Non-Narcotic Pain Management in Colorado Springs
Alternative pain management offers non-surgical, non-narcotic treatments to help patients alleviate their pain and live everyday lives. Pain can be debilitating, affecting every aspect of a person’s life. Finding relief from that pain can be difficult, especially for patients who prefer options other than narcotic drugs or surgery. As a holistic pain management clinic, Colorado Health and Wellness has provided our patients in Colorado Springs with alternative pain management treatment for decades.
What is alternative pain management and how does it work? On this page, we’ll cover:
Table of Contents
What is Alternative Pain Management?
Alternative pain management therapies have been around for centuries, helping individuals to heal pain and injury without the use of narcotics or invasive procedures that may or may not be successful. Traditional pain management typically relies on the use of pain medication. While pain medication is a valuable tool for the temporary relief of pain, it is not sustainable as a long-term solution. This is particularly true in the case of opiates, which are notoriously addictive in addition to losing efficacy over time as the patient builds tolerance.
Alternative pain management techniques rely on treatments designed to solve the cause of the pain, so that the relief is long-term and sustainable. When comparing alternative pain management to opioids, many patients prefer an option that allows them to live their normal lives. Non-narcotic pain management treatments vary in their approach to healing. Below are a few examples:
Examples of Alternative Pain Management:
Our joints go through a lot of wear and tear throughout our lives, causing many patients to seek out treatments such as knee injections and other injection therapies to avoid surgery. Medically supervised injection therapies such as Hyalgan knee injections treat the source of pain with hyaluronic gel that mimics the body’s own synovial fluid. This acts as a cushion that alleviates pain.
Sanexas is a powerful pain management technique that utilizes electrical cell signaling to treat painful conditions such as neuropathy, osteoarthritis and chronic and acute pain. Sanexas treatment occurs under the care of a medical physician and is administered with care. It is a painless procedure most patients describe as a tingling sensation.
Physical therapy can help chronic pain patients regain their lives through rehabbing underlying issues plaguing their bodies. Physical therapy supports flexibility, mobility, balance and injury prevention. In turn, patients can participate in their own healing by increasing the function of their bodies. Whether healing from a recent accident or treating a long-term illness, physical therapy is a beneficial component of any comprehensive pain management plan.
Chiropractic adjustments are another beneficial tool in the fight against neck and back pain. Spinal manipulation can help improve the function of the body and the nervous system in particular. The spine is the communication highway for our bodies, passing messages between the nerves and the brain. When interference occurs, it can create challenges for the sufferer, including pain. Correction via chiropractic care has helped many patients find relief.
TENS
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation is an excellent option for the temporary relief of pain from conditions such as arthritis. Using low-voltage currents, TENS disrupts the nerve’s communication with the brain, either blocking pain completely or reframing how your body interprets pain signals.
What Conditions Can be Treated with Alternative Pain Management?
The list below contains the most common conditions that can be treated with alternative pain relief at our holistic pain management center.
Neuropathy
Neuropathy, also referred to as peripheral neuropathy, is a condition that occurs when our nerves become damaged and misfire or stop sending messages to the brain entirely. Patients with neuropathy report weakness in the affected area, as well as numbness and tingling. Neuropathy is more common in older adults and individuals with diabetes; however, it can impact people of all ages and health. Left untreated, neuropathy can be incredibly dangerous, resulting in infection, amputation and even death.
There are several alternative pain management options for neuropathy patients. Colorado Health and Wellness offers treatments such as Sanexas, which improves damaged nerve pathways using electrotherapy. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is another option for staving off pain while pursuing other treatment options.
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis occurs when the constant use of our joints wears down the protective cartilage that prevents the bones from grinding together. It causes a great deal of pain for afflicted patients. Symptoms include stiffness, swelling, loss of mobility, grating and permanent damage to the affected joint. Osteoarthritis is most common in older adults, but it can also be more prevalent in athletes or individuals with highly physical or physically repetitive jobs.
Alternative pain management options for osteoarthritis patients include medically supervised injections such as knee injections, which protect the joint with a synovial-like gel. Physical therapy and Sanexas can be utilized as part of a multi-disciplinary care plan.
