Pain Relief without Surgery: Is it possible?

Pain Relief without Surgery: Is it possible?

Pain relief remains one of the most studied concepts in both modern and traditional medicine. Several conditions result in pain, and managing these associated pain is crucial to effectively manage the patients themselves. One of the conditions associated with pain is arthritis, a medical condition characterized by inflammation or swelling of one or more joints resulting in pain and joint stiffness. There are different forms of arthritis, and the differences between them are based on the cause of this associated pain.

For instance, in osteoarthritis, due to the wearing off of the cartilage lining the articular surfaces of the bones forming the joints, the bones come into direct contact during movement hence resulting in pain while in Rheumatoid arthritis, destruction of the joint resulting from antibodies abnormally produced by the body causes the associated pain.

Conditions like neuropathies involving nerves, heart failure, endometriosis, cancers, and other diseases are also associated with pain.

Pain relief methods

Over the years, several methods for pain relief have been put forward, and these treatment options are as diverse as the causes of pain itself. From over-the-counter medications and prescription drugs to surgery to remove or fix the cause of pain, there are several approaches to pain relief used today. However, it should be noted that when treating pain, especially chronic (long-term) pain, no single method is guaranteed to provide absolute pain relief. Sometimes, pain relief such as arthritis pain relief may require a combination of several relief methods. Some common pain relief methods which have been proven to be effective include:

  1. Physical methods

Several physical activities such as walking, swimming, and exercise can help in pain management. For example, for rheumatoid arthritis pain relief studies have shown that regular exercise by patients with rheumatoid arthritis helps to provide relief of the associated pain. Some other physical methods used in pain relief include hot and cold therapy and acupuncture.

  1. Relaxation therapy

The feeling of pain is often associated with discomfort which results in anxiety and stress. Oftentimes, this anxiety tends to exaggerate the pain felt. Relaxation therapy is aimed at dealing with pain by reducing this associated stress and anxiety. Some techniques used in relaxation therapy include deep breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, and calm thinking.

  1. Mind-body techniques

While physical techniques and relaxation therapy focus on bodily and mental activities respectively to provide pain relief, mind-body techniques combine both to produce the same result. Techniques such as yoga and tai chi are part of the therapies used in this method of pain relief and have proven to be useful in this regard.

  1. Drug therapy

Drug therapy is by far one of the most common means of pain relief. Drug therapy could come as over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen and aspirin drugs prescribed by a physician. However, to ensure effective management of pain, it’s best to seek a licensed doctor’s consultation before taking any medication.

  1. Surgery therapy

Surgery is by far one of the most effective methods to guarantee pain relief. Although the surgery itself is a cause of pain, this form of therapy has been applied to remove pain-causing agents or fix damages that triggered the pain in the first place.

Pain relief without surgery

As mentioned earlier, surgery remains one of the most effective ways to manage disease conditions associated with pain. However, despite its effectiveness, aside from the already existing natural and medication therapy, some novel approaches have also been proven to be effective in providing pain relief without surgery. One of these techniques is stem cell therapy.

Stem cell therapy for pain

Studies have shown the effectiveness of stem cell therapy in pain relief for patients suffering from arthritis and neuropathies. Several conditions have available stem cell treatment options. For instance, in the treatment of arthritis, stem cell therapy for hips and other parts of the body with joints prone to these painful conditions is available.

However, like other applications of stem cell therapy in contemporary medicine, the use of stem cell therapy to manage pain is a relatively novel technique that shows great promise. Several countries where stem cell research is legal, have made tremendous breakthroughs in pain management. In the United States, the Los Angeles stem cell therapy institutes are among the leading research centers in Stem cell research.

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