4 Tips for Dealing with Pain During the Holidays

December 12, 2016/0 Comments/in Pain /by Matthew Thorson

The holidays can be a stressful time for many people with travel and family drama. Add chronic pain on top of all that and the holidays become no fun at all. But you can’t just skip your family Christmas or Hanukkah celebration. For most people, that’s just not an option. Thankfully, there are ways to manage your pain during holiday gatherings. In this article, we are going to offer a few tips for dealing with chronic pain during the holiday season.

Pain Management Strategy

First thing’s first – if you haven’t already, make an appointment with a pain management doctor who can diagnose the source of your pain and craft a treatment strategy that fits your needs. Having a pain management plan in place before the holiday season will make things much more enjoyable.

Manage Pain While Travelling

Whether you’re flying or taking a road trip, traveling long distances with a chronic pain condition is never any fun. If you’re taking medications for your pain, make sure you have enough for your travels and make sure you take your meds as directed during your trip.

Watch What You Eat & Drink

Holiday stress drives a lot of people to eat and drink to excess. While these activities may make you feel better in the short term, they will likely only delay and exacerbate the problem. So keep an eye on what you’re eating and drinking, and don’t overdo anything.

Exercise

Regular exercise is a great way to naturally fight stress and pain, but many people put their exercise routine on the back-burner during the holiday season. Keep working out when you can.

The pain management physicians at Advanced Spine & Pain Clinics of MN have over two decades of experience treating patients with chronic pain conditions. Our board-certified pain doctors have the knowledge and expertise to fully diagnose and treat the underlying condition that’s causing your pain. Don’t suffer through the holiday season in pain. Be proactive and get effective treatment for your pain. Contact us at our Edina pain clinic today to set up your appointment and find a pain relief strategy that works for you.

What to Do When You’re Feeling at a Loss with your Pain Care

It’s easy to feel discouraged when you’re in pain. If you’re on a pain management plan and it doesn’t seem to be working, it can be downright depressing. In this article, we will offer a few tips and suggestions for action when you’re feeling at a loss with your pain care.

Talk to You’re Pain Management Doctor

If you’re at a loss with the pain care you are receiving, your first step should be to speak with your current pain management doctor. Communication between doctor and patient is essential. If you don’t communicate your frustrations with your physician, nothing is going to change. Make an appointment, explain your situation, and see if there’s another treatment approach that might work better for your situation.

Don’t Be Afraid to Get a Second (or Third) Opinion

If you take the above step and your doctor doesn’t make any changes to your pain treatment strategy, it’s time to get another opinion.

In medicine, it never hurts to get a second opinion. Doctors are not all-knowing – we’re human just like you. One physician may have a completely different approach to treating your pain than another physician. So even if you’re discouraged, don’t give up hope! Instead, take action and get another opinion about your pain management strategy.

Twin Cities Pain Management

Advanced Spine & Pain Clinics of MN has over two decades of experience helping patients throughout Minnesota manage and control their pain. Whether you’re suffering from acute or chronic pain from an injury or a pre-existing condition, our pain management doctors have the skills and expertise to get you back on the road to recovery. If you’re unsatisfied with your current pain care, contact us today at our Edina pain management clinic to set up your appointment with one of our Twin Cities pain specialists.

3 Tips for Staying Sane with Chronic Pain

November 30, 2016/0 Comments/in Chronic Pain /by Matthew Thorson

Chronic pain is enough to drive a person crazy. Imagine all the tasks and responsibilities you deal with on a day-to-day basis. Now imagine that you have to accomplish all of your tasks while simultaneously dealing with pain that just won’t go away. Chronic pain makes even the simplest of daily tasks more difficult, leading to frustration, stress, and anxiety in addition to the pain itself. In this article we are going to offer a few tips for keeping your sanity when you’re dealing with chronic pain on a daily basis.

Stick to Your Routine

It can be easy to shut down and do nothing all day when you’re in pain. But if you do this all the time, it can exacerbate the pain and have a negative impact on your sanity. Stick to your daily routine as much as you can without pushing yourself too far. Having a structured schedule will help you maintain your sanity.

Find Fellow Pain Sufferers for Support

While it may not directly treat your pain, support from friends and family can significantly improve your outlook. You can also find support via various internet forums for people dealing with pain. Knowing that you’re not alone in your pain can go a long way.

