Millions of people across the country suffer from some kind of chronic pain condition. Specifically, about 26 million Americans between 20 to 64 undergo frequent back pain. In fact, back pain is the most cited kind of pain condition in the United States. Chronic pain disorders inflict more Americans than diabetes, cancer, and heart disease put together, and Americans spend more than $86 billion a year on back and neck pain alone.
Not only are complex regional pain syndrome, sciatica, lumbar degenerative disc disease, and other pain back pain disorders are bad for the body, they are also bad for business. Pain conditions cost approximately $60 billion in work productivity loses every year, and employees lose about 4 to 5 hours a week in productive time. Businesses lose a lot of money, time, and resources due to these pain conditions, and they stand to loose more if effective pain management is not applied.
Pain management therapy can reduce the pain and discomfort that come with chronic pain disorders. From physical therapy to medical injections, pain management comes in a variety of methods and applications. Epidural steroid injections, for example, are shots delivered directly into the spine that provide local anesthetics as well as relief of tissue damage and swelling. Another pain management treatment, spinal cord stimulation, involves sending electrical impulses into the spinal cord to disrupt nerve signals that cause pain. Nerve blocks are also used to block nerve signals, although they use chemical substances rather than electric impulses to do so.
No matter what kind of therapy is used, pain management is an effective and reliable way of providing pain relief for patients who need it most. With proper pain management, patients can control their pain and can go on with their day-to-day lives. Feel free to leave a comment or question at the bottom to find out more about these therapies.