Chronic Pain
Chronic pain associated with conditions such as fibromyalgia, poorly healed injuries, long-term pain associated with workplace injuries or military service, or lingering effects from an accident can severely affect quality of life for the afflicted patient. Even a recent accident can turn into chronic pain if not properly cared for. Many conditions associated with chronic pain are “invisible” illnesses, creating difficulty for many patients to receive proper pain management treatment.
Alternative chronic pain management solutions will vary depending upon the condition. For individuals with complex conditions such as fibromyalgia, options can include chiropractic spinal decompression, spinal manipulation, TENS, Sanexas and trigger point therapy. For patients with pain caused by older injuries, chiropractic and physical therapy may be beneficial, as well as medically supervised injection therapies.
Recovery from Auto Accident or Injury
Accidents or injuries can occur at any time to any person, making the risk of requiring pain management applicable to almost everyone. Recovering from an accident or injury can be a long exhausting and painful process. It is also the most common time for a patient to be prescribed opiates or other pharmaceuticals to manage pain.
The holistic approach to pain management for patients recovering from an accident or injury will vary based upon the cause of their pain. For some patients, a physical therapy program can be supportive in reducing pain. Others may benefit from chiropractic adjustments. The key is to work with your pain management clinic to develop a plan that works for your goals.
Why is Colorado Health and Wellness the Best Alternative Pain Management Clinic in Colorado Springs?
Colorado Health and Wellness is committed to being the best alternative medicine practitioner in Colorado Springs. We offer a combination of services that are unmatched in the Pikes Peak region.
- 8 different licenses under one roof
- Integrated, multidisciplinary care
- Options for chiropractic care, nutrition services and supplements and medically supervised injections for pain-relief
- Non-invasive methods for injury recovery and pain relief
- Whole-body wellness
- Medical doctor on staff
- Solutions-oriented: Solve the problem at the source
Frequently Asked Questions
Pain management describes the spectrum of treatments utilized to help patients alleviate or cope with pain. Interventional pain management encompasses all manners of pain, from chronic all the way down to acute.
A pain management physician specializes in guiding a patient through treatment for pain. These practitioners support the patient in finding alternative coping skills for the management of pain, as well as treatment methods. A pain management doctor assesses your medical history and creates a health and wellness plan designed to support you in alleviating pain in a way that is safe and non-addictive.
If your doctor has recommended that you see a pain management doctor, it is likely because the scope of treating your pain is too broad to be treated by one specialist. This occurs most often with chronic pain sufferers, but is equally useful for patients suffering after an accident or injury. Integrated pain management treatment is a common solution for many primary care doctors who wish to help their patients, but need better tools to do so.
Yes, chronic pain can be managed with alternative pain treatments. As alternative pain management practitioners, Colorado Health and Wellness has helped patients treat a variety of conditions with powerful results.
Your doctor will review your medical history, including your current pain management regimen. Your doctor will discuss your goals for treatment and assess your overall physical wellness. You will then be provided with a potential treatment plan for review.
Yes, pain management doctors treat patients with fibromyalgia with positive results. You and your pain management doctor can discuss a plan that supports your unique fibromyalgia symptoms, as every patient requires different treatment.
Pain management may have positive outcomes.. Alternative therapies for pain management such as knee injections and Sanexas therapies have been around for years, successfully helping patients reduce or even eliminate the cause of their pain. Your success with alternative pain management will be determined by the severity of your illness, as well as other health factors. We may be able to help.
Yes, alternative pain management can replace opioids. While there is some skepticism surrounding holistic medicine for pain management, there is a great deal of research to support its efficacy in helping patients feel better without pharmaceuticals. In fact, the CDC includes alternative pain management as a recommendation for those wishing to avoid prescription opioids or wean off of them. People seeking alternatives to morphine for pain management have also found success with holistic treatments. Patients undergoing opioid replacement therapy should consult their physician before seeking alternatives to methadone for pain management.
While our experience with insurance coverage has been positive, it is best to consult with your provider to discuss coverage options and costs. Colorado Health and Wellness is not an insurance provider, but we work with patients to explore coverage options, as well as offering self-pay options.
To find a center for pain management, you can try searching online using search terms such as “pain management doctors near me,’ or “best pain management clinics in Colorado Springs.” You can also ask for referrals or ask your physician. Colorado Health and Wellness is always happy to discuss options with potential patients.