News on Pain Management in Orange Park, FL

Cluster headaches are a very rare headache disorder that is extremely painful and can significantly impact the sufferer’s day to day life. They are called cluster headaches because you will get them in clusters that last weeks or even months at a time. It is possible for the condition to go into remission for quite a long time – months or years, before returning. The headaches start with severe pain centered over one eye, in five to ten minute the pain will peak and can last for a few hours before going away.

Symptoms of Cluster Headaches

Aside from the severe pain above your eye, you may also experience discomfort around your temple. Additionally, you may also feel swelling in your eyes, nasal congestion, and tearing red eyes. You may also have symptoms such as eyelid drooping, pupil constriction, and facial sweating.

Unclear Cause

There is a possibility that the headaches are related to abrupt releases of serotonin and histamine in your brain, or problems within the hypothalamus, but there is no clear cause for cluster headaches. Some triggers for cluster headaches can include smoking, drinking alcohol, high altitudes, heat, bright lights, physical exertion, and foods high in nitrites like bacon.

Treatment

While this disorder is incredibly rare, there are treatments available. Inhaled oxygen, triptans like Imitrex, and short-term steroids are sometimes used to treat cluster headaches. Pain medications do not typically work for this type of headache, even strong narcotics.

The doctors at Florida Coast Pain are dedicated to diagnosing and treating your chronic pain. Contact our pain management clinic in Jacksonville, FL, today at 904.449.7246 or book your appointment online.

Fibromyalgia is a syndrome related to arthritis that causes widespread pain and tenderness in the muscles. Here are some facts you may not know about this chronic pain condition:

It Can be a Secondary Condition

Fibromyalgia is related to arthritis, but it does not cause any inflammation or damage to your joints or muscles. It can present as a primary condition characterized by muscle pain and tenderness throughout the whole body, or as a secondary condition to a rheumatic disease like arthritis, lupus, or ankylosing spondylitis. Patients with rheumatic conditions are at higher risk for developing fibromyalgia.

It is Hard to Diagnose

This disease is largely misunderstood. The fact that its symptoms so often mimic or overlap symptoms of other rheumatic diseases make it difficult to diagnose. The average patient will wait five years to get a diagnosis, according to the National Fibromyalgia Association. No diagnostic test is available for Fibromyalgia, so doctors have to rely on the collection of symptoms present to diagnose.

Most Sufferers Deal with Fatigue and Sleep Disorders

As many as 90% of people with Fibromyalgia will experience poor sleep and the cognitive problems, memory lapses, and fatigue that come along with being sleep deprived.

It is More than Just Pain

Aside from pain, Fibromyalgia is associated with a host of other symptoms like headaches, IBS, memory problems, noise sensitivity, temperature sensitivity, temporomandibular joint disorder, restless leg syndrome, depression, and anxiety.

Fibromyalgia Can be Managed

If you are experiencing symptoms of Fibromyalgia or another chronic pain condition, seek treatment at Florida Coast Pain. Our doctors provide comprehensive chronic pain treatment in Jacksonville, FL, and the surrounding areas. Reach out today at 904.449.7246.

Arthritis is a widespread condition, but a lot of misinformation about this disease continues to circulate. Here are some common misconceptions that persist about arthritis.

Only old people get arthritis.

Arthritis can affect you at any age, and can even develop in children. There are over 100 types of arthritis and certain ones are more prevalent in different age and gender groups. However, overall arthritis is not specific to age or gender.

Arthritis consists of minor aches and pains.

OTC painkiller commercials like to make it seem like a couple of aspirin or ibuprofen tablets can relieve arthritis pain, but this disease is much more complicated than that. Joint damage, limited range of motion, joint deformity, fatigue, and inflammation are all part of arthritis. Arthritis requires a more multi-faceted and often more aggressive form of treatment.

Cold and wet conditions induce arthritis.

Many people believe that a cold, wet climate can worsen arthritis and that moving somewhere warm and dry is the cure. However, people in these warm, arid regions still develop arthritis. Arthritis causes the cartilage between your bones to wear away, which causes pain regardless of what the weather is outside.

Arthritis is not treatable.

While arthritis can impose severe limitations on your life, there are treatments available to slow down the progression of the disease and help you live more comfortably. Contact Florida Coast Pain today at 904.449.7246 for comprehensive arthritis treatment in Jacksonville, FL. Our physicians are dedicated to finding a solution for your chronic pain.

Don’t live with chronic back pain any longer. Make an appointment at the Florida Coast Pain and Spine Center today by calling 904.449.7246 or booking online.

Back pain can stem from a wide variety of issues, including injuries, conditions like scoliosis and sciatica, muscle strain, and more. It is the most common pain condition in the United States, and for many Americans, it can be considered chronic. Chronic back pain is defined as back pain lasting more than six months. When you visit Florida Coast Pain and Spine Center to receive treatment for back pain in Jacksonville, FL, we will work with you to diagnose the cause so that we can create an effective treatment plan for you.

Diagnosing Chronic Back Pain

To provide an effective treatment for your back pain, we need first to identify the cause. It can involve a lot of testing to determine what is going on. The first thing we need to do is examine the pain itself. We will need to learn:

• When the pain started (Was it triggered by an injury or other issue?)
• Your pain rating on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the worst
• What type of pain you are experiencing (sharp, shooting, burning, etc.)
• What affects your pain (keep a journal of what worsens your pain and what brings relief)

Once we have established the answers to these questions, we will do a physical exam, which may include feeling along your back for abnormalities and tenderness, as well as muscle sensation and strength training. We may also examine your mobility by asking you to perform certain actions like walking and bending.  Imaging tests may also be necessary depending on your symptoms.

