Vim & Vigor - Spring 2012 - Parrish Medical Center - (Page 45)

4 photography by photolibrary VIDEO InterventIonal Procedures Meditation helps give you comfort and relief. Watch a video that has five tips for making it a healthy part of everyday life. Go to PMC’s content portal, parrishmed.com/vimandvigoronline. 5 Easy Ways to Make Time to Meditate When conservative methods aren’t enough, interventional therapies may be needed to complement other treatments. Interventional therapies like injections and nerve blocks are treatments that directly interact with the areas of the body involved in the pain. Trigger-point injections—injecting a local anesthetic into trigger points in the musculature around the back— can be helpful for people with chronic lower-back pain and neck pain. But because interventional therapies can be overused, practitioners must exercise restraint. “The real key is to find someone you trust, who’s well trained and is going to be thoughtful about how much and how often, and what the balance of benefits and burdens are,” Fine says. cognItIve BehavIoral theraPy Just like physical therapy helps your body, cognitive behavioral exercises can help you learn to change the way you think and feel about your pain. “It’s similar to psychological treatment for people with phobias and anxiety. And it’s probably the most empowering thing you can do, but it does take time,” Fine says. And doing behavioral exercises certainly doesn’t mean saying no to other options. “If something’s treatable we want to treat it, but if it’s chronic and can’t be completely cured, the real role of a chronic pain physician is helping you make the best of your situation and optimize your overall health,” Fine says. 5 No Pain, No Fear: Safe Use of Prescription Pain Relievers Prescription pain relievers can be effective, but many people are understandably afraid of becoming addicted. How big of a concern is it? Perry Fine, M.D., president of the American Academy of Pain Medicine, offers his thoughts on the use of prescription pain medications. Use as directed. “People shouldn’t be fearful, but they need to follow their physician’s recommendations precisely,” Dr. Fine says. This also means not sharing your medicines with friends. Short-term, limited use is effective and safe. “These are very useful drugs for acute injury or illness and should only be taken for a limited amount of time, when severe pain really limits function.” If it’s not working, say so. “Don’t double up on pills. Let your physician know so he or she can manage the dosing.” Physical dependence happens fast. Prescription medications aren’t typically recommended for long-term pain sufferers because physical dependence can occur within a few weeks of use. “If you do find yourself having a difficult time getting off meds,” Dr. Fine says, “be clear and candid with your doctor and ask for help.” Vim & Vigor • S pri n g 201 2 45 http://www.parrishmed.com/vimandvigoronline

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Spring 2012 - Parrish Medical Center

Vim & Vigor - Spring 2012 - Parrish Medical Center
Contents
Tasty Tips
Opening Thoughts
Community Calendar
In the Business of Healing People
What's New?
Get Real
How Far We’ve Come
Patient Survival Guide
Perfect Attendance
A New Day
Lean on Me
Intimidated by the Gym?
What Is Your Volunteer Style?
A Prescription for Relief
Community Health
Joe Knows Stress
SPECIAL: Caring for the Littlest Bones and Joints
Foundation Focus
Ask the Expert

Vim & Vigor - Spring 2012 - Parrish Medical Center

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