Some Sobering Facts About Pain:
- Pain is the most common reason for physician appointments in the United States.
- Some 50 million Americans are suffering with pain.
- About 1 out of 3 people are affected by pain.
- About 140 million doctor office visits each year are for “pain management” or control – not real relief!
- Pain can destroy your quality of life.
Pain slowly wears down your immune system and other functions, so you can get sicker earlier and need medical attention that you could have avoided. Limitation of activities and increasing social isolation can reduce employment opportunities and challenge relationships and family support systems. So... if there were something you could do about it, wouldn’t you?
Welcome to Pain Free Finally
Hello. My name is Dr. John Parks Trowbridge and I want to invite you to join me on an exciting journey to learn about an extraordinary new approach to relieving pain caused by joint problems, injuries, neurological conditions, and more!
Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about how you can positively reduce your pain levels and find lasting solutions - Take this quick 3 minute Quiz.
Here’s a quick review of your options, with possible benefits and risks of concern …
Resting
Some people think that doing less or avoiding certain aggravating activities will reduce pain. Adequate restful sleep might provide the most value in this approach.
- Likelihood of Lasting Relief: Low
- Risks: High
Pros:
- No cost
Cons:
- Pain is a 24/7 prospect as it gradually worsens, especially as you increase activities – or slowly waste away, becoming weaker and less enthusiastic
- Pain slowly wears down your immune system and other functions, so you can get sicker earlier and need medical attention that you could have avoided
Stretching
Some doctors, physical therapists, and even well-meaning friends, suggest that stretching might be all you need to feel better. Various home and office traction systems sometimes provide limited relief for neck and back pain syndromes.
- Likelihood of Lasting Relief: Low
- Risks: Low
Pros:
- Some level of improvement is possible, and any brief or lasting comfort might not cost anything
Cons:
- Pain is a 24/7 prospect as it gradually worsens, especially as you increase activities – or slowly waste away, becoming weaker and less enthusiastic
- Improvements usually depend on continuing participation commitment
- Limited improvement fails to give complete or permanent relief
Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic care focuses on the relationship between the body's structure—mainly the spine—and its functioning. Although practitioners may use a variety of treatment approaches, they primarily perform adjustments (manipulations) to the spine or other parts of the body with the goal of correcting alignment problems, alleviating pain, improving function, and supporting the body's natural ability to heal itself.
- Likelihood of Lasting Relief: Medium
- Risks: Low
Pros:
- Some level of improvement is possible
- Any brief or lasting comfort might involve infrequent sessions
- Some chiropractors can advise complementary home stretching or exercises
Cons:
- Limited improvement fails to give complete or permanent relief
- Improvements usually depend on continuing participation commitment
- Chiropractic care can be expensive
- Some people cannot tolerate the various adjustments, procedures, or advised exercises, especially if they aggravate pain
- Some conditions are not responsive to any chiropractic programs
Over-the-Counter & Prescribed Medications
Doctors and other types of health professionals may recommend a variety of medications, which may be administered as pills, liquid, spray, injection or intravenous drip.
- Likelihood of Lasting Relief: Low
- Risks: Medium to High
Pros:
- Effective relief sometimes available with infrequent and minimal doses
Cons:
- Prolonged or excessive use can cause unpleasant, and even life-threatening, side effects
- Pains due to injuries might respond only to a limited extent
- Improvements usually depend on continuing intake
- Some conditions are not responsive to any medication
Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS)
TENS is a method of pain relief involving the use of a mild electrical current. A TENS machine is a small, battery-operated device that has leads connected to sticky pads called electrodes. You attach the pads directly to your skin. When the machine is switched on, small electrical impulses are delivered to the affected area of your body, which you feel as a tingling sensation. The electrical impulses can reduce the pain signals going to the spinal cord and brain, which may help relieve pain and relax muscles. They may also stimulate the production of endorphins, which are the body's natural painkillers.
- Likelihood of Lasting Relief: Low to Mediium
- Risks: Low
Pros:
- Some level of improvement is possible
- Any brief or lasting comfort might involve infrequent sessions
- Once instructed, easily practiced without any further training or assistance
Cons:
- You can’t use it if you have a pacemaker, infection or open wounds
- Limited improvement fails to give complete or permanent relief
- Improvements usually depend on continuing participation commitment
- Some conditions are not responsive to any form of electrical stimulation
Pain Relief Topicals
Doctors and other types of health professionals may recommend various topical creams, gels or sprays containing various compounds or oils.
- Likelihood of Lasting Relief: Low
- Risks: Low
Pros:
- Effective relief sometimes available
Cons:
- Side effects such as skin irritation can be significant
- Pains due to injuries might respond only to a limited extent
- Improvements usually depend on continuing usage, which can be costly over time
- Some conditions are not responsive to any topical approaches
Surgery
Certain injuries or conditions require more urgent surgery in order to rescue nerves from compression or joint structures from worsening damage. When more immediate need is not present, other non-surgical measures might provide sufficient relief that surgery (also called “operative intervention”) might not be needed soon or at all.
- Likelihood of Lasting Relief: Depends on many variables for each patient
- Risks:
- Depends on many variables for each patient
- Anesthesia presents its own personal risks
- Postoperative recovery can be fraught with any number of unanticipated complications
Pros:
- “Complete” recovery is possible
- “Replacement parts” might provide recovery of sufficient function with marked or even complete relief of pain
- Even a moderate reduction in pain might be worthwhile where other approaches have failed
Cons:
- Surgical risks can be minimal all the way to life-threatening
- Post-operative infections can be complicated, even if not directly associated with the operative area (such as pneumonia or urinary infection)
- Anesthesia risks might leave permanent changes not associated with the original condition
- Allergic or other reactions to any of the several medications used can be complicated
- Post-operative recovery might require lengthy or complicated rehabilitation programs
- Some conditions are not responsive to any surgical procedures
- Repeat operations might be required, depending on circumstances