Chronic Pain Causes | Pain Management | Tyler Texas

Chronic pain is the most common cause of long-term disability in the country. The health condition is commonly caused by an injury, an underlying health condition or a past surgery that caused nerve damage. The pain physicians at Pain Recovery Center of Tyler are highly trained and experienced at treating Tyler, Texas patients with a variety of pain management techniques.

Chronic pain is reported to affect 100 million Americans. Chronic pain is a complex health condition. The health condition is commonly caused by an injury, an underlying health condition or a past surgery that caused nerve damage. Chronic pain caused by an injury is typically associated with a pulled muscle, back sprain or whiplash. A number of underlying health conditions can cause persistent pain, including:

• Arthritis
• Cancer
• Shingles
• Fibromyalgia
• Endometriosis
• Chronic fatigue syndrome

Pain caused by nerve damage, neurogenic pain, is also a relatively common cause of chronic pain.

For additional resources on chronic pain causes and pain management treatment options, please contact the Tyler, Texas pain physicians at Pain Recovery Center of Tyler.

Tennis Elbow | Golfers Elbow | Tyler Texas

Summer is here for East Texas and many of our patients will be spending more time outdoors doing the activities they love, such as golfing and playing tennis. Many patients feel that tennis and golf are safe sports, but injuries to major joints can occur. Tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow are both considered to be overload tendon injuries, typically caused by repetitive overuse. The Tyler, Texas pain physicians at Pain Recovery Center of Tyler are available to assist patients experiencing discomfort in the elbow area.

Tennis elbow, otherwise known as lateral epicondylitis, is inflammation of the tendons that join the forearm muscles located on the outside of the elbow. The muscles and tendons located in this area can become damaged from overuse, such as playing tennis.

Golfer’s elbow, or medial epicondylitis, is very similar to tennis elbow, but this health condition causes pain on the inside of the elbow where the tendons of the forearm muscle attach to the elbow’s bony bump. Like tennis elbow, the tendons and muscles can become damaged from overuse and lead to troublesome symptoms.

For more information on tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow, please contact the pain physicians at Pain Recovery Center of Tyler located in Tyler, Texas. You can also view our entire blog article dedicated to this topic here.

Workplace Injury Prevention | Work Accident | Tyler Texas

The National Safety Council estimates a worker is injured on the job every seven seconds and many of these work accidents are preventable. That is a staggering number! During National Safety Month, the pain physicians at Pain Recovery Center of Tyler, located in Tyler, Texas, would like to share workplace injury prevention tips to help keep patients safe while on the job.

Preventing a work accident before it happens can keep workers on the job, keep employers’ production levels high and help protect employers from a lawsuit, accident investigation or equipment repair.

The following workplace injury prevention tips can help create a safe working environment:

• Use safe lifting techniques
• Wear personal protective equipment
• Pay attention to ergonomics
• Get up and move throughout the day
• Do not take shortcuts
• Keep an orderly area, including company vehicle
• Reduce workplace stress

If a work accident occurs, workers are strongly encouraged to report the workplace injury to the proper personnel at their workplace. Workers are then encouraged to visit a pain physician, such as Pain Recovery Center of Tyler, so a proper diagnosis and pain management treatment can be prescribed.

For more resources on workplace injury prevention during National Safety Month, or to discuss a work accident with one of our pain physicians, please contact the Tyler, Texas office of Pain Recovery Center of Tyler. You can also view our entire blog dedicated to this topic here.

Exercise and Chronic Pain | Pain Physicians | Tyler Texas

It may seem surprising but exercise and physical activity may be beneficial at alleviating chronic pain. When the body does not receive adequate amounts of exercise, it becomes out of shape, leading to muscles losing strength and joints becoming stiff. Chronic pain can then become worse since the body is not functioning as intended. Dr. Kenneth Fults and Dr. Janine Islam, pain physicians at Pain Recovery Center of Tyler located in Tyler, Texas, commonly prescribe exercise and increased physical activity for patients suffering from chronic pain.

