Pain Management

Are you in control of your pain or does your pain control you?

Pain occurs for a variety of reasons and may be from an acute, chronic or cancer related problem.

Whatever the cause, the pain is real, unrelenting and often depressing.

There is help.

Doctors are realizing that pain, especially chronic pain, involves much more than medication. "Pain management," a term that you are hearing more often, encompasses several treatment methods to help you manage your pain, such as medications, nerve blocks, physical therapy and psychological support.

Goshen General Hospital’s Pain Management Center will work with you to provide a treatment plan that’s right for you. After a review of your medical history and current problems, a program will be designed for your personal needs.

The goal of pain management is to help you control your pain and return to a higher level of functioning, so that you are in control of your pain, rather than your pain controlling you.

What is pain?
It is your body’s way of telling you something may be wrong. Even after taking pain medication it may not go away. There are three types of pain; acute, chronic, and cancer-related.

Acute Pain
Acute pain usually lasts less than 3 months. Your body heals by itself, at times helped along with medication, therapy and rest. Some examples of acute pain would be pain following surgery, a headache, irritation after dental work, sore muscles, etc.

Chronic Pain
Chronic pain, on the other hand, is different—it persists. This pain can continue for months. Maybe it is from a previous injury that has long since healed. It may be on-going due to arthritis or cancer. Some people even suffer chronic pain without a known injury. Whatever the cause, chronic pain is real, unrelenting, and depressing.

Cancer Pain
This is highly specialized pain which may be acute, chronic, or both.

Most Common Types of Chronic Pain

• Back Pain
  • Cancer Pain
  • Arthritis Pain
  • Neuropathic(nerve) Pain
  • Headache

Goshen General Hospital’s Pain Management Center can also treat other types of chronic pain such as:

• Back and Leg Pain*
  • Nerve Injuries
  • Shingles
  • Whiplash
  • Neck & Arm Pain
  • Post-Herpetic Neuralgia
  • Myofascial (muscle-related) Pain
  • Phantom Limb Pain (post-amputation)

*including sciatica, herniated disc, facet joint problems, post-operative back pain and pain that travels down the leg.