Pain Therapy: what it is and when it is practiced

Pain is a subjective and complex experience, which can vary from a mild annoyance to an intense torment. Pain therapy, or antalgic therapy, is a specialized branch of medicine that deals with understanding, evaluating and treating chronic and acute pain, with the aim of improving the quality of life of patients.

What is pain and why is it important to treat it?

Pain is an alarm signal sent by our body to indicate the presence of damage or a potential threat. However, when pain becomes chronic, that is, it persists over time even in the absence of an obvious cause, it can have a significant impact on daily life, compromising psychological and physical well-being.

Pain medicine focuses not only on symptom suppression, but also on the underlying causes, adopting a multidisciplinary approach that involves different professional figures, including:

• Anesthetists: specialized in the management of acute and chronic pain, often through the use of invasive and non-invasive techniques.
• Neurologists: they deal with disorders of the central and peripheral nervous system that can cause chronic pain.
• Rheumatologists: they treat inflammatory diseases that affect the joints and connective tissues, often associated with chronic pain.
• Psychologists and psychiatrists: they intervene on the psychological component of pain, helping patients manage stress, anxiety and depression.

Goals of Pain Therapy

The main goal of pain therapy is to relieve pain and improve the quality of life of patients. Depending on the cause and severity of the pain, different treatment approaches may be used, including:

• Pharmacotherapy: The use of analgesics, anti-inflammatory drugs, and other medications to control pain.
• Physical therapies: Physical therapy, occupational therapy, and other rehabilitation therapies to improve mobility and function.
• Surgery: In some cases, surgery may be necessary to treat the underlying cause of the pain.
• Interventional therapies: Minimally invasive techniques, such as injections of local anesthetics or corticosteroids, to block pain pathways.
• Complementary therapies: Techniques such as acupuncture, yoga, and meditation may be helpful in supporting conventional therapies.

When to See a Pain Specialist

It is advisable to see a pain specialist when the pain becomes chronic, meaning it persists for more than three months, or when it significantly interferes with daily activities.

Conclusions

Pain therapy is a discipline in continuous evolution, which offers patients suffering from chronic pain a hope of relief and a better quality of life. Thanks to a multidisciplinary and personalized approach, it is possible to identify the most effective therapy for each individual patient.

Warning: The information in this article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice. In case of persistent pain, it is always advisable to consult your doctor.