Chronic Pain Relief Methods

There is no "one-size-fits-all" universal solution to chronic pain. Currently, the most effective core logic recognized clinically is a combination of "pain desensitization + functional reconstruction + trigger avoidance". The selection of specific methods requires personalized adjustment based on the cause, location, and tolerance of pain. Blind pursuit of "complete cure" can easily lead to detours.

I have been in the rehabilitation department for almost 8 years, and I have seen too many people regard chronic pain as a "terminal disease that will never be cured in this life." They either deal with it or try random remedies, and in the end turn a small problem into a big trouble. Not long ago, I met a 32-year-old programmer named Xiao Wang. He suffered from chronic low back pain in the lumbar protrusion for three years. He tried plasters, acupuncture, and bone setting. But whenever he worked overtime to catch up on a project, it would relapse. The pain was so severe that he had to stand up and shake after sitting for 10 minutes. Later, I didn’t do any special treatment. I just replaced the long-siting office chair with a lumbar support. I set the alarm clock to stand up every 40 minutes to get a glass of water. I followed a rehabilitation practitioner for 15 minutes of core practice two nights a week. When the pain was severe, I put on a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory topical patch. Now I can still have a bit of pain in my waist after staying up late at night, which basically does not affect my normal life.

In fact, many people have a wrong understanding of chronic pain. It is more like a smoke alarm at home that has been adjusted too sensitively. Originally it would only go off when there is a fire, but now it keeps beeping when there is some smoke while cooking. If you just disconnect the battery (for example, blindly using strong painkillers to completely block the pain), you won't notice that something is really wrong. ； If you kick the alarm twice every day (such as carrying it to do heavy work when it hurts), it will only make it more sensitive.

When it comes to painkillers, the differences between different schools are actually quite large. The mainstream view of Western medicine is that if pain has affected sleep and normal life, priority should be given to pain control with drugs with low side effects, such as commonly used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and diclofenac sodium. Short-term use does not pose a big burden. If you are worried about gastrointestinal reactions, you can also choose external patches for transdermal absorption, which have fewer side effects, but the relief effect on deep pain will be weaker. However, many supporters of traditional Chinese medicine believe that "medicine is responsible for three parts of the poison" and recommend external treatment methods such as moxibustion and acupuncture. In recent years, more and more clinical studies have confirmed that formal acupuncture has a high rate of relief for neck and shoulder pain and primary low back pain. It is especially suitable for people who are intolerant to drugs. The only thing to pay attention to is to find a qualified and formal institution. Don't go to unlicensed shops on the street for random treatment. If it pierces the internal organs or nerves, the gain will outweigh the loss.

There is also an interesting controversy: should chronic pain be rested or moved? Practitioners of American chiropractic mostly advocate adjusting joint dislocations first. Many pains caused by small joint disorders can be relieved by 70 to 80% immediately after reset. However, sports rehabilitation practitioners often feel that this relief is not lasting. The core still needs to train the surrounding muscle strength to "hold" the dislocated joints to prevent recurrence. I once met an aunt in her 60s who suffered from back pain for almost a year. She felt better within a week after the chiropractic surgery. Later, she practiced glute bridge and dead bug pose for 3 months, and her core strength improved. Now she has no pain for more than half a year. In fact, both statements are correct. If you have obvious joint snapping or dislocation in the painful area, it is okay to see a regular doctor for reset first, but you must follow up with strength training, otherwise it will treat the symptoms but not the root cause. Of course, there are exceptions. If your pain is due to a herniated lumbar disc that compresses the cauda equina nerve, or the knee joint has severe cartilage wear, practicing blindly will aggravate the injury. At this time, you must listen to the doctor and rest when you need to.

Many people spend a lot of money on treatment, but the pain still comes back again and again. Most of them have not found the cause of their pain. I generally recommend patients who have just developed chronic pain to keep a pain diary for two weeks: when did it hurt, how long did it last, what did they eat and do before, and how severe the pain is. Most of the time, you can find a pattern after writing it down. Not long ago, a girl in her 20s suffered from migraines for several years. After keeping a diary, she discovered that she always drank iced coffee before her period. Later, she switched to drinking hot American coffee, and the frequency of headaches dropped by half. There is also a young man who has been working out all year round and has always had shoulder pain. In the end, it was discovered that it was caused by habitually locking his elbows when bench pressing. After changing his movements, he did not take any medicine or physical therapy, and the pain disappeared on its own.

In the past two years, psychological adjustment methods such as mindfulness and breathing training have also become very popular. Those who criticize them say that they are an IQ tax, and those who brag about them say they can cure all diseases. Objectively speaking, current clinical data shows that the relief rate of mindfulness for fibromyalgia and chronic tension headaches is about 30%-40%. It mainly works by regulating the pain sensitivity of the central nervous system. It is especially suitable for people who have taken a lot of films and found no problems, but only have a dull pain. If you try it and find it useful, then continue. It is normal if it does not work. It is not effective for everyone.

I myself suffered from chronic neck pain in the past two years because I kept my head down when writing medical records. I tried hot compresses, acupuncture, and massage. Finally, I found that spending 10 minutes standing against the wall after get off work every day and hiking once on the weekend was more effective than any plaster. Of course, this method only works for me. It’s normal if it doesn’t work for you. After all, the causes of pain are different for everyone.

After all, the relief of chronic pain is never a unilateral matter for doctors. Your own perception of your body is more accurate than any high-end instrument. Don’t always think about “eliminating” the pain completely, and don’t endure it until you can’t bear it before going to the hospital. First, check to see if there are any organic problems, and then slowly try a method that suits you. Finding a rhythm of peaceful coexistence with the pain is better than anything else.