Don’t Self-Medicate

A lot of chronic pain patients try to treat their pain themselves with over-the-counter medications, or worse, with drugs and alcohol. These methods may provide temporary relief, but typically make the pain even worse in the end. What you need to do is develop a strategic approach to treating the pain. This is where an experienced pain management doctor can help by diagnosing the cause of your pain, and piecing together a treatment plan that works for your needs.

The chronic pain doctors at Advanced Spine & Pain Clinics of MN have over twenty years of experience treating patients with painful injuries and conditions. Our providers are board certified in pain management and trained in the latest treatment methods including injection therapy and regenerative medicine techniques. We treat patients in the Twin Cities Metro area as well as greater Minnesota. If chronic pain is driving you crazy, don’t suffer in silence. Contact our Edina pain clinic and get the care you deserve.

3 Questions To Ask During your Appointment with a Pain Doctor

November 28, 2016/0 Comments/in Pain /by Matthew Thorson

Pain is a complex and confusing thing. You may not understand what’s causing your pain, or how to best treat it. There are many questions patients have about their pain, its causes, and associated treatment options. In this article, we are going to discuss some common questions patients have after their clinic visit with a pain management doctor.

What is the Cause of My Pain?

The first thing your pain physician should do is diagnose your pain. Without a solid diagnosis, you can’t hope to form a successful treatment strategy. So the first thing you should ask your doctor about is the source of your pain.

What can I Expect from my Pain?

Pain comes in many shapes and sizes. Some pain resolves quickly, while other pain recurs and comes back time and time again. Based on your diagnosis, your physician should be able to give you an indication of what you can expect from your pain moving forward. Remember, each patient experiences pain differently so don’t expect your doctor to give you an exact roadmap of how your pain will behave. But based on a proper diagnosis, they should be able to give you a general idea.

What Treatment Options are Available?

Appropriate treatment options vary widely based on what exactly is causing your pain. There is no one-size-fits all treatment option for a certain condition or injury. There are many different treatment approaches for a given condition. Your pain management physician should walk you through all of your options and recommend a treatment strategy that suits your needs.

Contact a Twin Cities Pain Doctor

Advanced Spine & Pain Clinics of MN is the premier pain management clinic in the Twin Cities Metro area. Our board certified pain doctors are trained and experienced in the most innovative pain treatment methods including trigger point injections, and regenerative medicine therapies. With over twenty years of experience treating acute and chronic pain patients in Minnesota, we have the experience and knowledge to give you the pain care you deserve, and answer any questions you may have about your pain. Contact our Edina pain management clinic today to set up your appointment with one of our skilled pain physicians and get on the road to recovery!

Can I Cure my Pain by Stopping a Certain Sport or Activity?

November 23, 2016/0 Comments/in Pain /by Matthew Thorson

Pain can be caused by a lot of different factors – from degenerative conditions, to acute injuries. Patients dealing with pain may find that their pain gets worse when the engage in certain activities, such as exercise, playing sports, or doing yard work. In these situations, patients will often just stop engaging in these activities in the hopes that it will reduce their pain. In this article, we are going to discuss whether stopping a specific activity (such as playing a sport) can reduce your pain.

Pain Caused by a Specific Activity

It is absolutely true that specific activities can cause a person’s pain. Your pain may be caused by an injury you sustained while playing basketball or lifting weights. Furthermore, certain activities can make pre-existing pain even worse. If you already have back pain, you may find that it becomes unbearable during exercise, or even during routine household tasks like doing the dishes or vacuuming.

Don’t Sacrifice the Activities You Love

While it is possible that a specific sport, exercise, or activity may be causing or contributing to your pain, you shouldn’t have to stop doing the things you love because you are in pain. The best course of action is to first identify the root cause of your pain. Once you have a diagnosis, you can work with a qualified pain doctor to find a pain relief strategy that fits your needs. This will allow you to continue exercising, playing sports, and engaging in the activities you love while simultaneously decreasing your pain levels.

Advanced Spine & Pain Clinics of MN has over two decades of treating patients with chronic and acute pain. Pain management requires open communication and collaboration with an experienced team of pain management specialists. Our Edina pain doctors are experienced in many types of pain treatment options including prescription opioids, injection therapy, regenerative medicine techniques, and more. Contact us today to learn more about your pain relief options and see how our Minnesota pain specialists can help you live a pain free life.

