5 Things Your Pain Specialist Wants You To Know

May 20, 2021 / Thomas Cohn, MD

Managing a chronic pain condition is easier if you come in the with right mindset and expectations, and as a pain care provider, we want to help set these expectations so that the process is a little easier on you. With that in mind, we’ve decided to share a few things about your pain journey that we believe will help you along the way. In today’s blog, we share five things your pain care team wants you to know to help make your path to recovery easier.

What Your Doc Wants You To Know

Pain is unique to the individual, but with that said, knowing these five things about your pain treatment plan can help increase your likelihood of finding success with your rehabilitation. Here’s what we want you to know.

1. It Will Take Time – There’s no magic pill to help completely take care of your chronic pain issue, so you need to come in with the expectation that treatment will take some time. Your condition likely didn’t just develop overnight, so it’s unreasonable to expect it to resolve in that way. Putting in the time and sticking with your treatment plan can help you live a pain free life down the road, which is something we all want.

2. It Will Take Work – Similarly, your pain condition isn’t just going to go away by laying in bed. Physical therapy and functional rehabilitation takes work. We’ll be with you every step of the way, and at times you probably won’t like us, but you’ll appreciate the work you put in when all is said and done.

3. Treatment May Be Multifaceted – As we’ve talked about on the blog in the past, chronic pain is often more than just a physical problem. There may be emotional, behavioral or psychological components to the physical manifestation of your pain. Treatment may need to involve more than just physical exercises, because other factors could be contributing to your issues. We’ll help diagnose those underlying factors and help you get the care you need.

4. It Will Get Better – We know better than to guarantee results, especially with a condition as complex as chronic pain, but we do believe that we can confidently say that if you put in the work, follow your doctor’s instructions and are patient, your pain condition will get better. You may not experience total pain relief, but we absolutely believe that we can help make your symptoms and pain more manageable. Trust us when we say that it will get better.

5. It’ll Be Worth It – Connecting with a physical therapist, putting in the work and being patient may seem like a tall task, but know that it will all be worth it in the end. You don’t deserve to live with daily pain, and you owe it to yourself to do what you can to take control over your pain condition. We promise you that the work you put in will be worth it, so while starting your journey to recovery may seem daunting, you’ll be better off because of it.

For more information, or for help with your pain condition, reach out to Dr. Cohn and his talented pain care team today.

More Americans Are In Pain Than Ever Before

May 12, 2021 / Thomas Cohn, MD

New research published in the journal Demography found that more Americans are dealing with chronic pain on a regular basis than ever before, suggesting that not enough is being done to treat individuals with underlying pain conditions.

According to the new data, there have been blanket increases across multiple pain reporting measures, with pain rising in every adult group, every demographic group and at every site of pain for which data exists.

“We looked at the data from every available perspective including age, gender, race, ethnicity, education, and income, but the results were always the same: There was an increase in pain no matter how we classified the population,” said Hanna Grol-Prokopczyk, associate professor of sociology in the University at Buffalo College of Arts and Sciences, and co-author of the paper. “You might think that with medical advances we’d be getting healthier and experiencing less pain, but the data strongly suggest the exact opposite.”

An Increase In Chronic Pain

For the study, researchers took a closer look at how chronic pain is affecting a large group of individuals. Most studies only focus on how chronic pain affects people over the age of 50, but this study looked at people between the ages of 25-84. They drew their data from responses to the National Health Interview Study, which involved more than 440,000 participants from 2002-2018.

Here’s a look at some of their findings:

In the US, chronic pain affects more people and has a greater economic cost than heart disease, diabetes and cancer combined.
In older adults, body mass index, hypertension diabetes and kidney conditions are associated conditions that correlate most with increases in chronic pain.
In younger adults, BMI, stress and alcohol use have strong associations with chronic pain trends.

“What we’re seeing in the younger age groups demonstrates how pain in some ways functions as much as a mental health problem as it does a physical health problem,” says Grol-Prokopczyk. “Pain can be exacerbated by stress, and stress can bring about alcohol use.”

