Chronic pain syndrome, often referred to simply as chronic pain, is a lifelong, debilitating condition. As the name indicates, chronic pain syndrome is where you deal with bone, muscle, joint, or ligament pain on a long-term basis. This could mean pain that comes and goes for months at a time or for years at a time. Either way, chronic pain syndrome can impede your everyday life and lead to other physical or mental conditions.
Because of how dangerous and unbearable chronic pain syndrome can be, it’s important to seek treatment. Treatment will vary depending on the part of your body being affected and the severity of the pain. It’s common for doctors to first try to address the pain directly. If that does not work, then they will use a broader-sweeping treatment to help the body as a whole. In most cases, however, it will involve one or more of the following remedies.
Prescription and over-the-counter medications are the most common treatment options for people with chronic pain syndrome. Medications are helpful at easing the symptoms of pain and discomfort, and some even help to cure the condition itself. Here are some of the most popular medications used to treat chronic pain syndrome.
Opioids, such as hydrocodone and oxycodone, are powerful pain medications. They are the strongest medications when it comes to dealing with chronic pain syndrome. Because of how powerful and addictive they are, however, most opioids are meant for short-term use rather than long-term use. Otherwise, opioid use can lead to addiction or potentially cause an overdose.
If your chronic pain is a result of nerve damage or issues, anti-depressants can help relieve the pain. Anti-depressants, such as amitriptyline and nortriptyline, help block nerve signals from the brain that convey feelings of pain.
COX Inhibitors, also known as COX-2 Inhibitors, are often used as a substitute for NSAIDs for dealing with chronic pain. NSAIDs have a lot of unwanted side effects that COX Inhibitors don’t have. Aspirin is an over-the-counter medication and is one of the most popular COX Inhibitors available.
Acetaminophen is another common over-the-counter medication that helps ease the symptoms of chronic pain syndrome. Tylenol is the most common form of acetaminophen and is preferred to other over-the-counter medications because it only deals with pain and not inflammation.
The final over-the-counter medication that helps with chronic pain syndrome is NSAIDS. NSAIDS are a group of medications that helps alleviate pain and inflammation, and Advil and Ibuprofen are the most common options.
Anti-seizure medications are very similar to anti-depressants in how they work and operate. They block pain that’s a result of nerve damage or issues, making them a great option for people with certain forms of chronic pain syndrome.
Nerve blockers are typically administered via an injection at the spot where your chronic pain is the worst. These injections can help block pain that’s stemming from nerves and may also help with diagnosing your condition.
As with all medications, there are certain side effects associated with medications for chronic pain syndrome.
Every medication has its own set of potential side effects, so be sure to know the side effects of your specific medications.
Chronic pain syndrome can be very debilitating and inconvenient. Depending on the severity of your symptoms, chronic pain syndrome can interfere with everyday activities and lead to a decreased quality of life. Therefore, it’s important to seek a medical diagnosis as quickly as possible so that your doctor can get you the proper medications to deal with your symptoms.