How to Remain Active When you suffer from Chronic Pain

September 26, 2016/0 Comments/in Chronic Pain /by Matthew Thorson

When you’re in constant or off-and-on pain throughout the day, it can be difficult to find the motivation to do anything. Many chronic pain sufferers find themselves stuck in bed, or on the couch wallowing in their pain. But getting up and being active can have a huge impact on decreasing your pain levels. In this article, we are going to discuss the importance of remaining active despite your pain, and also offer some tips for doing just that.

Why it’s Important to Stay Active

Chronic pain patients who plant themselves on the couch day in and day out often find themselves in a self-perpetuating cycle. They don’t want to do anything because of their pain, and their pain is exacerbated by sitting around and doing nothing. Being active, even for short periods each day gets the blood flowing and improves both your physical and mental well-being. Here are some physical activities you can do to remain active and do your best to beat back your chronic pain:

Go for a walk around your neighborhood
Take a trip to the grocery store
Go for a job, or visit the gym for some exercise
Take your dog for a walk
Ride a bike
Clean your house

Suffering from a chronic pain condition can make it difficult to do an intensive workout routine, but even mild exercise and activities like those listed above can have a profound impact on your chronic pain and mental state.

Chronic Pain Management in Edina

Advanced Spine & Pain Clinics of MN has over two decades of experience treating chronic pain patients in the state of Minnesota. Our primary clinic is located in Edina, but we treat patients in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and the surrounding Twin Cities suburbs. If you are a chronic pain sufferer, there are treatment options for keeping your pain at bay so you can live your life. From pain medication, to injection therapy, to regenerative medicine techniques – there are always pain relief avenues to explore. Contact a Minnesota pain doctor at Advanced Spine & Pain Clinics today and get on the road to living a pain free life!

Why you Shouldn’t Start Pain Management before Seeing a Specialist

September 21, 2016/0 Comments/in Pain /by Matthew Thorson

These days many people who are in pain try to diagnose their issue and treat themselves without visiting a doctor. The internet makes it especially easy to read about pain conditions, injuries, and treatment options. But self-directed diagnosis and treatment can be dangerous, time-consuming, and ultimately fruitless. In this article, we are going to talk about why it’s always a good idea to see a physician who specializes in pain management before you begin a pain relief plan.

Shooting in the Dark

Starting a pain management plan without first seeing a pain management specialist is like shooting in the dark. You may get lucky enough to hit something and find a treatment option that actually reduces your pain, but even if you do, you will likely waste a lot of time and energy before getting there.

You need someone to guide you in your search for pain relief tactics that work. Pain management is not a one-size-fits-all sort of thing. Pain is subjective and each patient experiences it in different ways. As a result, it’s incredibly difficult for patients to self-diagnose the underlying issue that’s causing the pain. Rather, it takes a skilled and seasoned pain management doctor to evaluate the patient’s condition, situation, and medical history. This holistic approach allows the physician to figure out a diagnosis, determine what’s at the root of the pain, and recommend steps for treatment.

Minneapolis Pain Management Specialists

Advanced Spine & Pain Clinics physicians have been treating Minnesota patients for acute and chronic pain conditions for the last two decades. We work hand-in-hand with patients and referring providers to make sure that each and every patient gets the specialized care they need. Contact us today if you are struggling through life in pain. Our primary clinic is located in Edina, but we serve the entire Twin Cities Metro area, as well as greater Minnesota. Drop us a line today to set up your appointment with one of our Minnesota pain specialists and get on the road to a pain free existence!

3 Tips for Not Giving up after Years of Pain

August 24, 2016/0 Comments/in Pain /by Matthew Thorson

When you’ve been living your life in pain for years it can be easy to fall into a depression and give up hope. But we’re here to tell you that there is always hope for effectively managing your pain. This article will offer some tips for patients who have been experiencing chronic pain for years or even decades.

Never Give Up Hope

We know how easy it can be to give up hope when you’ve been in pain for so long. But staying positive is absolutely essential if you want to successfully keep your pain under control. Try your best to maintain an optimistic attitude, spend time with friends, get out of the house. You may also benefit from some counselling and/or depression medication.

Find a Physician You Trust

It’s important to find a pain management physician you can put your trust in. Your physician should also have trust in you. It needs to go both ways for a successful long-term treatment relationship.

