Say Goodbye to Pain

Common, but Treatable
If the mere thought of running out of ibuprofen sends you into a panic, you’re far from alone. One in four Americans—the majority of them women—get sidelined by an achy back, neck, head or joints. In a 2006 government survey, more than half of them reported their agony lasted three months or longer.

Chronic pain can affect our relationships and our job performance. But experts say there is no reason to wince through your days needlessly. “There are options available,” says Scott Glaser, M.D. of the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians. “We are now able to find the source of the pain, treat it and control it, and give individuals back their quality of life.” Find out how to treat the most common pain complaints.

Fibromyalgia
People with fibromyalgia (mostly women) suffer fatigue, stiffness, joint tenderness, muscle pain and so-called “fibro fog” or memory problems. No one knows for sure what causes fibromyalgia, but some theories include traumatic events and repetitive injuries, as well as genetic factors.

Over-the-counter painkillers can help, as can antidepressants and drugs used to treat restless legs syndrome. Dr. Teitelbaum, who had fibromyalgia himself, recommends getting at least eight hours of sleep nightly; hormonal support to regulate thyroid, adrenal and reproductive hormones; treating infections, including anti-fungal treatments for infections such as Candida; proper nutrition and exercise.

Back Pain
There are two main causes. The sponge-like discs and joints between spinal vertebrae become injured or degenerated with daily wear and tear. Or the spinal nerves become compressed and inflamed from injury or conditions like arthritis. Dr. Glaser says “ice and heat applications are time-honored therapies” for chronic pain.

Other options include chiropractic treatments, physical therapy, massage and biofeedback. Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D., author of Pain Free 1-2-3, recommends boswellia, willow bark and curcumin-based supplements, which have anti-inflammatory properties. If those methods don’t work, a pain specialist may suggest patches that deliver painkillers directly to area or medication injected into the joints between the vertebrae or the nerves. Heat treatments or electrical stimulation can also help. Back surgery should be a last resort because of long-term risks and the possibility of creating more pain.

Chronic Headaches
Everyone gets a headache now and then, but 15 percent of Americans get severe headaches, and they occur twice as often in women than men. Migraine, cluster and tension headaches are the three most common types, and they can be triggered by anxiety, stress or hormonal changes.

If you suffer from migraines, over-the-counter remedies such as Excedrin Migraine can help, says Dr. Teitelbaum, and daily doses of magnesium and vitamins B6 and B2 may help prevent them. Stronger drugs to treat migraine pain and relieve tension and cluster headaches are available by prescription. Inhaling pure oxygen, available in small canisters by prescription, can also relieve cluster headaches. And antidepressants can help prevent tension headaches.

A Sore Neck
The same factors that cause back pain contribute to neck pain—bulging spinal discs touch nerve endings, and suddenly shaking your head is next to impossible. Worse, upper neck pain can also trigger headaches, Dr. Glaser says. “The spine is simply a series of bones sitting on top of each other protecting the spinal cord and nerves,” Dr. Glaser says, “Every joint where these bones touch is capable of being a source of pain.”

If neck pain is associated with headache, chiropractic care can help release the muscles that cause most tension headaches. Medications used to treat the headache can also offer relief. As with lower back pain, minimally invasive procedures to deaden nerve endings or deliver medications are an option.

Facial Pain
Facial pain has many causes, from a toothache to more serious conditions like trigeminal neuralgia, when inflamed nerves cause shooting, stabbing pain in the face.

For simple tooth pain, over-the-counter pain killers can help until you can see your dentist. If the problem is in your jaw’s temporomandibular joint (TMJ), you can use ice packs and a bite guard at night that helps position the jaw correctly, relieving chronic pain. For trigeminal neuralgia, anticonvulsants and muscle relaxants are typically prescribed. In extreme cases, surgery to damage the nerve so it stops delivering pain messages may help, but often results in some facial numbness.

Arthritis
The cartilage between joints erodes over time, causing pain that is the hallmark symptom of arthritis. There are two main forms of arthritis: Osteoarthritis, caused by aging and repetitive injury, and rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune condition that causes the body to attack its own healthy joints.

There’s no cure for arthritis, but anti-inflammatory painkillers like ibuprofen can help. Rheumatoid arthritis responds to anti-rheumatic drugs and corticosteroids. Exercise can also ease arthritis pain as it strengthens the muscles surrounding the joints and keeps the joints limber. Steroid injections into the joint or replacing the normal joint fluid with injections of medication also provide relief. Joint replacement surgery is also a popular treatment for severe arthritis in the hip and knee.

Seeking Treatment for Pain
All too often, people grin and bear it when it comes to pain, says Dr. Glaser, which can make it worse. “We tend to see patients a year after they’ve injured their back,” he says. “That makes it much harder to treat. Patients that come to me a month after they start hurting have a much higher success rate.”

If you’re in pain, talk to your primary care doctor. If conservative treatments aren’t working, Dr. Teitelbaum recommends seeking a pain specialist through the American Academy of Pain Management. “Pain is like the flashing red oil light on your dashboard,” he says. “It’s your body’s way of saying something needs attention.”