Knee Joint Gel Injections: Get Relief from Arthritis Knee Pain for Months or More!

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Missing out on life because of painful knees is frustrating. 

Getting months of pain relief after a few out-patient injections can be reinvigorating. 

How cushioning in knee joints breaks down.

Normal, healthy knees contain a gel-like substance called hyaluronan. 

Hyaluronan acts as a lubricant for cartilage, the tissue covering the ends of bones, providing joint cushioning or shock absorption. 

But in joints affected by osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout (a complex form of inflammatory arthritis), the chemicals that make up hyaluronic acid break down, and levels of hyaluronic acid decrease.

With less and less lubricant, the cartilage wears out, and knee bones rub together, causing stiffness, inflammation, and pain. 

Knee Joint Gel Injections 

Your pain physician can replace that gel-like substance in your knee joint.

It’s that simple.

The Procedure

Depending on the state of your knee joint, your doctor or pain specialist will either administer a single injection once or one injection weekly for three to five weeks. 

During the procedure, if the joint space in your knee is swollen with excess fluid, the doctor will first inject a local anesthetic to numb the area, then inject another needle for draining the fluid. 

She may use ultrasound or X-Ray to guide a needle into the joint and then inject the hyaluronic acid. 

How Quickly Does Relief Come? 

You may feel pain relief immediately or require several or more injections. 

And unlike steroid injections, the procedure can be repeated as many times as needed. 

You can return to regular activity within 24 hours of the injection. 

Most patients experience decreased pain and stiffness and improved range of motion soon after the injection. 

How long does it last?

Though individual responses vary, people can experience relief for months or even a year or more. 

In addition to pain relief, these injections can slow the progress of osteoarthritis, which causes the breakdown of cartilage. 

Who Is A Good Candidate?

Pain specialists typically recommend hyaluronic acid injection after experiencing little or no relief from conventional treatments, such as:

  • physical therapy
  • non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication
  • corticosteroid injections
  • ice or cold therapy

Also, some people cannot take more corticosteroids due to the health risks associated with repeated use or can’t tolerate NSAIDs due to disease and drug interactions. 

Knee Pain Relief at Texas Pain Physicians (TPP)

To learn more about how a pain management doctor can help you overcome your knee pain issues, visit the pain specialists at TPP. 

We help people like you every day. 

Get the discussion started by calling (972) 636-5727 or schedule an appointment online.

7 Treatment Options for A Pinched Nerve in Your Lower Back

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In your lower back, a pinched nerve, also known as a compressed nerve, can cause intense pain and discomfort.

You may experience the following symptoms in your lower back, hips, buttocks, legs, ankles, and feet:

  • stabbing and shooting pain
  • numbness 
  • muscle weakness 
  • muscle spasms
  • loss of reflex

General practitioners and pain specialists typically recommend these four simple, non-invasive treatments before anything else:

1. Medicine

  • non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
  • Naproxen sodium (Aleve)
  • muscle relaxers

2. Physical Therapy

Physical therapy with a certified therapist can help heal and lessen the pain of a pinched nerve by improving your coordination, balance, and strength.

3. DIY Treatments 

Heat and cold therapy: ice packs, hot and cold compresses

Sleep adjustment: sleeping with a pillow under your back or between your legs to help ease pressure on nerves

Ergonomic adjustments: Keeping your legs elevated and placing pillows under your legs during the day to take the pressure off your spine

4. Lifestyle Changes

  • increased activity through exercise (aerobics, yoga, pilates, tai chi, weight training, etc.)
  • dieting

Exercising and dieting to lessen inflammation and lose weight can help heal and alleviate the pain from pinched nerves and lower the risk of suffering another pinched nerve.

 

YOU MAY ALSO BE COMFORTABLE TRYING NON-TRADITIONAL TREATMENTS AND MANAGEMENT:

5. Non-Traditional Therapies

Massage: Massage therapy can relieve pain from a pinched nerve caused by tight muscles, tendons, and ligaments (not by pressure from a herniated disc or other spine problem). 

