Many of the chronic pain conditions people face are chronic because, while they can be treated, there is no cure. At the time of diagnosis, no one really knows how long they are going to be fighting the battle against the condition at hand. Thinking that you might be in this situation for the long haul changes perspective and approach to finding a solution.
Over the years that I have been in pharmacy practice, the treatment approach to many health conditions has shifted dramatically. Rheumatoid arthritis is a good example. In the earliest days of professional life, the NSAID drugs were the latest and greatest, and steroids were commonly used. Some people were receiving gold injections at doctor's offices. Nowadays, the standard of treatment is vastly different; many patients benefit from monoclonal antibody therapies via hospital infusion and self care strategies.
Where am I going with this? When you have a chronic pain condition, there is much uncertainty. Medical treatments will come and go. Some of them will work well, and some of them won't. Some drugs hit the marketplace and become all the rage, only to find out later that there is some serious problem, resulting in removal from the marketplace.
These problems will never happen in the case of treatments that do not involve pharmaceuticals. We've all been eating the same foods, exercising (though in different ways), and practicing yoga, acupuncture,massage and meditation for centuries. They are tried and true. They are our friends.
So, in summary-
1) Medications are useful but they have limitations and cautious use is advised.
2) Healthy lifestyle changes will go a long way toward improving overall well being for all people, especially those with chronic conditions.
3) Medical treatments come and go. Holistic practices have been around for hundreds of years, and will never become outdated.
Over the years that I have been in pharmacy practice, the treatment approach to many health conditions has shifted dramatically. Rheumatoid arthritis is a good example. In the earliest days of professional life, the NSAID drugs were the latest and greatest, and steroids were commonly used. Some people were receiving gold injections at doctor's offices. Nowadays, the standard of treatment is vastly different; many patients benefit from monoclonal antibody therapies via hospital infusion and self care strategies.
Where am I going with this? When you have a chronic pain condition, there is much uncertainty. Medical treatments will come and go. Some of them will work well, and some of them won't. Some drugs hit the marketplace and become all the rage, only to find out later that there is some serious problem, resulting in removal from the marketplace.
These problems will never happen in the case of treatments that do not involve pharmaceuticals. We've all been eating the same foods, exercising (though in different ways), and practicing yoga, acupuncture,massage and meditation for centuries. They are tried and true. They are our friends.
So, in summary-
1) Medications are useful but they have limitations and cautious use is advised.
2) Healthy lifestyle changes will go a long way toward improving overall well being for all people, especially those with chronic conditions.
3) Medical treatments come and go. Holistic practices have been around for hundreds of years, and will never become outdated.
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