The idea that chronic pain isn’t just a physical issue is something we’ve been preaching for a while now, so we’re happy that psychological factors are starting to get more attention as an underlying issue associated with chronic pain development. However, it’s clear that still not enough is being done about treating chronic pain conditions, and we fear that the pandemic has only worsened chronic pain conditions for many individuals around the globe. Hopefully policymakers take note and commit more funding to helping find solutions for individuals with chronic pain.

So while chronic pain may leave you feeling isolated, based on this data, it’s clear you’re not alone when it comes to pain conditions. If you want to take tangible steps towards getting your condition under control, reach out to a pain management specialist like Dr. Cohn who will take the time to conduct an accurate diagnosis and develop a solution that suits your needs. For more information, contact his office today.

Can Seasonal Allergies Make Chronic Pain Worse?

May 6, 2021 / Thomas Cohn, MD

Spring is in full bloom in Minnesota, and while the budding trees and colorful flowers may be pretty on the eye, they can also be hard on our bodies in the form of allergies. And when these allergies develop, they can make a chronic pain condition much worse. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at why seasonal allergies can make a chronic pain condition worse, and we explain what you can do to help combat both.

Allergies And Chronic Pain

Chronic pain is unique to the individual and can develop for a variety of reasons, so allergies won’t always trigger a chronic pain flareup. With that said, there are a few ways in which allergens can contribute to an increase in chronic pain symptoms. Here’s a closer look why:

Your Immune System – Allergens put additional stress on your immune system, which helps regulate inflammation throughout your body. If allergens worsen or incite an inflammatory reaction, certain chronic conditions can become affected. If you’re dealing with rheumatoid arthritis or another pain issue in your joints, inflammation can make movement painful.

Sneezing – Allergens can also cause you to sneeze regularly and forcefully, and this action can take a toll on certain areas of your body. If you are already dealing with a tension headache or chronic low back pain, a set of violent sneezes is only going to make the problem worse. Mild or moderate body aches can easily be agitated if allergens cause you to sneeze in excess.

Exhaustion – The burden allergies place on your immune system is felt throughout the whole body, which means you may tire sooner after activities if allergens are in the air, making it more difficult to find the motivation to exercise or do other activities that help to control chronic pain symptoms. Always feeling fatigued can contribute to a sedentary lifestyle, which can lead to additional pain flareups.

The Mental and Emotional Burden – Allergies can also have a profound mental and emotional impact on a person. If you have bad allergies, you may shy away from certain activities and outings with friends or family out of fear of an episode, and that can be damaging on your psyche. Even though the weather is warming up and the birds are singing, you may find that your anxiety and depression is worsening because of your allergies, and that mental stress can have physical manifestations in the form of chronic pain.

So if you deal with allergies and want to prevent them from making your chronic pain worse, talk with a pain prevention specialist like Dr. Cohn. We’ll work to treat both conditions and make it so allergy season isn’t such a burden on your body. For more information or for help with your chronic pain or allergy condition, reach out to Dr. Cohn’s office today.

What To Do When Chronic Pain Gets Worse

April 22, 2021 / Thomas Cohn, MD

We all hope that if we stick to a treatment plan that eventually our underlying health condition will resolve, but unfortunately that’s not always the case. At a minimum, we hope that treatment keeps symptoms from worsening, but sometimes it seems that no matter what we do, pain only gets worse. So what should you do if you find yourself facing a worsening chronic pain condition? That’s the focus of today’s blog.

When Chronic Pain Worsens

Every pain patient is different, so what works for one patient may not work for all. That being said, we’re confident that if you try a few of these tips, you’ll see some progress.

1. Don’t Give In – The first thing you need to do is not give in to pain. It can be easy to want to curl up in a ball and lay in bed all day, and while that may provide a modicum of short-term relief, it won’t do anything to put an end to your chronic pain on a long-term basis. It’s not easy, but you need to remain mentally, physically and emotionally strong in the face of a chronic pain condition. Mental health and physical pain expression are intertwined, so when you can’t control your physical pain, it’s important to try and stay on top of your mental health.

