SSM Health Offers Positive Pain Management Strategies To Improve Overall Health

From the SSM Health St. Clare Hospital - Fenton:

February 1, 2021

Pain can arise from a variety of sources, including injuries, arthritis, nerve damage or surgery complications. Dr. Christopher Netzel, a Pain Management provider at Dean Medical Group – Fort Atkinson, says it’s important to think about positive pain management strategies to improve overall health.

“The good news is that, in many cases, people don’t have to live with as much pain forever,” Netzel said.

In its early stages, acute pain lasting for less than three months can be managed with a variety of safe, non-invasive strategies such as rest, ice and/or heat, Tylenol, ibuprofen, physical therapy or transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS).

Netzel and other dedicated providers at the SSM Health Pain Management Clinic help patients to address acute pain, as mentioned above, and also chronic pain, which can last for long periods of time.
“Chronic pain can truly be debilitating for some, and our goal is to get all of our patients back to living life and doing more of the activities they most enjoy,” Netzel said.

The SSM Health Pain Management Clinic utilizes the non-invasive strategies mentioned above in addition to therapies such as injections, pain psychology, mindfulness meditation, nerve cauterizations and implantable devices.

The Pain Management Clinic team takes special care to offer patients non-narcotic medication options as appropriate. They can also offer positive strategies to patients who may have relied upon narcotics for treatment of pain in the past.

“We want our patients to know that they don’t have to live in as much pain and that there are options to feel better without relying on narcotics or severe measures,” Netzel said.

In addition to the methods noted above, treatments for some of the most common causes of chronic pain include:

• Pinched nerves in the spine (spinal stenosis)
  • May be treated with epidural steroid injections, nerve pain medications or surgery if severe.
• Joint arthritis (especially in areas like the knee, hip, shoulder)
  • May be treated with steroid and local anesthetic injections to the joint, sensory nerve blocks/cauterizations, anti-inflammatories like Tylenol and ibuprofen.
• Spinal arthritis (facet arthropathy, often in the neck and/or back)
  • May be treated with nerve blocks/cauterizations, anti-inflammatories like Tylenol and ibuprofen.
• Severe, consistent headaches
  • May be treated with nerve blocks, dietary changes and sometimes even Botox, under guidance of a Neurologist.
• Back/leg pain after back surgery
  • May be treated with medicine, injections or an implantable device.
• Muscle pain
  • May be treated with injections of medication or muscle relaxants.

Community members who are experiencing acute or chronic pain should know that it doesn’t have to remain a constant struggle for them. Options are available and speaking with a primary care provider is a great first step to recovery.

“There are a multitude of strategies to help make pain more manageable,” Netzel said. “Just speak to your primary care provider and our team will make sure that you’re well taken care of.”

When your chronic pain interferes with your day-to-day life, it is time to schedule an appointment with a pain management specialist. Our team of highly trained doctors and specialists works with you and your primary care physician to design a treatment plan to responsibly provide the best level of pain care.

This press release was produced by the SSM Health St. Clare Hospital - Fenton. The views expressed are the author's own.