10 Pain Management Strategies for Busy Medical Practices

Pain management is a hot topic for all healthcare practitioners. But what about the busy medical practices? The ones who see a high volume of patients every day, and don’t have the luxury to spend lengthy periods with each and every patient understanding their needs? How can they provide quality pain management to their patients in such a limited time? Especially in the uncertain times of dropping reimbursements by the medical insurance companies. Luckily, there are lots of ways that you can get creative with your approach to managing patient pain while still seeing as many patients as possible. In this blog post, I will be sharing 10 strategies for providing effective pain relief without spending too much time on it.

As specialists at the Journal of General Internal Medicine report: “Chronic pain complaints are the second most common reason for outpatient primary care visits: over 100 million Americans suffer from chronic pain, more than the total number affected by heart disease, cancer, and diabetes combined. Painful conditions also burden the U.S. economy, costing $635 billion each year in medical treatment and lost productivity”.

These are 10 interventional and not interventional pain management strategies that busy medical practices should consider. Here is a list of ten:

1. A referral to a physical therapy office that can perform conservative procedures like heat therapy or ultrasound. Those procedures can provide temporary relief from certain types of chronic and acute pain. Physical therapy is also a form of pain management because it alleviates the pain by stretching the affected muscles, generating heat, and increasing blood flow to the compromised muscle tissues. Physical therapy helps relieve chronic back and joint pains by focusing on strengthening and stretching exercises. It helps with chronic pains because it addresses the root cause of one’s body's reaction to stress or injury.
2. Pharmacological treatments to help with both chronic and acute pain include opioids for short-term relief and anti-inflammatories, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). NSAIDs are one form of pain management that has helped many people with chronic pain control their symptoms. NSAIDs work by inhibiting inflammation in the body, which is the root cause of pain. Some examples of NSAIDs include ibuprofen (Advil), naproxen (Aleve), and aspirin.
3. Spinal cord stimulation therapy to treat chronic back and leg pain is another interventional strategy that busy medical practices can consider. Nerve blocks done by interventional radiologists and pain management specialists to prevent pain from nerve damage are also often beneficial for patients with severe, chronic conditions.
4. Acupuncture is a form of traditional Chinese medicine that involves the insertion of fine needles into the skin at specific points on the body. Acupuncture is often used to manage both chronic and acute pain. The purpose is to relieve pain and promote healing. Acupuncture can be used alone or in combination with other therapies, such as physical therapy or medication. Acupuncture is generally safe when performed by an experienced, licensed practitioner. Acupuncture needles are very thin, and most people feel little to no pain during the insertion process. Those who have a fear of needles can be offered topical numbing cream before treatment begins. Soothing music during acupuncture treatment can also help to relieve the stress and anxiety associated with the needles’ insertion.
5. A referral to the pain management specialist is also one of the viable options. Pain management specialists can perform interventional procedures like nerve blocks or epidural steroid injections that inject medications into the spine to block pain signals before they reach the brain. Medial branch blocks and radiofrequency ablations are also procedures performed by pain specialists.
6. Yoga is a traditional practice in India and is considered a means to reduce stress. It has been an integral part of Indian culture for centuries. Yoga is immensely popular with people from all walks of life. Today, yoga has been recognized as an effective treatment for anxiety disorders, depression, insomnia, and other physical problems. Yoga also helps in improving our immune system by improving the flow within the lymphatic system. In this way, our body becomes less prone to infections during flu season or any other time of the year.
7. A referral to a neurosurgeon is also a possibility. Nerve decompression surgery is effective in many cases of neuropathic leg and foot pain caused by pinched nerves but should be considered as a last resort. Neurosurgery is a surgical specialty demanding a high level of specialization and training. The discipline is primarily concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of disorders that affect the nervous system including the spinal cord, brain, cranial nerves, peripheral nerves, autonomic nervous system, neuromuscular junction, and muscle spindles. Neurosurgeons are responsible for treating diseases that affect the normal functioning of the brain or that produce sharp pain in nerve-rich areas.
8. Chiropractic adjustments are a medical treatment that relieves pain and discomfort by manipulating joints, the spine, and the other parts of the body. A chiropractor adjusts a patient's body to help correct any problems with intervertebral discs, vertebrae, muscles, ligaments, or other parts of the body.
9. Massage may help reduce pain by relaxing the tense muscles. Massage may also increase the production of endorphins and serotonin, which can help with the pain. Massage is an effective way to manage chronic musculoskeletal conditions such as low back or neck pain. Massage is a non-invasive treatment that can reduce pain and relieve stress. Studies show massage therapy improves mood and function in patients with depression, anxiety, or chronic pain. And while research on specific techniques has been limited, there is some evidence using deep tissue massage has helped patients with fibromyalgia and interstitial cystitis.
10. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) therapy is a non-invasive intervention for chronic pain management. It is used in physical therapy by utilizing the use of electrostimulation, which is the delivery of electrical energy through the skin. This type of therapy is widely used to treat acute and chronic pain.

Conclusion:

It can be difficult to find the right pain management strategies for your busy medical practice, but I have listed 10 of my favorites. Whether you need interventional pain management or non-opiate medication management, these solutions will allow you to provide a variety of treatment options and give your patients what they need most: relief from chronic pain. In addition to providing education about various treatments, you must have an open dialogue with each patient so that they feel comfortable enough to share their needs and concerns with you. Remember that no two people are alike – some may prefer physical therapy while others might benefit more from spinal cord stimulation therapy or nerve decompression surgery – so listen carefully when discussing different pain management options with them. Do not forget to let us know if you have any questions about interventional pain treatment or non-opiate medicine management. We enjoy chatting!

Reference

Seal, K., Becker, W., Tighe, J. et al. Managing Chronic Pain in Primary Care: It Really Does Take a Village. J GEN INTERN MED 32, 931–934 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-017-4047-5