Pain management, a challenge for doctors

NAGPUR: Pain and aches may seem like trivial issues but they have become a way of life for many. The increased number of complaints that the doctors are getting these days has given rise to a separate discipline of pain management.
What worries the doctors is the pain induced by lifestyle, especially among the younger population. Various aspects of managing pain and the various manifestations of pain were discussed at a conference organized by the Academy of Medical Sciences (AMS).Pain, they said, may be inevitable but suffering is optional. Using several technical advancements and the newer treatment modalities, relief from pain is easier to get in the current times.
"The number of people complaining of chronic pain has gone up tremendously. The pain induced by diseases like cancer, arthritis, neurological problems and after operations id not relieved by drugs. Sometimes, the analgesics may also result in many side-effects," said Dr Vivek Bhalerao, secretary of AMS. Agreed the president of the society, Dr Prakash Khetan and said that chronic pain is the most unbearable aspect of those suffering from it and affects all aspects of their lives.
Management of pain has become such that all specialties of medical have to be involved in it, said anaesthesiologist Dr Chandrashekhar Cham, a member of the governing council of Indian Society for Study of Pain. "Recently, implantable chips that can stimulate the body to relieve pain have gained popularity. Spinal cord stimulators consist of catheters that can be inserted into the spine while a thickle pump can help those suffering due to cancer," he informed. He ascribed the reason for the increased number of complaints of pain to the increased life span and less mobility that are hallmarks of modern way of living.
Dr Laxmi Vaas, an interventional pain specialist from Mumbai, also said that everybody today has become a couch potato of some kind, not necessarily addicted to television or computer. "Lifestyle induced pain in groups where it is not normally expected, like young professionals, is especially worrying. The huge variety of pain is also a startling phenomenon. Many times, the compensation in the stance of the body due to one kind of pain gives rise to secondary pain," she explained. The good thing is with increased awareness, people seek help at an earlier stage, she added. She insisted that regular stretching exercises learnt from a skilled trainer can help a lot in decreasing the incidences of pain.
Many times, surgery is the only resort for relieving one of one's pain. "These days, many young women in the child bearing age are coming in with complain of pain in the pelvic region. It is important that proper investigation is done to ascertain the cause of this pain. Surgery is the option for these women in most cases but unneeded surgeries should be avoided," informed Dr Adarsh Chaudhary, senior consultant at a Gurgaon based hospital. Surgeries should be used as a therapeutic measure, otherwise it can make the situation worse, he insisted.