Investigate New Treatment Methods

Pain medicine is a constantly evolving landscape. Scientists, doctors, and researchers are constantly looking for and finding innovative new methods for treating chronic pain patients. If you have been in pain for years and it seems like you’ve tried everything under the sun to relieve your pain, consider some of the newer treatment methods that are becoming available. Regenerative medicine techniques like PRP therapy and prolotherapy are gaining popularity for their ability to reduce pain with natural regeneration.

Advanced Spine & Pain Specialists of MN’s pain management physicians have twenty years of experience treating Minnesota patients for all kinds of pain conditions. If you have been struggling through life in chronic pain, talk to a physical medicine doctor about your options. Even if it seems like you have tried everything, there are treatment methods available – you just need a skilled pain management physician to guide you. Contact our Edina pain clinic today to set up your appointment.

The 4 Most Common Pain Management Treatments

July 25, 2016/0 Comments/in Pain /by Matthew Thorson

With so many treatment options available to patients these days, it can be difficult to find the best treatment method for your situation. In this article, we are going to walk through a few of the most common pain management treatment options for patients suffering from acute and chronic pain alike.

Pain Medications

Perhaps the most widely utilized pain relief method across the board is the use of pain medications. These can be over-the-counter NSAIDs that you can buy at your local drug store, as well as prescription opioids, narcotics, and other drugs that require a prescription from a physician. Pills can be extremely effective at relieving pain. However, you have to be careful about addiction and overdose. Opioids in particular are highly addictive and easy to overdose on – which is why these drugs require a prescription. It’s important to work with an experienced pain doctor to make sure you are taking the right medications in the right amounts.

Injections

Pain management injections (such as steroid injections and nerve blocks) are another popular form of treatment, particularly for chronic pain patients suffering from nerve disorders. These injections can significantly decrease pain in the affected area. The length of pain relief varies with each patient, and patients with chronic pain typically return for routine injections once the effects of a previous injection have worn off.

Physical Therapy

A strategic physical therapy routine can greatly improve a patient’s pain – especially after an injury or surgical procedure. The effectiveness of physical therapy is highly dependent on having a skilled rehabilitation specialist – so make sure you get a referral from your pain doctor!

Regenerative Medicine

Regenerative medicine injections like PRP therapy and prolotherapy have become more popular in recent years as well. The goal of these injections is to help the body repair tissues, rebuild degenerated areas, and reduce pain.

The skilled pain doctors at Advanced Spine & Pain Clinics of MN are well versed in these and more pain management procedures. Our physicians have over two decades of experience treating Minnesotans for all types of pain conditions and injuries. Contact our Edina clinic today to set up your appointment with one of our pain specialists, reduce your pain, and take your life back!

Common Pain Management Terms Defined

May 16, 2016/0 Comments/in Pain /by Matthew Thorson

Pain management is a complex field of medicine. Physicians go to school for decades to fully understand all the existing medications, conditions, and procedures. Patients who haven’t gone through medical school can be overwhelmed simply by the terms and words that are commonly used when talking about pain management. In this article, we are going to define some of the more common terms you may run into if you suffer from a pain condition.

Acute & Chronic Pain

Perhaps the most general characterization of pain is acute vs. chronic. Acute pain refers to any pain that resolves and does not come back after an injury. For example, when you stub your toe on the couch and the pain subsides after a day or two – that is acute pain. Chronic pain is recurring. It may subside from time to time, but it keeps coming back. Fibromyalgia is a common example of a chronic pain condition.

Tolerance & Addiction

From the perspective of pain management, tolerance develops when a patient takes too much of a medication, resulting in the lessening of its effectiveness. This can sometimes lead to addiction, when a patient takes more of a medication because it’s not working, until they get to the point that they are dependent on the drug.

Analgesic

A blanket term for a medication or treatment focused on pain relief.

Nerve Block

A procedure to reduce nerve-related pain, in which a solution is injected into a patient’s nerves to disrupt the pain signals sent to the brain.

Opioids

Opioids are narcotic pain relief drugs that are prescribed to patients for pain control. These drugs are highly addictive and need to be closely managed by a pain management physician to avoid patient addiction.

Palliative Care

Palliative care refers to any pain management treatment plan focused on treating chronically ill or terminally ill patients.

At Advanced Spine & Pain Clinics of MN, our Edina-based pain management physicians have been helping patients with chronic pain conditions for the past two decades. If you are suffering through life in pain, make the decision to do something about your pain. Our chronic pain specialists can help you get to the bottom of your pain and offer options for treatment that fit your needs. Call today to set up your own appointment with one of our pain management doctors.

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