Pain Management Clinic

Specialists that form the Pain Management Clinic: 

• *Algologist – pain specialist
• *Neurosurgeon – specialist in the nervous system
• *Anesthesiologist
• Psychologist
• Rehabilitation
• Infirmary
• Psychiatry
• General practitioners

Pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience that can be felt by all living beings having a central nervous system: It is associated with an injury and is also described as a set of neurophysiological mechanisms that modulate physical damage information and send “protective” signals to the brain warning and alerting the body about an injury or damage. The science that studies pain is called ALGOLOGY.

The body sends warning signals to the brain which, in turn, modulates the physical damage information and, through pain, acts in order to warn about an injury. If the pain is persistent for 3 months or longer, it is time for a check-up given it is hence called chronic pain.  

Types and Causes of Chronic Pain:

These patients have different types of pain sensations: burning, sharp pain, numbness, tingling, itching and tearing. 

The pain ranges from moderate to severe and may vary; however, it is so unpleasant that some people cannot even stand clothes, quilts, changes in barometric pressure, changes in altitude or drastic changes in temperature, sun exposure, rain, or so much as wind.

The distress can affect life and is complemented by stress, anger, tics, noise discomfort, seeing bright lights, insomnia, etc. 

Palliative Care

Palliative Care is the branch of medicine responsible of preventing and lessening pain and provides the best possible quality of life to patients suffering a serious illness that compromises their lives; both for their well-being and that of their families. Palliative care is usually applied to terminally ill patients who are off-medical treatment or have very serious illnesses and are undergoing life-sustaining treatments. 

Pharmacological Treatments

• Non-opiate oral medication (pills)

This is the first resource used by physicians combining and using different drugs and doses for effective pain management. This includes NSAIDs, from mild analgesics to such as acetaminophen to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen.

• Opioids

If the above is not successful, the next step are the opioids such as codeine, morphine or a pain relief patch. The body produces endorphins to attack pain. Opioids have a similar effect.

Infusion pumps – external drug administration.

They administer the opiate medication through an intravenous or epidural catheter into the spinal column. They are very effective to ease the pain.

• Peridural infusion pump

Usually, infusion pumps are surgically implanted in the abdomen. They send pain medication through a thin, flexible catheter (plastic tube) to the area around the spinal cord (called “peridural space”). The pain medication goes straight to the area surrounding the spinal cord. The infusion pump can offer significant relief with a small portion of medication than the one used in other treatments.

Neurolytic blocks

Neurolytic blocs are injections directly applied to certain nerves that destroy them or inhibit them from sending pain messages.

Neuromodulator

An implantable device similar in size to a pacemaker, placed under the skin it sends electrical stimulation through an electrode cable implanted close to the spinal cord or affected peripheral nerves.

Neuroablation

With neuroablation doctors destroy (usually with heat) the nerves that serve as pathways to the brain. Neuroablation is often a last resort when other brain treatments have failed.