Acupuncture: Acupuncture practitioners and some patients report that that practice decreases inflammation in the body, decreasing pain.

Chiropractic: Chiropractic realignment may relieve pressure on the spinal nerves, which can, in turn, reduce the pain and heal a pinched nerve.

 

BUT SOMETIMES, THE PAIN IS SEVERE AND LONG-LASTING, AND PAIN SPECIALISTS WILL RECOMMEND MORE AGGRESSIVE TREATMENTS: 

6. Out-Patient Drug Treatment and Prescription Drugs

Oral corticosteroids such as prednisone, methylprednisone, and dexamethasone can reduce pain by suppressing the body’s inflammatory response. 

Corticosteroid nerve block injections in the lower back can stop or reduce the pain for weeks or months (find out more about this and other pain treatments here).

The drawback is that these steroid medications reduce the body’s ability to fight infection.

Doctors may prescribe these oral drugs instead:

  • prescription opioids (one to two weeks to avoid dependence)
  • muscle relaxers
  • anticonvulsants
  • tricyclic antidepressants

 

AS A LAST RESORT WHEN OTHER TREATMENTS HAVE FAILED, SPECIALISTS WILL RECOMMEND A SURGICAL PROCEDURE: 

7. Surgery 

Herniated discs are a common cause of pinched nerves. In some cases, a discectomy is the best option.

The procedure involves a surgeon removing all or part of the disk pressing on the nerve root.

But this surgery may also involve removing or fusing vertebrae, which raises the risk significantly.

Treatment at Texas Pain Physicians 

If you’re experiencing pain and discomfort in your lower back and legs, we can help. 

At TPP, we have specialists across many medical disciplines who will find the treatment plan that suits you. 

Please call us at (972) 636-5727 to find out more or make an appointment. You can also book an appointment online.

Need Fast, Non-Surgical Relief for Lower Back Pain? An Epidural Injection May Be the Answer.

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Doctors and pain specialists generally recommend natural, non-surgical, and non-opioid treatments for pain.

Physical therapy, massage, over-the-counter medicines, and hot and cold therapy are a few of the most common first-line treatments. 

Fast-Acting Pain Relief for Weeks or Months

However, your doctor or pain specialist may recommend an epidural injection or nerve block when you have nerve-related pain in your lower back and legs.

Epidural injections for back pain are a powerful, non-invasive treatment that can provide pain relief for several months.

How They Work

Epidural injections can:  

  • Provide local pain relief.  
  • Block pain signals sent from the surrounding nerves.  
  • Temporarily cut off all sensory and motor neurons from below the injection site.  
  • Reduce swelling and inflammation.  

An injection contains either an anesthetic, a corticosteroid, or both. 

The anesthetic stops the nerves around the injection site from sending pain signals, and the corticosteroid reduces the swelling and inflammation.

When targeting herniated discs and swelling, epidurals may take 24 to 48 hours to start working.

Conditions epidural injections can help heal and provide pain relief for include:

  • pinched nerve
  • pain radiating from the spine
  • degenerative disc disease
  • herniated or bulging disc
  • recovery from back surgery
  • spondylolisthesis  
  • spinal stenosis
  • Sciatica

Conditions they don’t help to heal and provide pain relief for include:

  • general back pain (non-nerve related pain)
  • pain from bone spurs
  • pain from cancerous or non-cancerous growths
  • pain from pulled muscles 

Epidural injections may temporarily relieve pain from bone spurs or growths, which irritate the surrounding tissue and nerves.

However, this temporary relief will only delay other treatments or interventions (such as surgery).

Why Get One?

Epidural injections can be a temporary pain fix when you need to “buy time” for your back to heal from an injury.

They can also provide pain relief from a chronic pain condition as you go through physical therapy or other treatments with delayed benefits.

