How does our site make you feel?
Great   Indifferent
Skip to main content

5 Nonsurgical Treatments for Chronic Pain

The long-lasting effects of chronic pain present treatment complications for both patients and physicians. Sometimes, chronic pain persists even after tissue damage heals due to changes in the way nerves report pain to the brain. 

Other challenges include long-term effects of using medications to manage pain, since your body can adapt to drugs, requiring larger doses or stronger formulations, most of which also present their own harmful side effects. 

Dr. James Nassiri and the team at Westside Pain Specialists often take a multi-modal approach to chronic pain management, reducing the reliance on drug-based therapy. Much depends on your unique conditions and responses to treatment. 

Today, let’s look at five nonsurgical treatments for chronic pain, as well as how they work in combination with each other to provide effective pain management programs. 

The nature of pain

Pain is your body’s way of telling you something may be wrong. However, it’s not always a perfect reporting system. Your pain might not be proportional to the condition causing it. 

For example, sciatic nerve pain can completely debilitate you and send pain symptoms down your leg, even though there’s nothing physically wrong along the nerve path. At other times, you may experience only mild and tolerable pain accompanying bone fractures. 

When pain becomes chronic, your nerves themselves may change over time, continuing to generate pain when there’s no longer a physical cause. 

The weaknesses of drug therapy

Pain medications can do a remarkable job of relieving pain of all types and intensities. However, there’s no ideal medication. Every type has some sort of negative effect on your body. 

Many common pain medications place an increased load on organs like the kidneys, even over-the-counter drugs like ibuprofen and naproxen. Opiate prescription medications are powerful pain relievers, but some patients risk addiction and drug dependence. 

Drug therapy is strongest when used as a short-term solution for acute injury or as part of surgical recovery. It’s not the best way to approach chronic pain management. 

5 nonsurgical treatments of chronic pain

Depending on the underlying source of your pain, treating that condition may help to reduce chronic symptoms. When chronic pain becomes the primary target of treatment, we may recommend therapies like: 

Physical therapy

Though arthritis pain may make the idea of exercise and movement seem daunting, moderate amounts of low-impact activity actually promote natural pain relief by relieving inflammation and promoting blood circulation. 

Building the muscles that support painful joints transfers the load away from the pain-causing elements of the joint, too, making other aspects of your pain management plan more effective. 

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS)

Since nerves carry tiny electrical signals generated by your body, using a device to deliver other tiny electrical signals modulates and blocks pain messages on the way to the brain. 

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy

Using a small sample of your own blood, we isolate platelets, the blood component best known for its clotting abilities. Platelets also carry chemical messengers that guide the natural healing process, reducing inflammation and pain. 

Alternate pain medications

Expanding pain management beyond drug-based treatment helps to reduce the focus of your care away from medications, but they still have a place, usually with lower doses. Dr. Nassiri may also prescribe antidepressants and/or anti-seizure medications, each of which can also reduce pain symptoms. 

Topical treatments

Just as electrical signals can alter nerve pain messages, capsaicin ointments can also modulate the way you perceive pain. Topical analgesics deliver pain medication through the skin, reducing the metabolic load that oral drugs create. 

Contact us at Westside Pain Specialists to discuss these and other alternatives for treating chronic pain. Call our office in Beverly Hills or Rancho Cucamonga, California, directly to schedule your visit today.

You Might Also Enjoy...

3 Lifestyle Changes That Can Help Relieve Sciatica

3 Lifestyle Changes That Can Help Relieve Sciatica

Sciatica is a collection of symptoms that accompany compression and irritation of the sciatic nerves, the largest and longest nerves in your body. You can relieve sciatica by making a few lifestyle changes to ease the burden on your spine.
What's So Special About Blood Platelets?

What's So Special About Blood Platelets?

Blood platelets have the clotting factors necessary to form clots when you’re cut. These powerful healing agents also play other essential roles in body repair processes, making them a special and versatile component of your blood.

Will Chronic Neck Pain Resolve on Its Own?

Chronic neck pain can emerge from a wide range of conditions or injuries. The longer your neck pain lasts, the less likely spontaneous healing becomes. You may need home remedies, lifestyle changes, or medical care to resolve the pain.
Is It Safe to Lift Weights With Back Pain?

Is It Safe to Lift Weights With Back Pain?

After the initial back injury, movement and exercise can be powerful tools to help you recover from the pain. This can include some forms of weight training, depending on your injury and its severity. 

Why You Keep Getting One-Sided Shoulder Pain

It’s common for people to develop shoulder pain, since shoulders are the most complex and mobile joints in your body. It’s even possible to have chronic shoulder pain on one side only. Here’s what you need to know. It’s common for people to develop should