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Pain Awareness Month

By Dr John Barnett

As we get to the end of Pain Awareness Month I want to address one of the most commonly overlooked aspects of chronic pain. Because chronic pain is our specialty here at Orlando Acupuncture, and over the past 20 years we have helped thousands of patients who deal with chronic pain, we have seen firsthand the effects of chronic pain.

Hear from an Orlando Acupuncture patient who used to suffer from chronic pain:

For many patients suffering from chronic pain the source of their pain is often invisible. This means that when friends, family, and coworkers often do not understand why we can not always do what others can. Pain can affect us in so many ways, but the emotional effects are the most often overlooked.

It is unfortunate that most “pain specialists” only focus on pain and do not talk about or address the accompanying emotional symptoms. Even spouses and partners of chronic pain patients often do not understand how chronic pain can affect us emotionally and really alter our entire outlook on life.

Depression and Anxiety are the most common conditions that the chronic pain patients that we treat at Orlando Acupuncture deal with besides their pain. Recognizing and addressing the anxiety and depression that can accompany chronic pain is an important part of our treatments.

See Dr. Barnett talk about Chronic pain:

Too often patients who are only given pain medication or muscle relaxants do not get significant relief or see long term improvement unless the whole person is treated. This includes treating symptoms such as depression and anxiety. In my clinical experience we have found that the most significant and lasting improvements in chronic pain occur as a patient’s emotional health improves. 

Another frequent complicating factor in the treatment of chronic pain is sleep. Often, chronic pain can disturb sleep. Not getting enough sleep can exacerbate symptoms such as anxiety and depression. This important aspect of healing must be addressed in order to see lasting improvements.

The comprehensive treatments, and cutting edge therapies offered at Orlando Acupuncture allow us to address these deeper aspects of healing. This is why we are often referred to by our patients as, “The last resort with the Best Results”!