Pain and pain treatment without opiates

The article was written by Specialist Doctor II Nguyen Trung Thanh - Department of Surgical Anesthesia - Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital

Recently, the concept of analgesia limiting the use of opiates has received more and more attention and attention from doctors specializing in pain treatment. There are many modalities of non-opioid pain relief, including non-opioid drugs or non-pharmacological pain-relieving interventions such as massage, acupuncture, radiofrequency waves, and electrical signals.

Pain is an experience no one wants to experience in everyday life. However, no one can avoid this uncomfortable feeling, which can be caused by medical or surgical diseases, sports injuries or accidents, headaches or back pain. Chronic pain, cancer pain or postoperative pain. Painkillers are also commonly prescribed drugs, in which many prescriptions are prescribed opiates or opiate derivatives, which have many adverse side effects for users and especially can be addictive. .

There are many types of non-opioid pain relievers such as paracetamol, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or nefopam. Most patients with mild to moderate pain can be satisfied with these medications, and that's all they need. Some cases of severe pain require additional non-pharmacological therapy. These include:
Physical therapy - a doctor who specializes in rehabilitation or a physical therapist can create an exercise program to help you improve mobility and reduce pain. A whirlpool, ultrasound, and muscle massage can also help. Acupuncture – Pain can be reduced with acupuncture, which uses very small needles to be inserted into different places on the patient's skin to interrupt pain signals. Surgery - When other treatments don't work, surgery can correct the abnormalities in the body that are causing the pain. Injections or nerve blocks – If you are experiencing pain from muscle spasms or nerve pain, injections of local anesthetics or other medications can ease the pain. Many patients feel more at ease through massage and other relaxation techniques, as well as biofeedback, which is how patients learn to control involuntary functions such as heart rate. .

Some patients with chronic pain do not find relief with non-opioid pain relievers or do not respond to non-pharmacological treatments listed above. New techniques are being developed that can reduce pain and limit recurrence in some cases.
Some of the latest high-tech methods for chronic pain relief include:
Radio waves - Radiofrequency ablation, by inserting a needle next to the nerve that supplies pain and burning sensation nerves by electric currents generated by radio waves. This procedure creates a short circuit of pain signals. The pain relief effect can last up to a year. >>> Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) back pain treatment
Nerve blockade – Under the guidance of the X-ray screen, the pain doctor may inject anesthetic to stop or relieve the pain and may even prevent chronic pain from developing. The site of injection depends on the source and type of pain. Multiple injections may be performed or treatment may be repeated as needed. Electrical Signals - Stimulating nerves with electrical signals through the skin can provide short-term pain relief, especially for different types of muscle pain, by transmitting a low-voltage signal from a small device to the painful area through the pads glued to the skin. Although the mechanism is unknown, researchers on this method suggest that it may block nerve signals to the brain or stimulate the production of endorphins, which are the body's natural pain relievers. Spinal Cord Stimulation - When other methods are unsuccessful, pain specialists may recommend spinal cord stimulation (SCS-Spinal Cord Stimulation), using a machine-like device. heartbeat to replace the pain with a more pleasurable sensation, often a tingling or massage-like sensation. This device will be implanted in the lower back, connected to tiny wires placed in the spinal canal. When the patient feels pain, they can use the remote control to send a signal to the pain area. This technique can help relieve back pain as well as pain caused by nerve or nerve damage that causes numbness and leg pain that is common in people with diabetes. New generations of SCS promise pain relief without the stinging sensation. Painkiller Pump - A special pump that can be implanted in a patient allows them to self-manage their pain with the push of a button and the machine delivers pain medication to the spinal cord, providing pain relief without side effects Side effects often occur when these drugs are taken by mouth. This method is often used in people with cancer pain, but can also be applied in cases where the patient has pain from other causes because of many side effects when taking drugs by mouth. Future solutions – Stem cells are currently being researched with great promise. The method involves harvesting stem cells from a patient's bone marrow and injecting them somewhere on the body, such as the low back, which is painful due to degenerative tissue, in the hope that the Stem cells will help create new, healthy tissues and help reduce pain for patients.

Patients need to go to a reputable hospital to conduct examination and treatment as soon as there are signs of chronic pain. Currently, Vinmec International General Hospital is one of the leading prestigious hospitals in the country, trusted by a large number of patients for medical examination and treatment. Not only the physical system, modern equipment: 6 ultrasound rooms, 4 DR X-ray rooms (1 full-axis machine, 1 light machine, 1 general machine and 1 mammography machine) , 2 DR portable X-ray machines, 2 multi-row CT scanner rooms (1 128 rows and 1 16 arrays), 2 Magnetic resonance imaging rooms (1 3 Tesla and 1 1.5 Tesla), 1 room for 2 levels of interventional angiography and 1 room to measure bone mineral density....
Vinmec is also a place to gather a team of experienced doctors and doctors who will greatly assist in diagnosis and development. early detection of abnormal signs of the patient's body. In particular, with a space designed according to 5-star hotel standards, Vinmec ensures to bring the patient the most comfort, friendliness and peace of mind.