Though you will have to visit your pain physician and endure a little pain from the injection, it may save you weeks or months of popping pain meds.

And with an epidural injection, there’s no risk of addiction (unlike even short-term opioid prescriptions).

Back Pain Treatment in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Irving

Texas Pain Physicians is a leading patient-centered pain practice in Dallas, Houston, Irving, San Antonio, and the surrounding areas. 

Our pain specialists partner with you to help you achieve long-lasting pain relief. 

Please give us a call today at (972) 636-5727 or book an appointment online.

Get that (Suspected) Rotator Cuff Injury Diagnosed and Treated ASAP!

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That nagging shoulder pain that’s hung around a while could be more than a pulled muscle. 

Weekend sports, carrying and moving things, horsing around with your kids, reaching to wash your back in the shower – whatever life brings your way, if it ends with shoulder pain and weakness, it may be a torn rotator cuff.

Please see a specialist ASAP. 

The rotator cuff is the group of muscles that keep the shoulder stable.

And torn rotator cuffs DON’T heal on their own. 

You could develop a painful degenerative rotator cuff issue without timely surgical repair. 

Also, as you age into your 40s and beyond, arthritis is more and more likely to set in.

Arthritic shoulder degeneration will eventually require shoulder replacement surgery.

What to expect from your visit. 

The first appointment with a pain specialist is similar to an appointment with a general practitioner. 

First, they will take down your medical history. 

Next, they will give you a physical exam and take some x-rays. 

If there is muscle weakness in the shoulder, they will typically order an MRI appointment at a medical imaging facility.

Treatment 

Pain specialists will recommend natural, conservative treatments such as over-the-counter medicines and physical therapy whenever possible.

Conservative Therapies

Rest, heat and cold therapy (cold and hot compresses and packs), and anti-inflammatory medication such as aspirin can help soothe and heal minor rotator cuff injuries.

Physical Therapy

Physical therapists are experts in restoring function and lessening the pain and stiffness of rotator cuff injuries. 

Pain specialists often recommend physical therapists.

Whether you need to heal after a muscle pull or rehab after rotator cuff surgery, they can help speed the process.

Steroid Injection

If you have severe shoulder pain, your pain therapist may recommend a corticosteroid injection.

These injections can provide pain relief for up to several months. 

However, this is not a long-term pain management solution because multiple steroid injections can cause permanent tendon weakness.

Surgery

Surgery may be needed for severe rotator cuff injuries – whether they happened a while ago and have become degenerative or were recently torn.

Three types of rotator cuff surgery: 

1. Tendon repair – Minor, arthroscopic (small incision) procedure, and an open or large incision procedure.

2. Tendon transfer – Involves replacing the damaged tendon with a tendon taken from another body part.

3. Shoulder replacement – The most invasive procedure for the most severe injuries, degeneration, and severe arthritis.

Rotator Cuff Treatment in Dallas, Houston, Irving, and Other Texas Locales

If you’re experiencing shoulder pain and think you may have a torn rotator cuff or another injury, Texas Pain Physicians can help. 

Our shoulder specialists can find the cause of your pain and develop a personalized treatment plan. 

Please give us a call today at (972) 636-5727 or book an appointment online.

Nerve Pain Following Injuries and Surgeries: How It Starts and How It’s Treated..

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When you’re injured, you expect to experience:

  1. trauma and pain 
  2. healing (in days, weeks, or months) 
  3. complete restoration of normal feeling (no more pain) 

But sometimes, after a major injury or surgery, that doesn’t happen. 

Sometimes the body’s nerves cause pain after a wound or an injury has healed. 

This chronic pain condition is known as neuropathy. 

