ORTHOPEDICS/OSTEOPOROSIS
Osteoporosis is frequently the reason of extremely painful cracks that may take several months to recover.
In numerous situations, pain decreases gradually with the crack healing that frequently may endure nearly three months.
Pain that remains after such period (3 months) is classically considered as a chronic pain.
One most chronic pain is vertebral cracks: when a vertebra crack, some persons do not feel pain, while others have severe pain with muscle tremors that last long, even after the crack has healed.
Description of Pain?
Pain is the body’s reaction to damage. When a bone cracks, a pain message by the nerves through the spinal cord to the brain where this message is explained.
Many factors will define pain response, including the expressive attitude of the body.
As an example, sadness appears by increasing pain view and diminish the skills to cope with it. Frequently, treating sadness treats the pain as well.
On the other hand, chronic pain is pain that lasts longer and beyond the expected time for recovering and inters with routine. Even after healing, the pain remains. The pain message may be defined by:
Muscle tension, or stiffness, or weakness, or even spasms
When visiting Doctor
As said before, chronic pain last longer and enters normal life. Add to that, feelings of frustration, anger, and fear can make the pain more penetrating and can affect all the sequences of your life.
Chronic pain should be taken seriously and necessitates a doctor visit to discuss these coping attitudes.
Osteoporosis/ Pain supervision physical approaches
There are many possibilities for osteoporosis-related pain supervision.
Ice and Heat
We all know that Ice packs provide pain relief by distressing the pain-sensing nerves in the affected zone. Even cold pack helps as well reducing the inflammation.
In addition, we know that heat by warm showers or hot packs may reduce chronic pain or stiff muscles.
Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS)
TENS are small devices that send electrical impulses to some fragments of the body to block pain signs:
Two electrodes are placed on the pain zone of your body. The electrical shocks produced are very mild, but may prevent pain messages from being transmitted to the brain. So, pain relief can endure for several hours.
Some people may use a small, portable TENS unit for more permanent relief.
Note that TENS units should only be used under the supervision of a physician or physical therapist.
Supports and Braces
Spinal supports or braces decrease pain by restricting motion.
Following to a vertebral crack, a back support called brace will decrease pain and permit resuming normal activities waiting the crack to healing.
However, permanent use of a brace can weaken the attached muscles. For this reason, adequate sports activities are required to strengthen the back muscles.
Bodybuilding
weakness and loss of muscle mass and strength are the result of an extended laziness or inactivity.
Therefore, Bodybuilding is recommended to rise the body’s level of endorphins (natural painkillers created by the brain) and may relieve pain accordingly.
Remember that a regular Bodybuilding program helps regaining strength and energy, as it helps relieving tension, in addition to increasing flexibility and strengthening muscles and reducing tiredness
Physical Treatment
Therapists can help recovering situation to prevent more damages.
Physical therapists can explain safe attitude and movements to strengthen the back and abdominal muscles without hurting a deteriorated spine. For example, water treatment in a pool can progress back muscle strength and decrease pain.
Acupuncture and Acupressure
Acupuncture is a treatment using particular pointers inserted into the body at particular points. These pointers motivate nerve endings and incite the brain to issue endorphins. Treatment may take more than one acupuncture session before the pain is calmed.
Acupressure is a treatment through direct pressure applied to the painful zone to alleviate pain. Note that Acupressure can be self-administered without the presence of a coach.
Treatment by Massage
Massage relieves pain. Treatment by massage relaxes stiff muscles, and soften muscle bumps by increasing the blood supply to the affected zone.
Massage can comprise gentle pressure over the affected zones or hard pressure over trigger points in muscle knots.
Note: if you suffer of spinal osteoporosis, deep muscle massage should not be effectuated near the spine.
Relaxating Exercises
Relaxation necessitate concentration with slow and deep breathing to release tension from muscles and release pain.
Relaxating exercise can focus attention away from pain and discharge tension from all the muscles.
What is Bio-feedback?
Bio-feedback is a concept of special machines used by a professional to help learning how controlling body functions, such as heart rate and muscle tension.
As you learn to discharge muscle tension, the machine instantly shows success.
Bio-feedback can be used to reinforce relaxation exercices. Once the technique is mastered, it can be experienced without the use of the machine.
Visual Imagery
Visual imagery involves focusing on mental images of pleasant scenes or events or mentally recapping positive words or phrases to decrease pain.
Distraction Methods
Distraction methods concentrates your attention away from negative or painful pictures to positive mental feelings.
This technique may embrace simple actions such as: watching television, or reading a book, or listening to music, or talking to a friend.
Hypnotherapy (Hypnosis Treatment)
Hypnosis can be used in two techniques to decrease your awareness of pain.
Some people are hypnotized by a therapist and given a post-hypnotic proposal that decreases the pain they feel
Others are called self-hypnosis and can hypnotize themselves when pain disturbs their aptitude to moving. Self-hypnosis is a relaxation exercise type.
Individual, Group, or Family Treatment
These types of psychotherapy may be suitable for those whose pain has not responded to physical procedures.
People who suffer from chronic pain frequently experience emotional stress and depression.
Treatment can help coping with these feelings, making it simpler to manage pain.
Medicines for Pain Supervision
Medicines are the most popular method to manage pain.
Generally medicines for above the mentioned case comprise:
Aspirin, Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen…
Although these are possibly the safest pain existing relievers, they sometimes cause side effect such as stomach irritation or bleeding.
In addition, Narcotic drugs may be prescribed for short-term severe pain. These drugs should not be used for long periods because they are addictive and can affect your capacity to thinking obviously. They also have other side effects, such as constipation.
Persons with permanent pain that has not responded to other procedures of pain relief, are treated with antidepressant medicine. These drugs may work in a different manner when used for treatment of durable pain.
Clinics
To conclude: when you feel having chronic pain that has not responded to any therapy, you should consult a physical therapist or a clinic specializing in pain supervision.