Reference no: EM131102843

Health psychology unit 3 responses

Pain Management

What is the difference between acute and chronic pain? What treatments for pain, including pharmacological treatments, alternative treatments, and faith-based or spiritual healing, exist? What are some of the risks of pharmacological treatments for pain as it relates to the potential for developing a substance use disorder?

Respond

Student 1

Prof. Pover and Class

There are different types of pain. Acute pain is a type of pain that typically lasts less than 3 to 6 months, or pain that is directly related to soft tissue damage such as a sprained ankle or a paper cut.

Acute pain is of short duration but it gradually resolves as the injured tissues heal. Acute pain is distinct from chronic pain and is relatively more sharp and severe.

Chronic pain is any pain that lasts for more than three months. The pain can become progressively worse and reoccur intermittently, outlasting the usual healing process.

After injured tissue heals, pain is expected to stop once the underlying cause is treated, according to conventional ideas of pain. However, chronic pain can persist after injuries heal for no apparent biological cause.

The most common sources of chronic pain include low back pain, headache and arthritic pain. Chronic pain can cause significant psychological and emotional trauma and often limits an individual's ability to fully function. (Veritashealth.com, 2016)

Pain is complex, so there are many treatment options -- medications, therapies, and mind-body techniques. Learn the benefits and risks of each, including addiction. Pain Management, Medications, mind-body techniques, and acupuncture can help relieve chronic pain. Learn about your options.

Pain clinics, A pain clinic is a health care facility that focuses on the diagnosis and management of chronic pain.

Natural pain relief, Lifestyle changes, physical therapy, counseling -- in addition to medication or surgery, these can also bring pain relief.

Chiropractic care for pain, This hands-on therapy has been shown to help in treating neck pain and headaches.

Spine and pain treatments, If you have painful compression fractures in the spine, both surgical and nonsurgical treatments are explored and many other types of treatments.( webmd.com, 2005-2016)

Yes, Holistc medicine s a form of healing that considers the whole person -- body, mind, spirit, and emotions -- in the quest for optimal health and wellness. According to the holistic medicine philosophy, one can achieve optimal health -- the primary goal of holistic medicine practice -- by gaining proper balance in life.(webmd.com, 2005-2016)

According to NIH "National Institute drug abuse" (2014) mitigate addiction risk, physicians should screen patients for potential risk factors, including personal or family history of drug abuse or mental illness. Monitoring patients for signs of abuse is also crucial, and yet some indicators can signify multiple conditions, making accurate assessment challenging. Early or frequent requests for prescription pain medication refills, for example, could represent illness progression, the development of drug tolerance, or the emergence of a drug problem.

Tabby

Student 2

Discussion

This week's discussion relates to me. Acute pain is pain that doesn't last a long time. This pain can either be a small pain or it can be a severe pain from an injury that may have occurred. When a person ignores their injury and pain by not seeking the proper medical attention or not taking their medicine this pain can become chronic. Chronic pain develops when the acute pain is untreated. This relates to my injury in the army. when I was stationed in South Korea I kept going back to the doctors because I had a pain in my knee. Every single doctor threw me a brace and deadly painkillers and sent me on my way. This pain has lasted from 2011 until January 2016. Every single doctor played my injury off. They called it runners knee and arthritis. In the span of 5 years not one doctor decided to go above x-rays and actually order MRIs. January 2016, a doctor went above and beyond and ordered me a MRI. Weeks later I was diagnosed with Hoffa's disease. A disease where my shin bone and thigh bone is pinching my fat pat.

There are many treatments for acute and chronic pain. The number one treatment is the wrong treatment. Medications. Medications is simply the doctor's way of putting a band aid on our "booboos." Rehab is a great treatment that will help strengthen our bones around the injury so once the injury heals, you won't be able to reinjure it so easily. Now that I know that I have Hoffa's disease which is in the chronic stages, I go to the doctors every few weeks to get a steroid injection in my knee to bring the swelling of my fat pad down. This injection works but it only lasts for a few weeks. Praying is a spiritual way that can help heal your injuries. There are so many risks of using pharmacological treatments for pain. Taking medication for one thing can leave you with serious problems of something else. There are so many side effects when you are taking drugs and some of these side effects may cause organ damage, cardio problems and even suicidal and homicidal thoughts. I was actually looking at my medication the other day that I found in my old purse. I looked it up online because I forgot what it was for. When I looked it up I seen the symptoms and one of the symptoms was that it can lead to a heart attack even if you aren't in the risk factors and even if you don't have cardiovascular problems. Some medications can make you addicted and you can overdose which is a big problem in America. Another problem is that when you take a certain medication over and over it may work but over time your body will become so immune to it that it doesn't work anymore. Now you have to go back to the doctors and get a stronger dose or a whole new medication.