What trauma causes chronic nerve pain?

severed nerves: 

  • severed limbs, amputations, and other injuries such as deep penetrating trauma from knife wounds

crushed or compressed nerves: 

  • injuries with enough force to damage nerves (car accidents, sports trauma, falls, and more) 
  • repetitive stress (activities like typing that lead to nerve compression conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome)

Treatments  

  • Prescription Medication

Pain specialists will often recommend prescription medications such as anticonvulsants and antidepressants, which have proven effective in relieving nerve pain.

When nerve pain is accompanied by inflammation, they may also recommend corticosteroid injections.

  • Electrostimulation 

Electrostimulation is a minimally invasive treatment that involves implanting tiny electrode devices into the body that target nerves with low levels of non-painful electrical impulses.

The impulses can deceive the brain into lessening or blocking out the sensation of pain entirely. 

Electrostimulation treatments include transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, spinal cord stimulation, and more.

These cause minor or no side effects, and unlike opioids and other pharmaceutical drugs, they don’t lead to dependency.

  • Nerve Blocks

Nerve blocks are injections of anesthetic and steroids into the tissue surrounding the nerves causing pain. 

Your pain specialist may recommend one or more nerve blocks as a diagnostic tool and short-term (1-2 weeks) pain relief treatment.

  • Natural Therapies

Physical therapy is almost always a critical part of the healing and function-recovery process following severe injuries and trauma. 

And some people get relief from other natural therapies such as massage, acupuncture, desensitization, relaxation techniques, and heat and cold therapy.

  • Over-the-Counter Medication

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen and aspirin can provide temporary pain relief. 

Get Treatment As Early As Possible!

The chances you will develop chronic pain from neuropathy go down the earlier you receive treatment. 

And it’s vital that you see a nerve specialist (such as a peripheral nerve surgeon) or pain specialist because they have the expertise to determine whether you have nerve damage.

Nerve Pain Treatment in San Antonio, Houston, and Dallas

It may only be temporary pain caused by injury to muscles and bone. 

But if you think you may be experiencing nerve pain after a traumatic injury or major surgery, Texas Pain Physicians can help.

Our pain specialists will find the root cause and develop a treatment plan that works for you.

Please give us a call at (972) 636-5727 or book your appointment online.

Peripheral Nerve Stimulation: 6 Things to Know about This Treatment for Chronic Pain

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Maybe you’ve suffered from chronic pain because of a nerve disorder, disease, or injury. 

It could be you’ve tried many treatments that haven’t worked.

Peripheral nerve stimulation may be the treatment that does.

Here are six things to know:

1. What is peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS)?

PNS is a treatment that works by interrupting the signals from your nerves to your brain using electrical impulses. 

These impulses stimulate the peripheral nerves, which run throughout the body — from the head down to the spinal cord and organs, then out to the limbs and extremities.

2. What conditions does it treat? 

  • lower back pain
  • neck pain
  • foot pain
  • complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)
  • diabetic peripheral neuropathy (numbness, tingling, and burning pain in arms, hands, legs, and feet)
  • cluster headaches 
  • occipital neuralgia (headache pain in the back of the head, one side of the head, behind the ears, and in the neck) 
  • chronic migraine 
  • nerve pain of the lower abdomen and upper thigh (ilioinguinal neuralgia)
  • pain from nerve injuries
  • intercostal neuralgia (pain in the chest wall and from top of shoulders down to upper arms and just below the pectorals) 
  • meralgia paresthetica (pain in the outer thigh)
  • pain from hernia surgery or knee surgery
  • peripheral vascular disease
  • post-amputation (stump) pain or phantom limb pain
  • post-herpetic neuralgia (burning pain caused by shingles) 
  • post-thoracotomy syndrome (Pain from chest incision for heart and other vital organ surgery) 
  • trigeminal neuralgia (pain in the face) 

3. What it doesn’t treat.

PNS is less effective for severe pain in the lower extremities (feet), abdomen, and trunk (top of shoulders down to upper arms and just below the pectorals). 

Dorsal root ganglion stimulation is a better treatment for this kind of pain.

