chronic pain

Many US Service Members Battle Chronic Pain Daily

/ Thomas Cohn, MD

army chronic painA new report suggests that chronic pain is more common in military members than it is in the average population, an eye-opening statistic when you consider the physical capabilities needed to become an active service member. It also begs the question, “Are we doing enough to combat chronic pain among our men and women in the armed services?”

According to a new study by the nonpartisan group Rand Corp., between 31 and 44 percent of active-duty service members suffer from chronic pain. In fact, chronic pain is listed as the main factor leading to disability for active duty service members. Rand Corp. stated that the Defense Department has recently begun to take tangible steps to help combat the problem of chronic pain among our troops, but it’s not just about access to chronic pain care, it’s about access to quality pain care.

“Accurately measuring the quality of pain treatment is an essential step toward improving care,” the group said in its report.

Outpacing Civilian Chronic Pain

Chronic pain affects roughly 20 percent of the civilian population, so the fact that chronic pain among service members is roughly double that is a major cause for concern. And while being in the military is obviously a very physically demanding job, it’s not just about the physical toll that they put their body through, it’s also about the mental and emotional stress that comes with being a service member. When you also consider the stigma of wanting to appear tough and in turn delaying treatment, it’s easy to see why chronic pain is so prevalent in our armed forces.

“The substantially higher prevalence of pain among service members has been attributed to a high rate of injuries from deployments, the mental and physical demands of military service, and a possible tendency to delay care-seeking for painful conditions,” said Rand Corp. in their report.

Other findings from the report include:

  • Back pain and joint disorders are the most common types of chronic pain experienced by our troops.
  • Musculoskeletal pain accounted for 60 percent of limited duty days and the reason why 65 percent of soldiers were medically unfit to deploy.
  • Service members also experience more complex pain syndromes compared to the average citizen.

The only good news to come out of this report is that fact that because chronic pain is so prevalent, it’s easier to draw attention to the issue. If the military is willing to spend the money to help find chronic pain solutions for our troops, it may also spill over into chronic pain care for the average American. Better yet, the Department of Defense could fund billions of dollars into top notch research programs to help find treatments and cures for a wide range of chronic pain issues.

Regardless of whether or not you’re a service member, if you’re dealing with chronic pain, trust your case to an experienced pain management specialist like Dr. Cohn. He’ll work with you every step of the way to find an individualized treatment plan suited to your specific needs. Click here to learn how you can get in contact with his office.

How To Gain Independence From Chronic Pain

/ Thomas Cohn, MD

independence painIndependence Day is right around the corner. It’s a day when we all take time to celebrate America’s independence from Britain and spend time with friends and family. And while America was able to break free from something that was holding it back, chronic pain patients yearn for that same ability to be able to free themselves from their pain condition.

In today’s blog, we take a closer look at some of the things you can do to help you gain independence from your chronic pain condition.

Breaking Free From Chronic Pain

When it comes to gaining independence from a chronic pain condition, there’s no one-size-fits-all strategy that will be perfect for every patient. With that in mind, there are some general things you can do to help make it more likely that you can overcome your condition or help reduce symptoms. Here’s a look at some helpful ways to break free from your chronic pain condition.

1. Exercise and Movement – Exercise and daily movement are simple steps to help your body stay healthy, which should help with the expression of your pain condition. Exercise builds muscles so they can better support key structures, and it helps pump healthy blood throughout your body, which delivers vitamins and nutrients to vital areas that can help with pain control. You don’t have to go through a rigorous workout at the gym to achieve these benefits either. Go swimming or take the dog for a walk, anything that will get you moving.

2. Consult With An Expert – Dr. Cohn has helped treat people in all walks of life facing all sorts of different pain conditions, and he can do the same for you. You don’t need to fight this battle alone. Consult with an expert who is truly interested in figuring out what’s going on and how to best treat it. The first step in treating a problem is making sure that you know exactly what you’re dealing with, and a pain management specialist can do just that. They can also help you pivot to new treatments if your original plan isn’t producing results.

3. Count Your Small Wins – Everyone wants to be completely pain free, but that rarely happens overnight. Because of this, you need to acknowledge small victories and partial progress as it comes along. Celebrating your progress can help make it easier to stick to a care plan or with a physical therapy program, and that can make it more likely that you’ll eventually reach your end goal of being pain free.

