet and pursue other active treatment methods instead of over-relying on passive techniques like rest and medication. This can be accomplished more easily with a pain physician by your side, so please don’t hesitate if you need assistance along the way. For more information or for help with your chronic pain condition, reach out to Dr. Cohn’s office today.

The Three Components To Successfully Conquering Chronic Pain

January 26, 2021 / Thomas Cohn, MD

Conquering chronic pain is a daily battle, and it’s not something that is always easy to handle. In fact, if you don’t have the right support systems or partners by your side, it can be very difficult to overcome a chronic pain condition. In our experience, we’ve found that people who have three specific components during their chronic pain treatment have a higher likelihood of success. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at the three components to successfully conquering a chronic pain condition.

Three Pillars To Conquering Chronic Pain

The triangle is the strongest shape in nature, so if you view these three key components as parts of a triangle, it can help you visual how they can help make up the foundation for chronic pain treatment. Here are the three key components for successfully conquering chronic pain.

Yourself – Successfully managing a chronic pain condition begins with yourself. Not only do you need to want to get better, you have to actively work towards achieving it. Wanting it without taking tangible steps to reach this goal isn’t going to be effective. There’s no magic pill you can take to solve your chronic pain, it’s going to take active modalities like exercise, physical therapy and stretching techniques. Understanding this, and taking ownership of your role in managing your chronic pain condition will help you move the needle in the right direction each day. Educate yourself, commit to treatment and lean on others when you find yourself struggling in order to do your part to overcome chronic pain.

Your Doctor – Finding a pain management specialist who understands your condition, who really listens to your concerns and who won’t stop until they’ve helped solve your pain is another key component to chronic pain management. There are plenty of doctors who will prescribe pain medications and help treat the symptoms of your condition, but those won’t help you on a long-term basis. You need to find a doctor who works hard to diagnose the root problem and develop a treatment plan suited to your individual needs. They also need to be willing to reevaluate the patient and update their treatment recommendations as things change, because chronic pain is a complex issue that can change over time. If you’re not satisfied with your professional pain care, reach out to Dr. Cohn’s office and see what it’s like to work with a pain specialist who is committed to seeing the problem through.

Your Support System – Finally, it’s important to have a support system in place when things get difficult. This could be in the form of family, friends or an online support group. Some people enjoy confiding in those who are close to them, while others feel like they don’t want to be a burden and don’t want to lay their problems on people who can’t relate. Find what works for you and really work to find a support system that can help you when things aren’t going great. You’ll have bad days, but having a good support system in place can make it easier to bounce back and string together more good days than bad. If you need help developing a support system, talk to your pain specialist about online or in-person support groups, or open up to family members. And don’t be afraid to be a support system for others in your life who are going through their own issues, be it divorce, a health issue or some other problem. Lean on others, and be a rock for others who need support, and you’ll find it easier to manage your chronic pain condition.

For more information or for help with your chronic pain condition, reach out to Dr. Cohn’s office today.

The Long Term Consequences Of Untreated Chronic Pain

January 18, 2021 / Thomas Cohn, MD

Chronic pain is something we’d rather not think about or deal with, but constantly trying to ignore your pain can lead to some unintended long term consequences. Left untreated, a chronic pain condition can lead to a decreased quality of life in a number of different ways. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at some of the potential long term consequences of untreated chronic pain.

Why You Need To Treat Your Chronic Pain

Here’s a look at five potential consequences of trying to power through a chronic pain condition without intervention.

1. More Pain – The most obvious potential pitfall of ignoring your pain condition is that you may be welcoming more widespread or intense pain. Sometimes your lifestyle has made your chronic pain condition worse, so if you keep doing the same things, it can lead to worsening pain. If your posture or work habits have led to chronic pain onset, and you don’t do anything to address it, odds are pain and dysfunction will only get worse.

2. Poor Sleep Quality – Chronic pain can affect our ability to get restful sleep, and if you don’t work to rectify the problem, you can string together weeks, months or years of less-than-ideal sleep. Over time this poor sleep quality can have plenty of physical consequences for your health. It can increase pain perception, contribute to a more sedentary lifestyle and increase your risk of future cognitive decline. Don’t string together long stretches of poor sleep quality because you didn’t treat your chronic pain condition.

3. Harder To Treat – While oftentimes not as serious as cancer, chronic pain conditions function much like a cancer diagnosis in that intervention techniques tend to have a higher rate of success when the condition is caught early and treatment begins sooner. The more damage caused by untreated chronic pain, the harder it is to successfully and fully treat the issue.

4. Poorer Cardiovascular Health – Studies have also shown that untreated chronic pain can actually have negative effects on your heart health. More specifically, chronic pain can decrease activity levels and increase stress, both of which can lead to a rise in your blood pressure. Over time, an elevated blood pressure level can leave you at risk for complications related to the condition, like coronary heart disease and even heart failure.

5. Decreased Quality of Life – All the above factors can play a role in the onset of the final factor, which is a decreased overall quality of life. Chronic pain affects our life in a myriad of ways, and added together they can all serve to make life a little less enjoyable. This gradual decline will only continue unless you take tangible steps to take control over your chronic pain condition, and Dr. Cohn and his team can help you do just that. For more information or for help with your chronic pain condition, reach out to his clinic today.