Pain Relief in Fresno, Ca
What Is Pain?
Pain is the body’s natural response to harm. Pain occurs when special pain receptors at the end of the nerves, called nociceptors, are turned on because of an illness or injury or because chemical changes within the body indicate that tissues are being damaged. When a nociceptor is turned on, a signal travels through the spinal cord to the brain, which recognizes the signal as pain.
When Pain Becomes Chronic
When pain lasts a long time, it is called chronic pain. This type of pain is often caused by an illness or injury. Some doctors consider pain to be chronic when it lasts one month longer than expected, but the general medical definition of chronic pain is pain that has lasted for six months or longer.
Chronic pain can be one of two types: nociceptive or neuropathic. Each type differs based on what causes it, what it feels like, and what types of treatments may relieve it. Of the two, neuropathic pain can often be managed by a therapy called neurostimulation, also known as spinal cord stimulation (SCS).
Managing Chronic Pain
Chronic pain can be difficult to manage because it varies so much from person to person. Even two people with the same kind of pain may need different treatments. That is why it is important to find a doctor who specializes in pain management.
Pain management doctors, often called pain specialists, have advanced training in diagnosing, treating, and rehabilitating people with chronic pain. They often work as part of a team with nurses, physical therapists, and mental health professionals.
Pain specialists realize that many chronic pain conditions have no cure, so they focus on ways to manage the pain. They also recognize that because chronic pain has many causes and possible treatments, no single treatment works best for everyone. Typically, they will try a progression of therapies until sufficient pain relief is reached. This progression is called the chronic pain treatment continuum
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