Table of Contents
Seeking advice from the incorrect doctor
A common mistake that most patients of chronic pain make is to rely completely on the family physician for the pain management. It is important to remember that pain management is a specialized field of medicine and most of the primary care doctors are not adequately trained in it. It is important to consult a doctor who is trained in pain management or to seek the help from a comprehensive pain management center. The American Board of Pain Medicine can guide the patient to the correct doctor. However, it is equally important to stick to a specialist after you have found one, as going from one doctor to another can lead to multiple unnecessary diagnostic tests and a delay in initiating proper treatment, besides burning a hole in your pocket. Always remember that managing chronic pain is a tedious process which requires patience and doctor hopping can do more harm than good.
Shying away from taking medicines
Some patients avoid taking opioid analgesics for pain relief as they are afraid they might get addicted to them. Medicines, when taken according to the dose prescribed by the physician do not cause addiction. Doctors gauge the exact dose required by a particular patient to counter the pain and prescribe the medicine accordingly. They always start with the minimal dosage and then change the amount of medicine required only after a thorough evaluation during the course of the treatment. The patient may feel light headed after taking the medicine during the initial phase but the body soon adjusts to the medicine and you are not left with any hangover. Chances of getting hooked to a medicine are minimal when it is taken as prescribed by the doctor. The only care that has to be taken while relying on opioid analgesics for pain relief is that the patient should not increase or decrease its dose on his own. Neither should the patient combine the analgesics with other medicines, like anti-depressants, without taking his physician into confidence.
Not knowing about the proper usage of pain relieving medicines
Always remember that the pain relieving medicines cannot alleviate 100 % of the pain. At best, they can reduce the pain by 50-60 %. Expecting to be completely free of pain can only lead to depression. Some patients keep on increasing the dose in the hope that they will drive away all the pain. This in result increases the threshold limit for the medicines to become effective. Increased dosage may also lead to drug dependence. Get to terms with the fact that you have to live with some amount of pain and plan your life accordingly. Pushing your body too far or thinking that you can perform all the tasks like the good old days, after popping extra medicines, can only lead to more wear and tear of the body resulting in more pain. Another important factor to be remembered while taking pain relieving medicines is that one should not pop analgesics whenever one feels the pain. Rather, one should follow a set time table regarding the time to take medicines. Taking a medicine at a particular time everyday makes your body more responsive to the medicine and this helps in the alleviation of pain faster. Also remember not to increase the dosage of the medicines during a flare up of the disease without the consent of the doctor as increasing the dosage after every flare up may lead to increased frequency of the latter with reduced responsiveness to the medicines.
Not exploring other treatment options
Besides taking the medicines prescribed by the physician, patients can also opt for various mental relaxation techniques like yoga, self hypnosis and bio-feedback. There are various herbal medications also available but one must consult his doctor before taking them in tandem with the allopathic medicines as they may interact with the latter reducing their efficacy. Exercising helps in reducing all kinds of pains. Discuss with your physician about the exercise plan most suitable for you and start with it. Besides strengthening the various muscles and joints, exercising also results in the release of endorphins which improve the mood of the patient and enhance a general sense of well being.