Pain medications and physical therapy are well-known chronic pain treatments, but exercise may be beneficial to certain patients. Our pain physicians commonly prescribe additional physical activity as part of a chronic pain treatment plan. Our physicians will help each patient select the proper form of exercise based on chronic pain level, location of pain and overall health. Walking, swimming, strength training, yoga and stretching can be effective forms, as well as everyday activities such as gardening, cleaning the house and playing with kids and/or pets.

For additional resources on how exercise can help alleviate chronic pain, please contact the pain physicians at Pain Recovery Center of Tyler located in Tyler, Texas. You can also view our entire blog article on this topic here.

Meralgia Paresthetica |Pain Physicians | Tyler Texas

Meralgia paresthetica is a health condition marked by burning thigh pain, tingling and numbness. The thigh pain is caused by the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve (LCFN) becoming compressed from weight gain, obesity, pregnancy or wearing clothing too tight. Pain Recovery Center of Tyler offers a variety of pain management treatments administered by our pain physicians to alleviate the troublesome symptoms of meralgia paresthetica in Tyler, Texas patients.

Symptoms of meralgia paresthetica include:

• Burning thigh pain
• Tingling and numbness in the thigh
• Aching in the groin area
• Pain spreading across the buttocks

Treatment for meralgia paresthetica varies based on the cause and severity of symptoms. Treatment frequently consists of a combination of treatment options, including:

• Losing weight
• Wearing looser clothing
• Pain medications
• Corticosteroid injections

For more resources on meralgia paresthetica, or for additional information on pain management for burning thigh pain, contact the Tyler, Texas pain physicians at Pain Recovery Center of Tyler. You can also view our detailed blog on this health condition here.

Coccydynia | Pain Physicians | Tyler Texas

Coccydynia is a health condition marked by inflammation of the tailbone (coccyx). Coccydynia is caused by injury in many cases, and tailbone pain is intensified when a patient is sitting. The pain physicians at Pain Recovery Center of Tyler, located in Tyler, Texas, are highly trained and experienced at diagnosing and treating a variety of pain conditions, including coccydynia.

Coccydynia has a history of being poorly understood by pain physicians and other health professionals. In many cases, a diagnosis of the cause of this condition will identify the underlying cause of tailbone pain and inflammation, such as a fall on the tailbone or childbirth.

Treatment for tailbone pain is typically non-invasive. Pain physicians typically begin treatment by utilizing a combination of conservative measures, such as:

• Anti-inflammatory medications

• Pain medications and/or injections

• Utilizing a well-padded seat or custom pillow when sitting

• Applying heat and/or ice

• Avoiding sitting for an extended period of time

• Physical therapy exercise

If you are suffering from tailbone pain, or would like more resources on coccydynia, please contact Pain Recovery Center of Tyler’s pain physicians in Tyler, Texas.  You can also view the full blog article on this condition here.

Arachnoiditis | Pain Physicians | Tyler Texas

Arachnoiditis is a rare chronic pain condition caused by inflammation of the arachnoid, one of the membranes that protect and surround the nerves of the spinal cord. Patients suffering from this condition experience severe back pain, muscle cramps and neurological problems. The pain physicians at Pain Recovery Center of Tyler, located in Tyler, Texas, are available to help diagnose and treat patients with a number of pain management treatment plans designed to alleviate chronic pain.

Patients with arachnoiditis experience severe, burning back pain in the majority of cases, typically located in the area where the spinal nerves connect the lower back and legs. Patients may also experience weakness, numbness or tingling in the legs, muscle cramps, severe shooting pain or the sensation of something crawling on the skin.

Arachnoiditis is a difficult condition for pain physicians to both diagnose and treat. Treatment for this rare condition is similar to other chronic pain conditions. Pain physicians will focus on a pain management treatment plan that alleviates pain and improves symptoms so patients can enjoy everyday life.

For additional information on the rare chronic pain condition arachnoiditis, or for more information on pain management treatment plans, please contact the Tyler, Texas pain physicians at Pain Recovery Center of Tyler. You can also visit our pain management blog here for a full article on arachnoiditis.