A great percentage of our population is living with acute or chronic pain every single day including thousands of people right here in central New Jersey.
While medication in varying dosages can be the right choice for some pain management cases, there are several other options which can also provide exceptional results and offer these added benefits:
• Alleviating the high cost of prescription pain medication
• Avoiding possible opioid side effects
• Improving overall health in addition to the pain condition
• Empowering patients to take charge of their own pain using alternative therapies to fight back against pain at any time
In my pain management practice, my team and I regularly prescribe this arsenal of weapons to combat several types of neuropathy:
Physical Therapy and Exercise
Patients are initially shocked when I tell them to move their bodies 
when they are in pain, but it is the actual movement of joints and muscle which can help you significantly lessen the pain, regardless of your age or medical condition.
Our physical therapist can work you through strength building exercises that can yield remarkable results.
Diet
Consuming the right foods can reduce inflammation, which is essentially the root cause of pain. It is astounding what eating the right foods for you can do (my patient Andrea can attest to this)
People with food sensitivities experience compromised immunity and suffer with chronic viral or bacterial illnesses, joint pain, digestive trouble, sinus problems, asthma, skin irritations, auto-immune disorders and even osteoporosis.
Massage Therapy
Nearly 91 percent of people who undergo massage therapy report it lessens pain and minimizes stress, which anyone with pain knows can increase pain symptoms.
Meditation
Your mind is a powerful tool when it comes to managing and coping with pain. Regular meditation can also help you access and control your neurotransmitters for pain. When you let go of your external influencers and focus on something as simple as breathing, the sections of your brain that become active when you deal with chronic pain are quieted in these moments.
Skeptical? Just try it!
Sleep
Did you know that a lack of sleep can also make you more sensitive to pain? Make sure you are getting an average of 7 – 9 hours of sleep everyday as a rule of thumb. Just like good nutrition and exercise, sleep can make all the difference.
Finding the right physician who understands pain treatment
For some patients, a combination of these drug-free techniques to overcome pain in conjunction some kind of medication can be the optimal solution. Every patient’s medical history and ultimate health goals differ.
As someone who may be debilitated by pain, be sure to partner with a board certified physiatrist who understands how to create a customized treatment plan just for you that will yield results quickly and safely.
Want to learn more about treating your medical condition? Feel free to contact my office at (609) 655-1500 or click here to make an appointment to come in and talk.
