People with a spinal cord injury often have difficulty transitioning to everyday life. This is mainly because spinal cord injuries can drastically affect the quality of life and even make it drastically difficult. Also, since fighting pain can become a challenging situation for patients, overcoming these injuries or managing pain becomes essential to their recovery.
Pain management for spinal cord injury with chronic pain
Chronic pain management is one of the most vital aspects of the post-recovery process for patients. Since chronic pain can sometimes last for many months and years, there is a need for patients to learn and manage their pain. Furthermore, since chronic pain cannot be eliminated, learning how to manage or reduce it effectively becomes crucial for patients with such injuries. In such a situation, understanding the nature of the pain and working with a team of experts, including a spinal cord expert, will help you evaluate treatment options and find something that fits your specific requirements.
What are the types of spinal cord injury pain you may experience?
Before proceeding, it is essential to understand the various types of pain that a patient suffering from spinal cord injuries may experience. Some main types of pain that a patient may encounter include:
1. Neuropathic pain: Caused by abnormal communication between nerves damaged by the injury, neuropathic pain causes the brain to misinterpret signals coming from the area of injury. This can cause pain in regions where the patient does not feel otherwise.
Since neuropathic pain can vary from person to person, it becomes difficult to treat it with the same techniques. A combination of treatment methods is most effective in treating this pain.
Patience is the key to spinal cord injury rehabilitation. Image Courtesy: Shutterstock
2. Musculoskeletal pain: Caused by problems in the muscles, joints, or bones, musculoskeletal pain can result from injury, overuse or strain caused by aging, arthritic changes, and frequent use of a wheelchair. This type of pain is usually worse with movement and better with rest.
3. Visceral pain: Defined as pain in the abdomen, visceral pain is often described as cramping or dull aching in the stomach and digestive area. This pain can cause various medical problems such as constipation, kidney stones, ulcers, gallstones, or appendicitis.
How to manage pain after spinal cord injuries?
Since pain can affect each person differently, there is no single way to treat it. A combination of medication, therapy, and other treatment options is the most effective. Sometimes, psychological treatment may also be necessary so that the patient can overcome the anxiety and depression that can result from this type of injury. Here are some lifestyle tips that can help these patients:
1. Treat other medical problems
Since patients with spinal cord injuries can suffer from various medical problems, such as urinary tract infections, intestinal problems, skin problems, and sleep problems, it is also essential to treat them. Proper diagnosis of these situations can help make a person’s overall health and recovery better and smoother.
Also, read: 3 exercises you can do if you have a spinal cord injury
2. Stay physically active
While exercise may not be possible initially, becoming physically active is highly recommended as it can play a critical role in helping to improve a person’s mood and overall health. It can also effectively distract a person from pain. However, always consult a doctor before beginning any health regimen.
3. Treat depression
Many patients with serious injuries, including spinal cord injuries, tend to become depressed and anxious. In such a situation, the pain can worsen, making recovery an arduous process. In such a situation, seeking treatment for depression is critical to improving quality of life.
Stress can make your case worse. Image Courtesy: Shutterstock
4. Keep stress at bay
Stress can harm the recovery process, so learning how to manage stress through coping techniques is essential. Since these techniques can help you reduce stress, patients should seek the help of a counselor if they feel that anxiety is interfering with their recovery.
5. Lead a healthy lifestyle
Good lifestyle habits, including a good diet, reduced or no alcohol consumption, and saying no to smoking, can go a long way in helping a patient recover faster. Also, alcohol can harm your recovery since not many medications go well with drinking. If a patient wants to drink, he must first consult a doctor.
Everyone’s pain is a little different and it is recommended to keep track of what makes a patient feel better and what makes the pain worse.
Understanding the things that affect a person’s pain levels will help them and their doctors find effective ways to reduce pain.
Source: www.healthshots.com