The Treatment of Pain Syndromes, Part 1
Why am I in pain? This question is common enough in my practice, and for some the answer is clear, but for a lot of patients coming to me there is frustration in not knowing the source or reason for the pain. Even more frustrating is often people have gone to countless medical doctors, alternative health providers including acupuncturists and massage therapists, counselors/mental health professionals, and physical therapists and their pain continues to persist. Perhaps you are one of these people. Often people who have been through this cycle of care that has not given them results feel a sense of depression about their condition, and think that it is something that they have to deal with for the rest of their lives. And for a small percentage of people, this can be true. But for most people, reduction of pain levels or even living without pain is possible, even if it has been present for years.
The most common reason for pain is overuse or misuse. This is true for a wide range of people, from those in manual labor jobs, where muscles are working at or beyond peak capacity, as well as for those in desk jobs, where muscles are in pain due to being hunched over a computer or desk all day and not getting enough time to counteract the slumped position.
For the group of people who…