For most, the term “pain management” creates haunting visions of pain medicine, drastic lifestyle changes and expensive doctor bills. In the sports medicine world, that same phrase paints a much rosier image.
“Not all pain is created equal.” Different types of tissue in your body can generate varying types of pain. Here’s a list of body tissues, which can all be located in the same small part of a joint, and the different types of “pain” sensed in each:
Nerves – Burning, numbness, shooting, weakness.
Bone – Stabbing, deep ache, shooting.
Muscle – Cramping, stabbing, shooting, aching.
Ligament – Instability, snapping, stabbing.
Cartilage – Catching, stabbing, pinching.
“I never really thought about how many different type of pain I can feel“, you’re probably thinking.
One of the biggest challenge facing a physical therapist, athletic trainer and doctor is asking the right types of questions and interpret their tests to find the source of pain in their patients. Pain management starts with finding where the pain is coming from.
Think about it this way: If we, the sports medicine specialist, can quickly determine that 90% of your pain is coming from, say, your supraspinatus muscle of your shoulder’s rotator cuff, we can quickly develop a rehab plan to reduce your specific pain.
Pain Management Plan
It’s time to stop focussing on pain pills as the solution for reducing pain in orthopedic injuries. Sure, check with your doctor to get his/her thoughts but know there are many safer, cheaper and effective ways to use physical therapy to reduce your pain.
Ice
Ice will reduce pain and swelling. Ice will hurt at first but it works. Toughen up and try icing your pain for at least 6 times before judging it’s results. Ice can change your life.
Methods of icing:
Ice Bucket – Place the injured/sore body part into a bucket of ice water. It’s an aggressive way to ice but the benefits are quick and lasting. Timing: 10 minutes max.
Ice Bags/Packs – Wrap with an ace bandage to add compression. Timing: 15 minutes max.
Ice Massage – Peeling down a paper cup filled with frozen water is the best way to ice a localized area of pain. Timing: 10 minutes max.
Massage
Massage will increase blood flow into a body part while increasing the lymphatic drainage out of an area of discomfort.
Flexibility
Good old stretching will lengthen tissue such as muscles, joints and fascia to reduce the pressure on nerves and painful soft-tissue while enhancing the blood flow into your entire extremity.
Hydro Therapy
When it comes to reducing pain, hydro therapy can consist of using a hot tub, cold tub, hot show, cold shower, cold mountain stream or a combo of both hot and cold water. The benefits of hydro therapy can range from relaxing painful tissue, numbing a body part, tricking the nervous system, altering the blood flow to an extremity and/or blocking the sensation of pain.
That last sentence may sound out of character or even barbaric when discussing a “medical” topic. The truth is I’m a huge fan of hydro therapy because it has a way of healing the body in a peculiar manner when other more scientific techniques fail.
Ending Ice Bag….
In closing, pain doesn’t have to be part of your day. Challenge yourself to find safe and effective ways to put pain in your rearview mirror. Initially, eliminating your pain completely may not be a realistic option. But just think how much better your lifestyle will be if you used these techniques to reduce both the intensity and the frequency of your pain by just 50%?!
NOW is the time to rewrite your Pain Management Plan. Let me know how I can help you to beat your pain the smart way.