Dr Vivek Loomba, Senior Consultant Pain Physician at the Indian Spinal Injuries Center, New Delhi
What are some common misconceptions about pain management?
Pain treatment is not well known to the general public. When it comes to pain management, the first and the most preferred options are pain killers. We have seen numerous individuals who have had pain from a variety of disorders, including sciatica, disc prolapse, migraines, arthritis, and knee pain. The majority of these patients were not aware of the many methods available for managing pain. Many times, they think that the only way to treat pain is through surgery or oral drugs. And at times, individuals hold or delay medical treatments or surgeries simply because they fear pain and don’t want to deal with the stress or suffering that comes after. Addressing these misconceptions through education, awareness, and patient-centered care can help promote more effective pain management and improve outcomes for individuals living with pain.
What part do medications play in treating chronic pain, and what alternative choices are there?
An important part of managing pain is medication. However, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and exercising is also necessary to achieve the desired results. In addition, a person may be recommended a number of options by a pain management physician based on the reason for their pain. To relieve pain, there are options such as Skin creams, transdermal skin patches, radiofrequency ablation of the afflicted nerves, nerve block injections, epidural injections, and more.
Could you talk about any significant new developments in pain management?
Over the past few decades, the field of pain management has advanced quickly, and patients with chronic pain should expect a better prognosis when using multimodal pain management strategies. In addition to the previously discussed pain management strategies, there are a few more sophisticated treatments that can be employed to treat chronic pain without requiring surgery. Like intrathecal pain pumps and spinal cord stimulators.
Spinal cord stimulation (SCS): Also referred to as neurostimulation, SCS is a device that functions similarly to a back pacemaker. Small electrical pulses are used via leads that are inserted beneath the skin to prevent the brain from receiving pain signals. This is applied to assist people with refractory pain. It is a useful treatment for Refractory lumbar radiculopathy, refractory headaches, and other chronic pain disorders.
Intrathecal pain pumps: Also known as targeted drug delivery, or TDD, these devices involve inserting a small catheter into your back and connecting it to a motorised pump that provides a low dosage of analgesics such as morphine and fentanyl. When used by individuals who are unable to control their pain with oral or intravenous medication, such as cancer patients, this can help. Small doses offer the advantage of reducing adverse effects, which makes it very beneficial.
Because muscle relaxants like baclofen are employed in these pumps, individuals with muscular spasticity brought on by conditions like cerebral palsy, etc., can also use them.
What are the treatment options for chronic pain?
According to Dr. Vivek Loomba, chronic pain is not only a physical health concern but also an important contributor in mental health issues.
Chronic pain management involves various parameters in the treatment process as:
· Medication management
· Physiotherapy and exercise
· Advanced therapies – such as nerve blocks, radiofrequency ablation technique.
· Using an implant – as using a pain pump or a spinal cord stimulator.
Surgery – Surgery is typically reserved for patients who do not improve with conservative pain management. In addition, patients who develop weakness of the affected muscles or have the involvement of bowel / urinary bladder are the candidates for surgical exploration.
How Does Chronic Pain Impact Your Mental Health Chronic pain is linked to Higher levels of depression, stress, social isolation, low self-esteem, disrupted sleep patterns, frustration and other psychological discomfort. People who are going through chronic pain require comprehensive treatment that takes into account their mental and emotional health in addition to their physical discomfort. This may involve Multimodal pain management therapies, including psychological support, and lifestyle modifications.
Role of Pain management in treating Cancer patients
Cancer patients usually experience chronic pain that needs to be carefully managed. Pain management is a crucial part of holistic cancer care in order to relieve suffering, enhance quality of life, improve treatment tolerance, support mental and emotional well-being, prevent chronic pain, and encourage patient-centered care throughout the cancer journey. Effective pain management techniques, including medications, interventions, Strong opioid patches, Nerve blocks, Radiofrequency ablation or epidural steroid injection can be very useful in relieving the pain
Dr Vivek Loomba, Senior Consultant Pain Physician at the Indian Spinal Injuries Center, New Delhi:
Dr. Vivek Loomba is a Pain Management Specialist in Vasant Kunj, Delhi, and has an experience of 26 years in this field. He practices at Indian Spinal Injuries Centre in Vasant Kunj, Delhi. Dr. Vivek Loomba has vast experience in managing patients with both acute and chronic pain. Patients consult Dr. Loomba for a vast spectrum of diseases, including backache, facet arthropathy, headache, migraine, slipped discs, trigeminal neuralgia, cancer pain, CRPS, etc. He has successfully managed patients using multimodal analgesia techniques. Dr. Vivek Loomba manages patients using medications, physiotherapy, nerve blocks, and radiofrequency ablation.
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