Medications
Anti-inflammatories are proven effective for relief of arthritic or muscular pain. Non-steroidal anti-inflamatories, NSAI's, are the most simple of medications that can be obtained over the counter. Aspirin and Tylenol have many different formulations. Advil is over the counter generic of ibuprofen and aleve is generic for naprosyn. For more strength, a presciption must be written. There is no superior medicine, but different patients will repond to different medications with different results. Some will tolerate medications, so it is not unresonable that if one medication does not work, try another. All anti-inflamatories will tend to upset the stomach, if there is an irritation to your stomach, please stop the medication to avoid gastritis or intestinal bleeding. I am concerned about rare side effects, possible vascular issues, heart attack or stroke, so I try to keep these medications to short term use, not a pill that is taken for the rest of your life.
Muscle relaxants can help loosen tight muscles of the spine. This is an over-stated medication that cannot relax the traumatized muscle, but tends to sedate all muscles. This is not a bad thing, but some people feel too drowsy or cannot function. When combined with other medications, especially narcotics, these can be sedating and habit forming. These should be taken for a week, maybe two.
Narcotic pain medications can be used for the short term, but "mask" the pain, without treating anything. There are clearly times when pain medications are needed, after surgery or trauma, but these are not continued indefinitely. Long term use will create dependence. If narcotics are used, they should be monitored by a pain management specialist.
Medrol Dose pack is a oral cortisone that showers the body with a high dose of steroid for the control of inflamation. This is used for "crisis" periods, primarily for a nerve issues. This is a one time dosage for a week, it is not meant for multiple weeks.
Neurontin is a neurologic suppresant, it is used for chronic neurologic pain. This medicine and others like it were created for the treatment of seizures, likewise it can reduce nerve irritation. Often, it is use by pain management, but it does not work for every problem, but it tries to address neuropathic pain.
There are other medications that are utilized, such as antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications, but I will leave these to a qualified pain management anaesthesiologist.
Muscle relaxants can help loosen tight muscles of the spine. This is an over-stated medication that cannot relax the traumatized muscle, but tends to sedate all muscles. This is not a bad thing, but some people feel too drowsy or cannot function. When combined with other medications, especially narcotics, these can be sedating and habit forming. These should be taken for a week, maybe two.
Narcotic pain medications can be used for the short term, but "mask" the pain, without treating anything. There are clearly times when pain medications are needed, after surgery or trauma, but these are not continued indefinitely. Long term use will create dependence. If narcotics are used, they should be monitored by a pain management specialist.
Medrol Dose pack is a oral cortisone that showers the body with a high dose of steroid for the control of inflamation. This is used for "crisis" periods, primarily for a nerve issues. This is a one time dosage for a week, it is not meant for multiple weeks.
Neurontin is a neurologic suppresant, it is used for chronic neurologic pain. This medicine and others like it were created for the treatment of seizures, likewise it can reduce nerve irritation. Often, it is use by pain management, but it does not work for every problem, but it tries to address neuropathic pain.
There are other medications that are utilized, such as antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications, but I will leave these to a qualified pain management anaesthesiologist.
