Acute Pain Treatment

Monday, December 19, 2016

Everyone experiences pain at one time or another. Feelings of pain can range from mild and occasional to severe and constant. Dr. Edward Hill discusses acute pain treatment in todays 60 Second Housecall.

Dr. Hill:

Acute pain can be a difficult medical problem to diagnose and treat. It may be caused by many events or circumstances. Symptoms can last hours, days or weeks and are commonly associated with tissue injury, inflammation, a surgical procedure, childbirth or a brief disease process.

Your doctor will ask you about your symptoms and medical history. You may be asked to fill out a questionnaire to assess the intensity and location of your pain.

Diagnosing and treating the cause of pain is an essential aspect of treatment. Technological advances have refined the clinical assessment and management of pain.

Initial treatment may include some of the following:

Resting the affected part of the body

Application of heat or ice

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

Physical therapy

Opioid medications such as codeine or morphine, and

Muscle relaxant medications

A secondary tier of treatments may include:

Antidepressant medications

Nerve blocks using local anesthetics to block nerve activity

Trigger point injections to treat muscle spasms

Steroid injections to reduce tissue inflammation, and

Acupuncture

For North Mississippi Medical Center, Im Dr. Edward Hill.