There are several types of chronic pain. A degenerative condition such as arthritis can cause chronic pain, or you may have a chronic pain condition such as fibromyalgia. Other causes of chronic pain include:
You may also develop chronic pain after a surgical procedure or following a trauma or injury.
Chronic pain lasts for 12 weeks or longer.
In most cases, if you have an injury or illness, your pain subsides as your body heals and your inflammation decreases. However, in some cases, you have pain that lasts longer and is more severe than your initial injury should have caused.
At Joshuason Rehabilitation & Pain Management LTD, Dr. Wrightson diagnoses chronic pain with a comprehensive exam and diagnostic testing.
While in some cases, the cause of your pain is easily identified, conditions such as fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, and CRPS are challenging to identify.
There’s no single test to identify any of these conditions, and Dr. Wrightson has to run multiple tests to rule out other conditions that could cause similar chronic pain and other symptoms.
In addition to a physical exam, Dr. Wrightson may order X-rays, MRIs, CT scans, and blood tests to gather more information. He may also use nerve conduction studies to test your nerve function and locate nerve damage.
Dr. Wrightson uses his experience and extensive training to recommend treatments to manage chronic pain.
Chronic pain is often variable, and you may need to try several options before you find the right method of pain relief. Dr. Wrightson and the team listen to you and leave no stone unturned when it comes to creating an effective, customized pain management program.
In addition to a full range of injections, nerve blocks, and other pain management treatments, Dr. Wrightson includes the following modalities in chronic pain management programs: