When you’re dealing with chronic pain, it can feel like no one else knows what you’re going through. But in fact, more than 50 million American adults are right there with you, suffering from regular or recurrent pain that can take a big toll every day.
Lots of issues can cause chronic pain. Arthritis, fibromyalgia, and neuropathy are some of the most common causes. But you can also develop ongoing painful symptoms following a car accident or an injury at work.
At Berkower Pain & Spine Rehabilitation in Pembroke Pines, Florida, David Berkower, DO, specializes in pain management therapies that can be finely tuned to each patient’s unique and evolving needs. Here’s why working with a pain management specialist like Dr. Berkower can be very helpful for your health, comfort, and well-being.
The complexity of chronic pain
The problem with chronic pain is that, unlike acute pain, the cause is often more complex or difficult to pinpoint, and therefore, the symptoms can be a lot harder to manage.
Furthermore, chronic pain can have lots of possible causes. In addition to diseases like arthritis and diabetes, pain syndromes, such as fibromyalgia and complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), can be especially difficult to treat, because they’re poorly understood.
Even acute pain from an ankle sprain can lead to a pain syndrome, and suddenly, a condition that should take a few weeks to heal can wind up causing pain for months or even years.
When it comes to treating chronic pain, many people find that they feel better when their pain is proactively managed. This, however, can be difficult to do on an individual basis. The good news is that professional pain management can help you reclaim your life.
How a professional can help
Dr. Berkower addresses the challenges of chronic pain management by customizing every treatment plan. Your plan will begin with a comprehensive exam and a deep discussion of your symptoms, including how they’ve changed over time, specific triggers, and the severity of your symptoms.
Most patients benefit from a combination of lifestyle changes and medical therapies. Depending on the type of pain you have and how it’s affecting your life, Dr. Berkower may recommend:
- Dietary changes
- Increased physical activity
- Physical therapy
- Stress reduction techniques
- Joint or trigger point injections
- Oral medications
Throughout your treatment, he’ll closely monitor your progress, adjusting your therapy as needed to maximize relief and help you stay healthy.
As with any type of chronic pain, the sooner you begin therapy, the better. Early intervention can help reduce inflammation, which often drives a lot of chronic pain symptoms, and it can also reduce the risks of developing permanent damage to your nerves and other tissues.
Get help for your chronic pain
If you have chronic pain, you know how difficult it can be to keep it under control. With professional pain management from Dr. Berkower, you’ll learn new, effective ways to get ahead of your pain, so you can get back to the activities you enjoy.
To learn more about pain management therapies at Berkower Pain & Spine Rehabilitation, call 954-430-9972 or book an appointment online today.