4. Develop A Support System – Chronic pain can leave you feeling alone and isolated from the world, so it’s important that you have a support system to fall back on when things get tough. Whether that’s friends, family, an online support group or your medical team, make sure you have someone you can talk to or vent to when things aren’t going the greatest, or when you want to talk about the big strides you’re making. A simple Google search for “chronic pain online support group” should yield plenty of promising results.

5. Take Can Of Your Mental Health – Far too often we focus on the physical toll that chronic pain is taking on us, and we can ignore another important aspect of our health – our mental health. Poor mental health or feelings of anxiety and depression can make it much harder to get control over your chronic pain condition. It can also make it harder for us to find the motivation to do what needs to be done to combat chronic pain, which only makes it harder to break out of this cycle. Don’t ignore your mental health when you’re addressing your pain condition.

If you can do these five things, we’re confident that you’ll move closer to independence from your chronic pain condition. And for more information or for help with your pain issue, reach out to Dr. Cohn’s office today.

Western Diet May Be Making Chronic Pain Symptoms Worse

/ Thomas Cohn, MD

western dietMore than one in five adults in the US is living with chronic pain, and a new study suggests that our diet may play a big role in the expression of this pain. Conversely, making improvements in what we eat could help to lessen the impact that chronic pain has on our daily lives.

According to a recent study published in Nature Metabolism, Western-style diets, which are typically rich in omega-6 polyunstaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), may be linked to an increased risk of chronic pain. PUFAs, are common in foods like cured meats, processed snacks and fast food, which are oftentimes far too common in a Western diet. Moreover, the effects they have may be amplified in patients with comorbidities, like diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity.

Western Diet and Chronic Pain

Researchers looked at the effects of the Western-style diet on both mice and humans, and they found a connection between an increased presence of PUFAs and a higher likelihood of chronic pain symptom expression. For example, in patients with type 2 diabetes, researchers found that those with the greatest pain and those who were most likely to take pain medication to help calm symptoms had the highest levels of omega-6 fatty acids in their skin.

However, researchers were also encouraged by what these findings may mean for the average chronic pain sufferer. They found that both inflammation- and neuropathy-related pain may be improved through dietary modifications and healthy lifestyle changes. Additionally, certain medications could help to block the release of PUFAs into the bloodstream, further helping to relieve symptoms.

The good news is that we’re gaining more information each and every day on how different lifestyle factors can treat or exacerbate our chronic pain condition, and this study shows just how important it is to be cognizant of what we put in our bodies, especially if we’re overweight or dealing with diabetes. Diet and exercise are two controllable aspects of everyday life that have a major impact on how our body processes and expresses pain. Changing your diet likely won’t completely solve your chronic pain issue on its own, but if you pair it with exercise and you take care of your mental and emotional health, all signs point to you being able to better control or even cure your chronic pain condition.

It’s not going to be easy, which is why we’re here to help. If you want to get more information about your chronic pain condition, or if you want assistance altering your diet so that it helps relieve instead of contribute to your chronic pain condition, reach out to Dr. Cohn and his team of chronic pain specialists today. No two chronic pain conditions are the same, and we’ll give you the individualized attention to help solve your chronic pain problem. For more information or to get started on your chronic pain treatment journey, click here to learn how to get in contact with Dr. Cohn’s office.

Why The Right Chronic Pain Specialist Makes All The Difference

/ Thomas Cohn, MD

doctor chronic painChronic pain is a condition that affects tens of millions of people worldwide, and it’s one of the most difficult conditions to treat because of its complexity. In order to give yourself the best chance to reduce symptoms or successfully treat the underlying issues, you need a couple of things.

Not only do you need a positive mindset and a strong work ethic to follow through on your treatment recommendations, but you also need the right chronic pain specialist. In today’s blog, we explain why having the right chronic pain specialist by your side will make all the difference in your treatment for a pain condition.

Why You Need A Pain Doctor Who Cares

Finding a pain specialist who truly understands what you’re going through can make a world of difference. For starters, they’ll work to create a full work-up and a comprehensive diagnosis. Oftentimes a chronic pain condition is more than just a physical condition, so it’s important to have a specialist who can see how you’re being physically, mentally, emotionally and socially affected by the condition. Treatment will need to be multi-faceted in order to achieve best results and care for all aspects of your condition, so you’ll want a specialist who is willing to go the extra mile to understand all aspects of your pain.

