Pain management is a type of treatment or lifestyle to relieve pain. It can be achieved through different ways, such as medication, chiropractic care, or application of physical therapy. What’s more, it can also be done by non-pharmacological measures like meditation and massage. Whether you find resources online or join meditation classes Melbourne and other large cities provide, you can manage pain much more effectively.
The goal is to reduce the patient’s pain and help them live a more comfortable life. Read on to find out more about how to manage your pain.
How common is pain?
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare: “In 2020, one in five Australians aged 45 and over are living with persistent, ongoing pain.”
Pain can be described as an unpleasant feeling that alerts us to a physical injury or disease. It is defined by the International Association for the Study of Pain as a “unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage, or described in terms of such damage.”
Pain can be experienced in many different ways such as throbbing, burning, stabbing, shooting, dull ache, etc.
How can I manage pain?
Managing pain is a common problem for many people. Some ways to help alleviate pain are taking over the counter medications or using prescription drugs.
Possible causes of this problem include illness and injury. It affects the body’s nervous system. In this section we will explore different ways on how you can manage pain in your life.
Chiropractic care
Chiropractic care is the health care of the spine. Chiropractors focus on disorders of the musculoskeletal system, and primarily deal with back, neck, and joints. Chiropractors particularly address problems where pain and disability are caused by joint dysfunction, such as back pain or neck pain.
These healthcare professionals use alternative therapies that include spinal manipulation therapy to promote holistic and natural healing. Their main goal is to work with your body’s natural functions in order to promote musculoskeletal health.
There are many types of chiropractors: general chiropractors, paediatric chiropractors, sports chiropractors and neuro-muscular chiropractors (to name a few). To find out more about chiropractic, you may check the website of New World Chiro.
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) such as moxibustion
Chinese medicines are often thought of as holistic treatments, meaning they focus on the individual and their needs. Chinese medicine has been practised for thousands of years in China and other Asian countries, but is gaining popularity in the West as well.
According to the National Library of Medicine: “Moxibustion is a kind of external treatment; it is based on the theory of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and it usually bakes acupoints with burning moxa wool. Moxibustion can dredge meridians and regulate qi-blood and has been used to prevent and cure diseases for more than 2500 years.”
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a technique that involves inserting very thin needles through your skin at strategic points on your body. Acupuncture, a key component of traditional Chinese medicine, is most commonly used to treat pain. It is increasingly being used for overall wellness, including stress reduction.
Wrap up
Pain management is the use of therapeutic interventions to reduce or alleviate pain. Pain management can be achieved by both physical and psychological means.
Pain management is also an important part of palliative care and it may include the use of medications, traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture, and chiropractic care.
See which of these options work best for you and your body.
