Pain Management
Additional and complementary therapy
Physiotherapy
Pain often stops many people from using the part of the body that hurts, leading to muscle wasting and joint stiffness (which in turn may make pain and disability worse). Physiotherapy helps the treatment of the disease or injury by physical means, which in turn will lead to an improvement in pain relief.
Stimulation
Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) is often used to treat patients with chronic pain, including those with neuropathic pain (such as postherpetic neuralgia). TENS involves a small, battery-powered instrument that delivers rapid pulses of a mild electrical current to pairs of electrodes applied to the skin. The treatment is adjustable depending on the level of pain that a patient is experiencing at a particular time.
TENS machines provide only immediate relief rather than a long-term solution. For this reason, TENS is usually used as part of an overall pain management programme rather than as a stand-alone treatment.
Psychological treatments
Psychotherapy, hypnosis, music and art therapy, imagery, distraction therapy and sharing experiences in support groups can all help patients cope.1
Nerve blocks
In some cases, when pain cannot be controlled by any other means, the nerves can be irreversibly disrupted by chemical or surgical processes to block the pain.
Complementary therapies
There are many types of complementary therapy available aimed to help people with chronic pain including acupuncture, reflexology and therapeutic touch. Chiropractors and osteopaths use manipulation of joints and soft tissues for relief of symptoms. Some chronic pain sufferers have been helped by homeopathic remedies, massage and the Alexander Technique, which focuses on correct posture.
Reference:
1) Zara C, Sellick SM, Willan A, et al. Health care professionals’ familiarity with non-pharmacological strategies for managing cancer pain. Psychooncology 1999; 2:99-111.