PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR PAIN

“Chronic pain may lead to psychiatric pain if left untreated”, says Pain Specialist Dr. Sudheer Dara, whose experience in Pain Management covers 19 long years. Dr. Sudheer has also established Epione Center for Pain Relief to ensure proper diagnosis and treatment of pain. 

Where is pain triggered in the human body?

The triggering point can be anywhere in the body. It can be in the bone, the ligament, the skin, the muscles, or the tissues. Wherever the pain is triggered, it is transmitted through the nerve. Sometimes, the nerve itself can be the pain point, or any injury that has happened to the bone or to the nerve can be the pain point. Sometimes a disease like cancer can sit on the muscle and that muscle gets pressurized which leads to the generation of pain. 30 to 40 percent of chronic pain has no reason for the trigger. Even if the pain is subjected to a lot of investigation, the reason for it may not be found.

Are there any body parts that are more prone to pain?

Well, it depends on which body part is more subjected to continuous wear and tear. It depends a lot on the lifestyle too. For instance, the lower back is always in use. People bend while working, or they sit for long hours...some stand and work…Similarly, the neck muscles are susceptible.

Is pain mostly seen in men or women, or is it irrespective of gender?

The gender definitely has a role to play. The anatomy of the body differs. Also, there are differences in the lifestyle of the person. As the gender differs, the body habits change.

Women carry out a lot of household chores. They stand for longer hours. There are hormonal changes in a woman’s body, so they are more prone to chronic pain.

Male muscle is stiffer and stronger. In women, the loss of tensile strength leads to more chronic pain.

What happens if the pain is left untreated?

In the Indian context, often it so happens that even if there is the pain, we avoid taking medication or consulting the doctor. Even with no care, the pain disappears. But it recurs after a few weeks. If the pain is not treated well at the earliest, it usually causes local damage. From here, the electric impulses of pain signals travel to the spinal cord and brain. Over a period of time, there will be a lot of molecular changes and the pain may become stubborn. A case in which a simple measure could have treated the pain at the initial stage may now become a complicated case. No amount of treatment may be able to help relieve the pain. It is therefore essential to consult a doctor at the early stage of the pain. There are lots of patients who suffer from psychiatric problems because their chronic pain is left untreated.

What actually happens in a Pain Management Center?

A Pain Management Center ensures clear diagnosis of the pain. For example, 30 to 40 per cent of the population in the age group of 25 to 60 suffer from chronic pain. The patient may visit an orthopedician or a Spine Surgeon who search for surgical indications, but 90 percent of the cases will not display any such indication. It leads to no clear diagnosis.

At a Pain Management Center, the focus is on finding out what has generated the pain. The Pain Management Center investigates and then counsels. For instance, there could be knee pain. The Pain Management Center will find out the cause of the pain, for instance, if it is due to the loss of cartilage or ligament. Also, the treatment in non-surgical. 90 percent of the pain does not require any surgery.

Could you mention any technical advancements in the Pain Management field?

A lot of treatment procedures have become non-surgical. Say, in a knee joint problem, there used to be knee replacement. But now we re-generate the cartilage. We collect the patient’s blood, process it, take the stem cells and inject them in the area of the cartilage for it to regenerate. Such natural processes are being used in various modules.

Is there any advancement that you wish to see?

Firstly, I would like to see more Pain Management Centres in India. There are not many. Secondly, there are lots of new procedures that are wonderful for those suffering from chronic pain. But they are highly expensive. I would like the government and insurance companies to intervene and make these treatments affordable. 

Contact Numbers:  040 4855 4444, +91 84660 44441

Email: contact@epionepainandspine.com

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