Pain Management Center Los Angeles

What is pain management?

Pain is defined as a symptomatic discomfort arising from an occurrence of tissue or nerve damage, inflammation, or irritation in the body. When it manifests, especially if chronic in nature, could prevent a person from carrying out daily functions. In such cases, patients could approach pain management centers for pain care, a branch of healthcare which focuses on comprehensive pain diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. The strategy is usually to draw upon different disciplines in science and medicine such as anesthesiology, physical therapy, and surgery in order to minimize the pain and deal with the underlying causes. Pain management, for most people, brings back their ability to live life by treating the distressing symptomatic pain, even during the process of treatment and rehabilitation.

What is a pain management center?

Pain management centers in Los Angeles, for example, are healthcare facilities specializing in helping patients in pain. Pain management centers employ multidisciplinary specialists in the likes of doctors, chiropractors, surgeons, psychiatrists, and other healthcare providers, who together could design a pain management strategy to comprehensively treat the patient in the best and most effective way possible. These centers also cater to patients undergoing thorough physical and neurological evaluation, diagnostic imaging and electric nerve simulation tests in order to allow for precise diagnosis of pain causes.

What are pain management plans used by pain management centers?

Pain doctors from pain management centers would always address the pain specifically to suit individual patient needs, preferences, and circumstances. As such, they first perform diagnostic procedures, and study the patient’s pain history before deciding how to go about the treatment. It is important to remember that some treatment strategies are effective only for a short while, and that treatment should  include dealing with the actual physiological problem, as pain is a mere symptom of potentially more serious ailments. Going to pain management centers in Los Angeles would always be best in order for proper diagnosis and medical evaluation be done, even before deciding to do some home remedy. The following are some pain care strategies used by pain management centers:

• Medications (pain-relievers, opioids, anti-depressants, steroidal and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicine) – being the least invasive, this form of treatment is usually given to patients for quick pain relief before they are even subjected to any other forms of treatment. In some cases, administration of medicine that reduce inflammation in affected tissues may be enough to treat the pain, and the underlying cause.
• Nerve blocks – this treatment involves direct delivery of desensitizing agents such as anesthetics and steroids via injections to affected nerves to soothe them, and in a sense interrupt the transmission of pain signals to the brain and thus minimize pain felt by patients.
• Nerve stimulations – for this one, nerves are electrically simulated by a device in order to bring about a sensation that is tolerable for patients, and that which masks the pain at the same time, due to the interruption of the nerve’s normal signaling patterns.
• Surgery – surgery for pain management involves either removing the inflamed part, or surgically killing nerves involved in transmitting pain signals of affected areas. This treatment is often only recommended when other minimally-invasive treatments have proven ineffective of insufficient to significantly reduce the patient’s pain
• Physical therapy – doctors in pain management centers may recommend for specific sets of stretching exercises in order to aid with the rehabilitation of the affected parts (e.g. loosening muscles that strain a certain nerve, causing irritation)
• Counselling and psychological guidance – as part of comprehensive treatment, patients may be supported by pain management centers through counselling and psychological mentoring, to take care of the emotional aspect of pain in patients. This treatment is usually employed in conjunction with medical treatment, especially for chronic cases.

Where can I find a good pain management center in Los Angeles?

Pain is a serious problem, thus its management should be done thoroughly. Dr. Kevin Li, MD, a certified specialist from Advance Spine Care & Pain Management center in Los Angeles, could help you in your journey. With his wide experience in treating patients with various pain problems, he could surely provide you with the best treatment for your pain. Just get in touch with his clinic at (626) 538 – 8950 to schedule your appointment today, and start on your journey to a pain-free life!