Chronic Pain Management in Edmonton, AB
Chronic pain is defined as any pain that lasts for more than 12 weeks. Unlike acute pain, which alerts us to injury or illness, chronic pain persists long after the initial injury has healed. Chronic pain can arise from an initial injury, inflammation or even be caused by a disease. It can also appear without any clear cause.
Living with chronic pain can significantly impact your quality of life. The constant discomfort, loss of sleep, and inability to participate in daily activities can lead to depression, anxiety, reduced mobility, and social isolation. Seeking proper treatment is essential, as chronic pain will not often resolve on its own.
At Turning Point Physical Therapy in Edmonton, AB, our team of physiotherapists and pain management specialists are dedicated to providing a multi-disciplinary approach to Chronic Pain Physiotherapy Edmonton. Our goal is to improve function and help patients regain their quality of life.
Causes of Chronic Pain
Chronic pain can arise from a variety of underlying causes and contributing factors. Understanding what is driving your persistent pain is key to successful management. Common causes include:
Injuries and Trauma
Past injuries, accidents, or physical trauma that failed to heal properly can all lead to long-term pain. This may include old fractures, sprains, whiplash injuries, burns, or surgical scars. The initial damaged tissues trigger ongoing pain signals.
Arthritis
Osteoarthritis breaks down cartilage and causes joint pain, achiness, and stiffness. Rheumatoid arthritis leads to swollen, tender joints due to inflammation. Gout also produces joint pain from uric acid crystal deposits.
Neuropathic Pain
Nerve injuries or dysfunction resulting from diabetes, shingles, multiple sclerosis, stroke, or traumatic injury can manifest as chronic neuropathic pain. Symptoms often include numbness, tingling, pins and needles, or burning sensations.
Musculoskeletal Disorders
Repeated small injuries to muscles, tendons, or ligaments from strain, overuse, or poor posture over time can cause persistent aches and pain. Examples are tendinitis, bursitis, or Chronic Back Pain Edmonton.
Headaches
Chronic migraines and tension-type headaches affecting nerve pathways in the brain that regulate pain signals frequently cause head pain.
Fibromyalgia
This condition is characterized by widespread soft tissue pain and tender points throughout the body. The cause remains unknown but likely involves atypical pain signal processing.
Cancer Pain
Pain directly or indirectly caused by cancer or cancer treatment can become a chronic issue even after the cancer is gone. The reasons are complex and varied depending on the type of cancer.
Visceral Pain
Pain originating from internal organs in the abdomen or pelvis is termed visceral pain. It is often described as cramping, aching, or dull. Common sources include chronic pancreatitis, irritable bowel syndrome, endometriosis, and bladder pain syndrome. The pain is diffuse and hard to pinpoint.
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) causes severe limb pain, swelling, stiffness, changes in skin temperature, and hypersensitivity. It usually results from injury to nerves or soft tissue. The excessive pain response is disproportionate to the initial trauma. The exact mechanism behind CRPS is not known, but theories involve nerve malfunction.
Identifying the underlying cause of your chronic pain allows us to select the optimal treatments to ease discomfort and restore function. Our team will perform a thorough evaluation to determine what is driving your persistent symptoms.
Chronic Pain Treatment Approaches
There are a variety of Chronic Pain Treatment Edmonton options available for chronic pain, which can be used alone or in combination based on your specific condition:
- Medications - Anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxants, certain antidepressants, or anticonvulsants may be prescribed to reduce pain signals. Narcotic painkillers may be used sparingly and with caution.
- Physiotherapy - Stretching, strengthening exercises, manual therapy techniques, posture and gait retraining. The goals are to improve mobility, flexibility, and function and prevent worsening.
- Occupational Therapy - Focuses on adapting activities of daily living to better manage pain symptoms. Providing assistive devices and teaching coping techniques.
- Psychological Counselling - Cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness therapy, or pain coping skills training. Aims to improve pain acceptance and reduce catastrophizing thoughts.
- Interventional Procedures - Steroid or anesthetic injections into tissues/joints, nerve ablation techniques, or implanted spinal cord stimulators.
- Complementary Therapies - Acupuncture, massage therapy, heat/ice therapy. It may be used alongside conventional treatments.
- Lifestyle Changes - Improving sleep habits, maintaining a healthy weight, smoking cessation, and stress management.
Our team works collaboratively to create a tailored and patient-centered pain management plan. Treatment is adjusted over time to achieve sustained improvements in pain and function.