You also need to find a pain specialist who wants to treat the underlying condition that’s causing your chronic pain, not just someone who works to mitigate symptoms. We understand that reducing symptoms can make life more bearable, but it’s kind of like putting a band-aid on a bullet wound. It won’t provide any long-term relief, and it may actually make it harder to treat your condition in the future if it continues to worsen or you begin to build up a tolerance to painkillers. It’s easy to prescribe opioids for a chronic pain condition. It’s hard to find the right active solutions. Find a doctor who is willing to do the hard work, because you’ll be better off for it.

A doctor who truly cares about your needs will also be a good listener and willing to adjust their recommendations based on your progress or lack thereof. Some doctors believe that their original diagnosis and treatment are best, even in the face of poor results. You need a doctor who is willing to listen to your concerns and pivot to new treatment options if something isn’t working. It sounds simple, but it’s not something you’ll find at every clinic.

Finally, it’s important to find a doctor who specializes in chronic pain care because they will have a wealth of experience dealing with the complex issues presented by your condition. While no two cases are ever the same, having extensive background with difficult-to-treat pain conditions can help you get a leg up on what’s bothering you. Some doctors do everything they can to help, but they simply lack the depth of experience to provide you with the level of care you need. A pain management specialist can give you that expert level of care that can make all the difference with your treatment.

If you’re looking for a provider who can check all of the above boxes, look no further than Dr. Cohn. He’ll do everything in his power to provide you with the individualized care you need to overcome your chronic pain condition. He’s done it for countless patients in the past, and he can do the same for you. For more information, or for help with your chronic pain issue, reach out to his office today.

Five Alternatives To Opioids For Chronic Pain Management

/ Thomas Cohn, MD

opioids safety drugsOpioids are a hot-button issue in the chronic pain community, and rightfully so. They can absolutely play a vital role in helping someone overcome a chronic pain condition, but they are also much riskier than other treatments that don’t carry a likelihood of overdose and dependency. We’ve seen firsthand how opioids can be a perfect compliment to a chronic pain management program, but we also want to give patients an opportunity to avoid painkillers if they so choose as part of their recovery plan. In today’s blog, we showcase five alternatives to opioids for chronic pain management.

Non-Opioid Treatments For Chronic Pain

Here’s a look at five non-opioid treatment options that may be recommended alongside or in lieu of a painkiller prescription.

1. Exercise – Exercise can work wonders for a chronic pain condition, but we understand how exercise can be hard to come by if you’re dealing with chronic pain. Find an exercise program that works for you, and know that any exercise is beneficial. You don’t need to run a marathon or spend two hours in the gym in order to do right by your body. Walking, swimming or cycling can all be beneficial forms of exercise that are not as hard on your body as some other forms.

2. Physical Therapy – Another way to condition and strengthen your body if you’re dealing with chronic pain is through a physical therapy program. Physical therapy involves targeted exercises and stretches developed by a professional who understands your unique situation and needs. This method can actually be more effective than general exercise because it focuses on weak points and specific body parts in need of attention.

3. Behavioral Health Intervention – Behavioral health intervention (BHI) helps to combat chronic pain by training the brain to change how it interprets sensory signals. The brain can become overwhelmed by sensory signals and misinterpret signals as pain sensations. A specialist can help to drown out these misfiring sensory signals or decrease their intensity through a variety of mindfulness-based techniques.

4. Sleep Improvements – While sleep alone won’t likely cure your chronic pain, regularly getting eight hours of uninterrupted sleep can do wonders for the expression of your chronic pain condition. Sleep is a restorative time period for the body where toxins are removed from key areas of our body and it can recover from the stresses of the day. Poor sleep can intensify pain signals and make it less likely that you’ll commit to the physical activities required to truly help fight your chronic pain condition. Improving your sleep quality is a key component to a comprehensive pain treatment plan.

5. TENs Unit – A TENs unit stands for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, and it uses low doses of electricity to drown out and block sensory signals that are being interpreted as pain by the brain. Chronic back pain and muscle pain are two types of chronic injuries that tend to respond well to a TENs unit. A pain management specialist can take a look at your condition and determine if a TENs unit is something that could be appropriate for your situation.

So if you want to try to control and treat your chronic pain condition without the assistance of opioids, consider one of more of the treatments on this list. Better yet, connect with Dr. Cohn and his pain management team to develop a comprehensive solution suited to your individual needs. For more information, contact him today!