Options for Pain Management in Ventura County
When seeking pain management in Ventura County, you may wonder what exactly the term means. Also known as algiatry, pain management refers to methods offered by experts seeking to help patients improve the quality of their lives by helping them cope with and reduce pain in a variety of ways. This pain may be the result of injury, illness or chronic conditions.
Generally, pain management requires a team of professionals, including doctors, psychologists, occupational therapists and many others. This team works to create a comprehensive pain management plan based on a patient’s individual situation.
In many cases, such as injuries that are apt to heal normally, pain can be alleviated or even resolved if its source can be found and treated. Often, simple pain medication, such as acetaminophen, can solve the problem until the patient recovers sufficiently from the cause.
Often, however, the discomfort is chronic and thus pain management in Ventura County requires a coordinated plan in order to properly control pain. Treatments may include a variety of medications, such as analgesics, anti-depressants or anticonvulsants. In addition, a treatment plan may include physical therapy or exercise.
If interventional procedures are required, a patient may also undergo things like epidural steroid injections, spinal cord stimulators, facet joint injections or neurolytic blocks.
Another approach is called physiotherapy, which may augment conventional therapy with a number of methods for pain management, including electrotherapy, behavioral therapy or therapeutic exercise.
In an increasing number of states, medical marijuana is now legal. Many patients claim it helps them effectively manage pain, and some studies have backed this conclusion. As a result, some medical professionals have been prescribing marijuana for certain pain sufferers.
Pain management in Ventura County is fast becoming an ethical issue, with many people arguing that pain management is a fundamental human right, and is one of the leading arguments for expanding access to health care. One result of this paradigm shift is that clinical guidelines and clear standards are being established for pain management professionals.
By Dr. James Lin
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