Older injuries often cause pain and visits to the doctor's office. Even if a newer injury is sustained, there are alternatives to surgery that could take one off of their feet and place them out of commission.
However, if a person has suffered a life-threatening injury or one that cannot be resolved with alternative treatments, then surgery may be their only solution.
Usually a busy mother with several children cannot afford to have surgery and go through an often timely and painful recovery process. Also, the sole bread winner of a family or an also-harried spouse that is a full time employee cannot afford to take the time off from work and worry about lost income. What alternatives to surgery are there and are they successful?
Physical Therapy for Pain Management
Physical therapy is actually the first line of defense in avoiding surgery. No matter what the injury, therapists can help people to regain muscle tone, flexibility, and help lessen aches and pains.
Having a therapy routine developed individually for a patient could help them recover at a decent pace and the results could be permanent.
Not unlike a workout routine, physical therapy will only work for a person that commits to their program and works hard to achieve their best results. Their doctor will prescribe the correct amount of time that they would need to heal and most insurance will fully cover the cost of therapy.
There is a high success rate for patients that use physical therapy for their recovery.
Steriod Injections for Pain Management
If a person has sustained a joint injury in their extremities then there is another option for them. They have the ability to receive cortisone injections directly into their joint. While this sounds and is slightly painful, the results can be miraculous.
While cortisone is not a pain reliever, it acts as an anti-inflammatory and oftentimes it relieves the pain. It is a naturally-occurring agent that the body produces and therefore it has little to no side effects.
According to about.com, "By injecting the cortisone into a particular area of inflammation, very high concentrations of the medication can be given while keeping potential side-effects to a minimum. Cortisone injections usually work within a few days, and the effects can last up to several weeks"[1].
Cortisone can be most helpful because it is injected directly into the problem area and not into the bloodstream. Relieving the inflammation can often times solve the issue without surgery.
While the side effects are minimal, the only downside is that most doctors tend to limit a patient to three shots.
Although, the FDA (the Food and Drug Administration) does not place a limit on these injections, doctors are cautious about going against the guideline of three shots per year if necessary.
Alternative Medicine Solutions
There are alternative treatments and herbal medications that some people prefer and they seem to achieve great results. Herbal medications such as bone and cartilage supplements, whole protein supplements, vitamins, and herbal remedies have been suggested for many patients that want to balance their doctor care with a more natural approach to their recovery.
Other alternatives include receiving acupuncture, visiting a Chiropractor, and having massage therapy. Every individual responds to different treatments. What make work for some may not work for all. Many patients are referred by their doctor to Massage Therapists.
While sometimes considered as alternative medicine, massage therapy is now offered in most doctor’s offices and hospitals. Having a deep tissue massage or a sports massage could alleviate pain and naturally restore muscle control and flexibility.
Massage also helps muscle tissue to recover by stimulating endorphins in the body.
Pain Management Clinics
If a person has exhausted all other options then they may be referred to a specialist that can help to manage their pain at a clinic. There are many stigmas attached to these clinics because they are used as a last resort and some feel that they are viewed as hypochondriacs or that their pain is not being taken seriously.
However, these clinics have a purpose. They try to manage your pain by finding the right mix of pain or anti-inflammatory medications and exercise or therapy that work specifically for each individual. Again, a person is only referred to these clinics if regular measures have failed and surgery is still not an option due to their individual circumstances.
If a person has obtained an injury that can be treated by the use of any of these solutions then they could possibly postpone or avoid surgery. While circumstances may vary, the bottom line is that most people cannot afford the time and money lost and the inconvenience of a long and possible difficult recovery from surgery.
There are solutions available and each individual must choose the right path to their own recovery.
Sources:
About.com, *"Cortisone Shots-Treatment with steriod Injections" (accessed on April 13, 2010).
Korie Schmidt - I am a former High School and Middle School English Teacher that decided to stay at home after the birth of my second child. I am a ...