It stimulates the cluster of nerve cells near the spinal cord responsible for relaying pain signals between the peripheral nerves and the spinal cord. 

4. Am I a candidate for this treatment? 

First, your pain specialist will find out whether a specific peripheral nerve is causing your pain. 

For example, if you have thigh pain caused by the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve.

Next, they will examine your treatment history. 

They will likely recommend you try conservative treatments such as physical therapy, over-the-counter medications, and nerve blocks before peripheral nerve stimulation. 

5. What does the procedure involve?

A clinician specially trained in anesthesiology (anesthesiologist), physiatry (physiatrist), neurology (neurologist), or neurosurgery (neurosurgeon) performs the procedure.

A nurse or the clinician will first administer a mild sedative (typically through an IV) and a local anesthetic on the skin area where the operation will occur. 

The clinician will then use a small needle or make a small incision for inserting the lead (small wire protruding from the device) near the peripheral nerve. 

The procedure causes mild, post-op pain at the incision or injection site (after the anesthetic has worn off).

It’s performed on an outpatient basis and takes less than an hour. 

6. PNS is NOT to be confused with…

Peripheral nerve stimulation differs from other electrical impulse procedures such as transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and spinal cord stimulation.

Caring, Advanced Nerve Pain Treatment in Texas

If you have or think you may have chronic pain caused by a nerve disorder, injury, or disease, we can help.

To book an appointment or find out how the friendly, expert pain specialists at Texas Pain Physicians can help, please give us a call at (972) 636-5727 or book online.

7 Ways to Decrease Your Winter Arthritis Pain

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It isn’t a myth. 

During the winter, the number of people who seek treatment for arthritis surges.

And cold temperatures are to blame. 

How colder temperatures bring more arthritis pain:

By Increasing Pain Sensitivity 

In colder temperatures, the body’s pain receptors become more sensitive. 

By Slowing Circulation

When temperatures are mild, the fluid circulating throughout our joints keeps them well-lubricated.

They can operate smoothly and pain-free or with less pain. 

But as it gets colder, the fluid thickens and doesn’t circulate as well.

It’s like driving a car on motor oil manufactured for optimal performance during the spring and summer — it’s hard on engine parts in the winter. 

By Making Tissue Swell 

Barometric pressure is the denseness or weight of the air. 

When winter hits, the air gets heavier, putting more pressure on the body’s tissues. 

The tissues swell and cause added tension between joints.

Seven ways you can decrease winter arthritis pain:

1. Exercise

People tend to get less exercise in the winter. 

But exercise increases your heart rate and increases circulation, which is good for your joints. 

Swimming, stationary biking, elliptical training, and other low-impact exercises can help decrease joint pain.

2. Drink Enough Water

It’s easy to forget to drink enough in the winter because you don’t sweat. 

In addition to the many adverse health effects, research suggests dehydration can make you more sensitive to pain.

3. Use Heat Therapy 

Try to get your hands (And the rest of you!) on all things heated in the winter. 

Heated packs, electric blankets, saunas, hot tubs, heated pools – it’s all soothing for the joints.

4. Take Vitamin D 

The sun is the body’s natural source of vitamin D, and people tend to get less sun exposure in the winter.

Vitamin D deficiency increases your risk for osteoarthritis and might increase sensitivity to arthritis pain.

5. Get Enough Omega 3s

Eating enough fish rich in omega 3 fatty acids such as salmon and taking omega 3 supplements may decrease joint inflammation.

6. Take OTC Pain Medicine

Sometimes you need to knock out a pain flare-up.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories such as aspirin and ibuprofen can provide temporary relief. 

7. Enjoy A Massage

They’re relaxing, and they feel great. 

A natural alternative to drug and clinical treatments, massage can decrease arthritis pain when maintained for months. 

Get Treatment for Winter Arthritis Pain at Texas Pain Physicians

Being armed with ways to lessen your arthritis pain during the winter season can help a lot! 