2. Talk To Your Doctor – If you haven’t been to a pain care specialist yet, now is the time to book an appointment and get an official diagnosis. If you already have a pain care provider, now is the time to connect with them and let them know your pain is getting worse and that your treatment isn’t working. During this appointment, it’s very important to be open and honest about your pain and your current treatment regimen. We’d rather you tell us that you haven’t been attending physical therapy instead of telling us that you have been going when you haven’t, because then we have an incomplete picture of your current treatment. Reach out to your doctor, be honest and see if changing your current treatment regimen may be in your best interest.

3. Double Down On The Good Stuff – Two aspects of your life that can typically help with your chronic pain condition that you have large control over are your diet and exercise routine. There are a lot of things you can’t control with chronic pain, but you can control what you put in your body and how much activity it gets. When everything else is going wrong, double down on these efforts. Make sure you’re getting daily exercise and plenty of healthy vitamins and nutrients from your food sources.

4. Work To Limit Stress – Outside sources of stress can actually make your physical pain worse, so work on eliminating stress in your life. Obviously this is easier said than done, but take a step back and really look at what’s causing stress and anxiety other than your pain condition. Some of these factors may be pivotal parts of your life, like your job or your family, but that just means you need to find new ways to manage these stressors. Exercise and taking time for yourself each day can help to reduce stress.

If you do all of these things, odds are you’ll be able to start successfully fighting back against your chronic pain condition. But if you want more hands-on help, reach out to Dr. Cohn’s office today.

5 Ways to Work Ergonomically

April 15, 2021 / Thomas Cohn, MD

The following is a guest blog by freelance writer Jessica Boyle.

Desk workers are more prone to chronic pain due to long hours of working in one position — especially if you’re in an environment with poor ergonomics. While it seems harmless, poor ergonomics can inevitably cause multiple health problems, including aching in the neck, lower back, and shoulders. Fortunately, there are many ways to personally manage your own chronic pain, and one thing that can provide immediate relief is creating a more ergonomic workspace.

That being said, here are a few ways you can work ergonomically:

Customize your desk and monitor – The default setup of your desk may not be the most ergonomic, so don’t be afraid to adjust a few things to ensure you’re not physically straining yourself. For one, make sure that your mouse and keyboard are positioned in such a way that your wrists are straight and your shoulders are relaxed while working. Your monitor should be directly in front of you, with the top of the screen at eye level. Additionally, you may want to get a laptop stand or a monitor arm if you’re using a desktop computer. To minimize clutter, get a desk organizer that can keep your essentials in one place.

Switch between sitting and standing – Aside from the aforementioned body aches, sitting for too long has even more dangers — such as increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke. You may think getting up to go to the bathroom or get water is enough, but you need more movement to compensate for all that sitting. In this regard, a standing desk can help you combat those negative side effects. It gives you some physical activity even when you’re just standing in front of your computer. Plus, it reduces back pain and lowers risk of type 2 diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.

Support your posture and back – The best seated posture is similar to sitting in the driver’s seat of a car: slightly leaning back, but ensuring that your screen is still at eye level. If your chair doesn’t have lumbar support, you can place a rolled up towel or a lumbar support pillow to ease pressure on your lower back. Moreover, check that the back of your knees aren’t touching the seat — as this could lead to swelling feet and ankles due to reduced blood flow.

Use ergonomic accessories – As its name suggests, these are accessories that help reduce the strain on your body — similar to ergonomic furniture. A few examples are split keyboards that let you type in a more natural posture, a mouse with a curve that’s easy to hold, and an anti-glare screen that helps reduce eye fatigue. All these little tools can make a huge difference to your productivity and overall wellness.

Take breaks to move – The above points can only help so much. It’s important that you still make an effort to take breaks to stretch your body, so you can relieve some pressure and get a mental breather as well. If you’re pressed for time, you can do stretches right there at your desk. But as much as possible, make time to get away from your desk — whether you’re just going for a quick walk or a 30-minute workout. Incorporating movement during your work day promotes circulation, keeps you awake, and activates your muscles. A recipe for better quality of work indeed.