ABC's of Chronic Pain - Part One
Please Enjoy one of our FREE Online Seminars. Approximately 45 minutes.
In this first chronic pain management seminar, Dr. Howard Jacobs, pain management physician, discusses the sources of chronic pain and the diagnosis of chronic pain. Dr. Jacobs talks about the origins of pain that can arise following injury to the neck, back, spine and head.
Dr. Jacobs clarifies the various sources of pain of the head, neck and back and how this pain turns into a chronic condition. Muscle injury and inflammation is often the source of pain. However, when pain persists consideration must be given to potential damage to the discs, vertebrae, and zygopophogeal joints of the neck as well as deeper structures. Changes to the nerves themselves must be investigated when pain persists following injury to the neck and back, thereby becoming a chronic pain condition.
MRIs, CT scans, bone scans, and x-rays often cannot prove the existence of a joint or nerve problem in chronic pain cases. In order to diagnose chronic pain, physicians must look at the patterns of pain.
Dr. Jacobs discusses the concept of sensitization in relation to chronic pain. Sensitization is the ongoing firing of nerves in response to an injury. A chemical imbalance can occur as a result of the nerve behaving in an abnormal manner. Sensitization can result in chronic pain of the head, neck and back. Dr. Jacobs points out that there is treatment for chronic pain. Various treatments are discussed in the second seminar, ABC's of Chronic Pain, Part Two.