Pain Treatment is as Varied as the Cause: Dr. Paul Stallone explains the natural treatment options for pain, including when to get professional help.

Old or young, virtually everyone knows back pain. Most back and neck pain will result from strenuous, abnormal activities like moving. This type should resolve itself within a few days. Supplements like magnesium and curcumin are great adjuncts for addressing acute pain until we’re back to normal; those that are prone to recurring back pain may take these supplements daily to prevent inflammation and help address the problem.

Persistent or increasingly worsening pain can be another story. Supplements may help reduce pain and inflammation, but this kind of pain is likely caused from an injury, versus overexerted muscles. Injuries should be examined by the proper naturopathic physician to assess their severity and rule out anything more serious. Alternative practitioners will be able to safely recommend a supplement plan that could involve high doses of certain nutrients that for most people will provide pain relief without the dangers of prescription pain relievers. For those that either have waited too long or need more aggressive treatment, there are in-office options available.

Muscle spasms are especially painful when they occur in the back, and can be difficult to treat at home. Trigger point injections by a knowledgeable physician can provide instant and lasting relief. These injections will contain nutrients that help heal the muscle while calming it down. While a quality massage can be extremely beneficial, the pain may be too intense to allow this type of therapy. Many people have found significant relief from combining the two treatments; trigger injections first, followed by a deep tissue massage.

Another injection-based therapy is prolotherapy and prolozone. Both of these treatments help rebuild and strengthen joints, which are notorious locations in the body where healing is curtailed by a weak blood supply. The components of these injections activate the body’s healing response to repair damage the joint has sustained. By increasing the blood supply and introducing certain nutrients into a joint, a practitioner can undo damage caused from any injury, regardless of time that has past.

There is a specific balance of connective tissue in and around a joint, and a partially healed ligament will compromise the joint integrity, leading to chronic pain and scar tissue. Addressing the damage will eliminate the pain. These treatments work on every joint in the body, from the big toe to the cervical spine located in the neck. The spine has numerous working parts, the discs being one of the most intricate. There is a lot of damage they can sustain. Just as joints can be regenerated, the discs are excellent candidates for injection therapy and regeneration.

Sufferers have natural options to permanently eliminate their pain, but an experienced naturopathic physician can even help prevent it. Some lifestyles and/or careers can put people at risk for chronic pain. These people are at risk for developing scar tissue and further complications. Injection treatment programs are typically short in duration and relief is permanent unless the joint is reinjured. Supplements and injection therapy are wonderful programs for anyone suffering from pain, even disease-related pain like arthritis.

Paul Stallone, NMD, founded the Arizona Integrative Medical Center, located at 8144 E. Cactus Rd., Ste. 820, in Scottsdale. He combines natural/alternative/conventional treatments to best fit and benefit each individual patient’s needs. For more information, call 480-214-3922 or visit DrStallone.com.