Different treatments for different types of pain
For some people momentary, for others a lasting discomfort.
This type of pain can be due to different reasons, the following are the main ones:
Degenerative disease:
Degenerative Disk Disease (DDD) is a common disease that does not usually require medical attention because its symptoms are not severe enough. However, Degenerative Disk Disease of the lower back is the one that occurs in the lower back and produces severe pain. This can be due to several factors such as wear and tear or trauma, the most common cause being a low energy injury to the disc that progresses over time. The intense pain that occurs due to this condition is generated from inflammation and abnormal micro-movement instability, which may be both or only one.
Disc Herniation:
A herniated disc is nothing more than a problem with one of the discs between the vertebrae that form the spine. A spinal disc has a soft core encapsulated in a harder ring. A herniated disc occurs when part of this core is pushed out through a tear in the ring. This can happen in any area of the spine and depending on the location of the spine can cause very severe pain, numbness or weakness in an arm or leg. This requires pain control treatment.
Injury or trauma:
One of the most common causes of severe pain is injuries and trauma that can occur due to some type of accident and must be treated to prevent them from becoming serious and annoying over time. The most common types of injuries are contusions, wounds, muscle injuries, joint injuries and fractures, the latter being those due to trauma. When they are severe it is important that we receive treatment for the pain so that we can maintain our quality of life.
Muscle strain:
Muscle tension is regularly associated with stress and the symptoms are often headache, chronic muscle pain, contractures and even muscle spasms. Muscle aches often affect the jaw, brow, neck, shoulders and back. In order to avoid serial conditions, it is necessary to treat yourself and seek treatment to help you cope with this condition.
Pinched nerve:
A pinched nerve is when too much pressure is placed on a nerve by bone, cartilage, muscle, or tendon. This can cause pain, tingling, numbness, and weakness. The type of pain from this condition is usually very severe and spreads outward, so treatment is needed in order to reduce it.
Tumors:
When a tumor grows, it can cause pressure on nerves, bones, and even some organs, and sometimes the tumor can release certain chemicals that cause severe pain. Treatment is needed to help relieve this pain.
Radiculopathy:
This consists of the injury of one or more nerves and their nerve roots, which cross the spine and can cause the emergence of symptoms such as pain, tingling, sensation of shock and weakness of the members. The pain of this condition can be controlled by good treatment.
Scoliosis:
Scoliosis consists of a lateral curvature of the spine of a structural nature. There are different types of scoliosis and not all of them have symptoms. However, in those that do, the most common ones are back pain and the feeling of having a loaded back. For this type of person, pain treatment is necessary so that they can cope with their condition in the best possible way.
Post-Laminectomy Syndrome (PLS):
This condition is a type of chronic pain that can develop in people after spinal surgery. The pain most often occurs after a person has a laminectomy, which is the removal of the bone at the back of the vertebrae. To relieve this pain, which may radiate down the buttock and leg, pain management is necessary.
General head and neck pain symptoms
One of the most common illnesses that people have is a headache. Although for many, it is only a momentary discomfort; for others, it is a lasting discomfort that prevents them from continuing with their daily activities. Usually, headache is associated with tension issues, either from the neck, jaw, and shoulder muscles; this type of tension and headache is related to the presence of stress, anxiety, overwork, lack of sleep, or the consumption of alcoholic beverages.
Just as headache is caused by tension, it can also be caused by various diseases, the most common of them is migraine. Although many people only use one medication, many times, the headaches may be warning us of a severe disorder.
Accompanied by head discomfort is neck pain, which is more associated with muscle pain due to poor posture. The ache in the neck is usually temporary, but many times this pain, in cases of chronic pain, can generate weakness in the arms and numbness in the affected area. Head and neck pain share similar symptoms, which are:
- Sense of pressure in the area.
- Throbbing pain.
- Neck or head discomfort.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Dizziness.
- Poor head mobility.
- Stiffness in the muscles.
- Spasms.
Causes of head and neck pain
Head
- For stress-related issues.
- Hormonal changes.
- Genetic factors.
- Drug abuse.
- Sleep disorders, anxiety or depression.
- For blows or injuries.
Neck
- Muscle tension.
- Wear on the joints.
- Injuries in the area.
- Diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.
- Hernias in the neck vertebrae.
For both cases, for head and neck pain, some treatments can solve the discomfort people feel, and that harm their well-being. It is necessary to emphasize that many times medicine is not the solution to stop the pain; many times it will be required to resort to the following treatments, depending on the disorder that the person presents:
Treatments for head and neck pain
Botox injections
Botulinum toxin injections are not only used to fade the appearance of expression lines, but it is also an excellent treatment to soothe the pain of specific areas as it numbs and weakens the nerves and muscles around them. Thanks to the temporary paralysis of the muscle, the person will be able to feel an improvement in the pain that he or she is experiencing.
The specialists who make use of this substance know the capacity of botulinum toxin, which is why once the area where it originates is located, therapy based on botox injections will be administered to treat chronic pain.
Mandibular, maxillary nerve blocks
The blockage of the nerves allows the propagation of the nerve fiber impulse to be prevented. This is achieved by introducing anesthesia in the indicated fibers, so the blockade of the maxillary and mandibular nerves is very used at the time that oral surgeries are performed because it reduces the arrhythmias that the patient may have. On the other hand, when a person has severe pain in any of these areas of the jaw or jaws, this treatment can be used, thus stopping the pain.
Occipital nerve block
The occipital nerve block is an anesthetic that works correctly at the time of certain surgeries and when pain is present in the head and neck. This treatment is composed of injection with painkillers that will be placed in the occipital nerves, just below the scalp in the back of the head. This treatment is used when chronic pain is present in the area or for the presence of cervicogenic headache. It has been observed that, by implementing this technique, it is possible to reduce the symptoms caused by this disease.
Sphenopalatine nerve block
This technique is usually used in cases of surgery or for the presence of chronic pain. The nerve block allows the sensory fibers to be blocked and the duration of the lack of pain to be more extended. To carry out this blockage, three techniques are usually used: transnasal, transoral, and infra-zygomatic. The method to be used will depend a lot on the specialist and the needs of the patient.
Supraorbital, infraorbital nerve block
The infraorbital nerve block is performed in patients who present infraorbital neuralgia, where the person suffers from constant pain and burning sensation. A block is chosen when the drugs have not done their job, so the use of this technique, with several sessions, decreases the pain. As for the supraorbital nerve block, this procedure is performed when there are neurologies in parts of the frontal area of the face, in the upper eyelid, and the frontal sinus. For the infiltration of the substance, the supraorbital hole is searched, and the anesthetic is deposited.
Trigeminal ganglion block
The trigeminal nerve is in charge of sending signals from the face to the brain, so those patients suffering from trigeminal neuralgia usually present intense pain with any activity that involves the use of manipulation in the face, such as or maybe oral hygiene. To relieve the pain, the selective block can be chosen, but it must be carried out by a specialist anesthesiologist.
Trigeminal ganglion radiofrequency ablation
To improve the results of the previous treatment, the use of radiofrequency can be chosen, which will significantly reduce the pain caused by trigeminal neuralgia. This is because radiofrequency waves neutralize the pain, so it can be used in patients who do not have chronic pain. If the discomfort is intense, first, a blockade is performed and then the radiofrequency.
Head and neck pain can be the cause of different disorders, which is why if the pain persists and is not relieved with the help of medicine, it will be necessary to go to a doctor so that the specialist can recommend the type of treatment you should undergo.