The Benefits of Treating Your Chronic Pain with Turning Point Physical Therapy
If you suffer from chronic pain in Edmonton, choosing the right healthcare provider is critical. At Turning Point Physical Therapy in Edmonton, AB, we have the expertise and patient focus to help you manage stubborn symptoms and improve function.
Discover the key benefits of selecting us for your Physiotherapy in Edmonton:
Comprehensive Assessments
Our physiotherapists complete thorough assessments, including:
- Detailed history of your condition
- Physical exam to identify impaired movements
- Postural analysis
- Functional testing of activities
- Questionnaires about your pain and disabilities
- Discussion of goals and expectations
This in-depth evaluation helps us understand all contributing factors to designing the optimal treatment plan. We don’t take a one-size-fits-all approach.
Custom Exercise Programs
We create an individualized exercise program to target your specific needs and abilities. This includes:
- Stretching tight muscles or joints
- Strengthening weak areas
- Improving range of motion
- Postural correction
- Core stability exercises
- Progressive cardio activity
Your program will be adjusted over time as your condition improves. We ensure exercises are performed properly to avoid further injury.
Advanced Manual Therapy Techniques
Our physiotherapists utilize hands-on techniques such as:
- Soft tissue release – To relax tight muscles
- Joint mobilizations – To improve restricted joint motion
- Muscle energy techniques – Gentle contractions to increase ROM
- Massage and trigger point release – To relieve myofascial pain
These interventions enhance treatment effectiveness when combined with customized exercises.
Therapeutic Pain Relief Options
We offer additional pain relief modalities, including:
- Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS)
- Heat and ice therapy
- Acupuncture
- Taping
These passive treatments can provide short-term pain relief while active therapies work to resolve the underlying issue.
Education for Self-Management
We ensure you understand your condition, treatment plan, and how to self-manage pain at home. This education empowers you to take an active role in your recovery. We provide personalized at-home exercise programs, inflammation management advice, pacing strategies, and more.
Consistent Follow-Up Care
Your care doesn’t end after one appointment. We schedule follow-ups to monitor your progress, adjust treatment, and prevent any regression. Our goal is to provide the continued care you need until your functional goals are met.
Don’t let chronic pain prevent you from participating in activities you enjoy. The compassionate pros at Turning Point Physical Therapy use proven techniques to help you gain control of stubborn symptoms. Let us customize a treatment plan to get you moving better again.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is The Management Of Chronic Pain?
The management of chronic pain typically involves multiple different treatment approaches rather than just one solution. The goal is to reduce pain levels while improving function. This requires a combination of medications, physical therapies, psychological support, lifestyle changes, and sometimes interventional procedures.
The Chronic Pain Management Edmonton plan is tailored to each individual based on their specific condition, needs, and goals. Ongoing communication between healthcare providers is key to coordinating care and adjusting treatments over time as needed.
How To Deal With Chronic Pain?
Coping with chronic pain starts with having an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan. Your healthcare providers can help you with medications, physical therapy, psychological support, complementary therapies, and lifestyle changes.
At home, use pain management techniques like applying heat/ice, massage, pacing activity, relaxation exercises, distraction methods, and maintaining a positive attitude. Joining a support group can help you feel less alone.
How Does Chronic Pain Affect Mental Health?
It’s very common for chronic pain to affect mental health. The constant pain and difficulty participating in normal activities can lead to depression, anxiety, loneliness, anger, fear, and hopelessness.
Seeking counselling and adopting stress management practices can help prevent chronic pain from leading to or worsening mental health conditions. Your treatment providers should assess both your physical and psychological health.
Is It Possible To Treat Chronic Pain?
For many people, chronic pain can be treated and managed successfully. While complete elimination of pain is unlikely, most patients experience substantial improvements in pain levels and quality of life with a combination treatment approach.
It’s important to have realistic expectations, communicate with your healthcare team, and actively participate in all aspects of your treatment plan, including at-home care. With time and consistency, you can achieve better pain control.
How Common Is Chronic Pain?
Chronic pain is extremely common, affecting around 20% of adults globally. Here in Edmonton, it’s likely that 1 in 5 people are suffering from some type of persistent pain condition. Chronic pain can develop at any age but is most prevalent in older populations.
The most common chronic pain complaints include lower Edmonton chronic back pain, neck pain, osteoarthritis, headaches, and nerve pain. Chronic pain is a complex medical condition that requires compassionate, patient-centered care.