But if you continue to experience pain and discomfort that interferes with your life, it may be time to see a pain specialist. 

Our doctors can give you treatments and lifestyle strategies to relieve your arthritis pain. 

Call Us Today!

To find out more, give us a call at (972) 636-5727 or reserve an appointment online.

Get Lasting Relief from Migraines and Other Headaches with Trigger Point Injections

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Throbbing pain in your head can distract you from everything.

You need quick but lasting relief from migraines and other types of headaches.

Trigger point injections are a safe, non-invasive treatment that can provide that relief. 

What are trigger points?

Often called “muscle knots” or just “knots,” trigger points are painful knots of muscle tissue.

They may or may not be visible as lumps on the skin surface.

What causes them? 

Trigger points form when muscles don’t relax. The causes for lack of muscle relaxation include:

  • inadequate exercise
  • performing repetitive mechanical tasks 
  • lower limb mechanical asymmetry (different leg lengths)
  • joint disorders (arthritis, bursitis, gout)
  • poor sleep quality
  • vitamin deficiencies 

How they cause migraine pain.

Trigger points are a common cause of tension headaches, and they can make headache disorders such as migraines worse.

They produce what’s known as ‘referred pain,’ which is pain in other areas of the body.

When trigger points form in the muscles of the head, neck, and shoulder, they can press on nerves, causing headaches and making migraines worse.

How trigger point injections provide migraine pain relief.

Trigger point injections are usually injections straight into muscle knots to release muscle tension.

Typically, a trigger point injection includes a mixture of saline and a local anesthetic such as lidocaine.

The anesthetic reduces or eliminates headache pain by blocking pain receptors surrounding the muscle’s nerves that send pain signals to the brain. 

When inflammation is present, the doctor may use a corticosteroid dose to reduce the swelling and pain.

What is a trigger point injection like?

Depending on the number of trigger points, you may need more than one injection. 

An injection can reduce or prevent headache pain for up to several weeks.

Fast, lasting pain relief!

One injection provides immediate relief from migraines and tension headaches.

The procedure only takes a few minutes and can address more than one muscle knot.

You can have more than one injection session (as needed), and the relief can last for weeks. 

It may take several sessions to experience sustained relief.

Are Trigger Point Injections for You?

You are a strong candidate for trigger point injections if you suffer from headaches due to muscle knots.

But this treatment doesn’t work for everyone. 

Some people are allergic to anesthetics, and some don’t experience relief from the injections. 

Expert Headache Treatment in Texas

If you suffer from migraines, tension headaches, or other types of headache pain, Texas Pain Physicians can help.

Our pain specialists will recommend the best treatment and get you back to your routine. 

Call Today!

To find out more or make an appointment at one of our Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, or other locations, please call us at (972) 636-5727 or book an appointment online.

Facet Block Injections and Nerve Block Injections for Long-Term Pain Relief

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You may be living with pain from an injury, disorder, or disease. 

Good and bad days come and go.

But even when the pain goes away, you can count on it to return –  month after month, year after year.

You could spend a lot of time trying DYI and non-traditional therapies and treatments until you start finding relief. 

Or you could visit a pain management doctor. 

Pain Management Injections

Pain management doctors or pain specialists are trained to diagnose chronic pain conditions and apply the most effective minimally-invasive pain relief procedures.

Steroid injection is one of their simplest methods for relieving muscle, joint, and nerve pain.

Two of the most common injections are nerve block and facet joint injections.

The type that pain specialists choose depends on the location and source of your pain.

The Benefits of Pain Management Injections

  • safe and effective 
  • minimally invasive (non-surgical)
  • long-term pain relief (up to several months or longer)

Facet Joint Injections

The facet joints connect the spine’s bones and are found in the neck, chest, and back at each vertebral level. 

Pain specialists use facet joint injections (also known as facet blocks) to discover the source of your pain or treat pain by reducing inflammation in the spine’s joints.

What Facet Joint Injections Treat:

  • back pain due to injury 
  • arthritis damage in facet joints 
  • stress on the spine

Nerve Block Injections

Unlike facet blocks, nerve block injections can help pain specialists identify the source of nerve pain in the legs and feet or treat nerve pain in the head. 

 What Nerve Blocks Treat:

  • A lumbar sympathetic block can treat nerve pain symptoms in the feet and legs.
  • An occipital nerve block can treat nerve pain in the scalp and back of the head. 

Injection Procedures 

For a nerve block or facet joint injection procedure, a doctor or nurse administers two injections (a local anesthetic and steroid) into the designated area.  

Within minutes of the anesthetic injection, you may notice significant pain relief. 

Facet blocks and nerve blocks pain-relief injections are safe and highly unlikely to cause complications compared to surgical alternatives.

Get Long-Term Pain Relief in Texas

Are you tired of taking pain medication every day to keep up with your chronic pain? 

We can give you relief that lasts for weeks or months. 

To find out how pain management injections may help you, give Texas Pain Physicians a call at (972) 636-5727 or book your appointment online.

Treating Your Chronic Pain May Get Rid of Your Brain Fog

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Do you suffer from a chronic pain disorder? 

Is your pain accompanied by memory problems, difficulty focusing, and an inability to concentrate? 

Chronic Pain May Be to Blame

Most people experience chronic pain during their lifetimes. 

And cognitive dysfunction, known as brain fog, is among chronic pain’s symptoms.

If you get effective treatment for your chronic pain, you may also see an improvement in your symptoms. 

Common Chronic Pain Disorders Linked to Brain Fog

  • Fibromyalgia (“fibro fog” is a term for cognitive disorder linked to fibromyalgia)
  • Cluster and Migraine headache disorders
  • Sciatica 
  • Neuropathy 
  • Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) 
  • Arthritis 
  • Failed Back Surgery Syndrome 
  • Hypothyroidism 
  • Many more!

Research shows that:

  • People generally don’t remember as well when they have chronic pain. 
  • Chronic pain conditions are linked to anxiety and depression, mental disorders that contribute to brain fog. 

Treating Chronic Pain to Improve Symptoms

Brain fog is a symptom of many chronic pain disorders. 

When it is, the key to improving the symptoms is treating the chronic pain. 

But it’s critical that you visit a pain specialist who can give you an accurate diagnosis, followed by effective treatment. 

Treating “The Whole You”

Often, pain specialists coordinate their treatments with other health professionals, including:

  • mental health professionals
  • physical therapists
  • general practitioners

This way, you get treatment as a whole person.

Combined, these doctors treat you based on a thorough examination of your physical and mental health, as well as medications and lifestyle.

Common Treatments for Chronic Pain

1. Lifestyle Changes

Simple lifestyle changes such as maintaining a consistent sleep regimen, being more physically active, and eating healthier can lessen chronic pain symptoms.

2. Non-Traditional Treatments and Therapies

Chiropractic, acupuncture, yoga and meditation, and other non-traditional treatments can provide relief. 

3. Medications

Over-the-counter and prescription medications can reduce chronic pain, too.

But opioid pain medications may cause brain fog and lead to dependence, so pain specialists usually limit their use or don’t recommend them at all. 

4. Interventional Procedures (at pain specialist practices)

Pain specialists have training in treating pain beyond medical school.

They have the expertise to pinpoint your pain problem and recommend procedures proven to give long-term relief.

Visit the Pain Management Specialists at Texas Pain Physicians (TPP)

Untreated chronic pain can put your life on hold.

If you suffer from brain fog and think chronic pain may be causing it, a friendly TPP doctor specialized in pain treatment can help.

We will accurately diagnose the condition and craft a unique pain management plan that fits you. 

Please call us at (972) 636-5727 or book your appointment online today.