Don’t live with chronic back pain any longer. Make an appointment at the Florida Coast Pain and Spine Center today by calling 904.449.7246 or booking online.

Chronic migraine is a unique condition that can be difficult to treat because it presents differently in each individual. Because of the diversity of this condition, the available treatments are numerous. The problem with this is that you may try a large variety of different therapies with no success. If you do not respond well to traditional pharmacological treatments or behavioral interventions, you may want to consider alternative therapies, like Botox.

What is Botox?

Botox is a toxin called onabotulinumtoxinA, which is produced by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum. You may know it as a popular treatment for facial wrinkles due to its ability to decrease muscle activity in the face. It also blocks the release of nerve-signaling chemicals, which can decrease the activation of pain pathways in the brain. This is the reason that doctors administer Botox for migraines in Jacksonville, FL.

How the Botox Treatment Works

To treat migraines, Botox is injected into seven key muscles located around the eyebrows, the forehead, the side of the skull, the back of the skull, the top and back of the neck, and the upper back. You will receive these injections once every twelve weeks or so for up to six months. Each treatment only takes about 15 minutes, and discomfort is minimal.

If you suffer from chronic migraines and want to know if Botox is right for you, reach out to the Florida Coast Pain and Spine Center at 904.449.7246 today.

Every one of us has heard at some point that watching what we eat is important. We know that eating healthy reduces your risk of obesity, diabetes, strokes, heart disease, and much more. What you may not know, however, is that the way you eat can affect your chronic pain. Excess weight puts more pressure on your body, resulting in more pain, but it isn’t that simple. Even thin people who suffer from chronic pain can experience the negative impact of a poor diet.

Inflammation

Inflammation in the body is one of the biggest sources of chronic pain. If your diet is low in fruits and vegetables and high in sugar, fat, and salt, can exacerbate inflammation in the body. If you deal with joint or muscle pain, inflammation is bad news.

What Can You Do?

It can be challenging to cut unhealthy foods from your diet, but there are some small changes you can make. You don’t need to go on a strict diet, but adding fruits and vegetables and making other healthy swaps can go a long way towards managing your pain. It also helps to keep an eye on your sodium intake and drink lots of water.

If you are looking for a solution for your chronic pain, visit our pain management clinic in Jacksonville, FL. Our physicians are ready to provide you with a personalized, multi-faceted solution to your pain when you book your appointment today.

Chronic pain comes in many forms, affecting different areas of the body and originating from various sources. One common type is nociceptive pain, which is detected by nociceptors – a specialized type of sensory nerve. Conditions that cause nociceptive pain include headaches, pelvic pain, arthritis, and fibromyalgia. Nociceptive pain can be further broken down into visceral and somatic pain. Let’s take a quick look at the differences between the two.

Visceral Pain

Visceral pain is picked up by nociceptors in your internal organs. The sensory nerves are not very widespread in your organs, which means you may feel pain further away from its origin, and it tends to be difficult to locate. Visceral pain can be caused by conditions like endometriosis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), cystitis, and prostate pain.

Somatic Pain

Somatic pain is signaled by nociceptors in your soft tissues, muscles, and skin. Sensory nerves are very well distributed in these areas, so it usually easy to detect the source. Tension headaches, pain from joint instability, arthritis, and back pain not caused by nerves are all examples of somatic pain.

Visit Florida Coast Pain for chronic pain treatment in Jacksonville, FL, to receive personalized, compassionate treatment from our skilled physicians.

Millions of Americans live with chronic pain, and while medical treatments exist, they don’t control all of the symptoms. Chronic pain can make your life feel unbearable. Here are some ways to cope:

Find the Right Treatments
Chronic pain is at its worst when it is poorly controlled. Work with your doctor for treatment plans that can include medications, as well as alternative therapies like massage, acupuncture, and even medical marijuana. There are many treatments chronic pain, so it’s important to find a treatment or combination of treatments that work for your specific pain.

Exercise

Exercise is necessary to maintain your mobility, and keeping your muscles active can actually help alleviate some of your pain symptoms. When it comes to your muscles, it’s either you use them or lose them. Weak muscles are much more vulnerable to pain. Talk to your doctor and create an exercise plan that works for you.

Relaxation

Muscle tension from stress increases the pain you feel. Practicing stress management techniques, such as meditation and yoga, can release your stress and help you to feel less pain. Learning breathing exercises that you can use while you are experiencing discomfort throughout your day can be extremely helpful in relieving painful muscle tension.

Find a Support Group

There are people out there who understand what you are going through – so don’t suffer alone! Find a support group in your local community or online where you can share your experiences with others. Your peers will have tips and tricks for dealing with pain, information on treatments they’ve tried, and be able to provide emotional support.

Seek chronic pain treatment in Jacksonville, FL, at Florida Coast Pain and Spine Center. Call our experienced physicians at 904-449-7246 or book your appointment online.

Back pain is a very common experience, but everyone experiences it differently. There are a wide variety of issues that can cause back pain, like osteoarthritis, ruptured discs, sciatica, muscle strains, spinal stenosis, scoliosis, injuries, and many more. To get an accurate diagnosis and proper treatment for your pain, you will need to see a doctor.

When to See a Doctor for Back Pain

Many times people experience episodes of back pain that only last a few days or weeks. However, if you are experiencing back pain for the first time, you should go to your doctor for an exam to make sure it is not serious. If you are experiencing the following symptoms, you should get your back checked by a doctor at our spine center in Jacksonville, FL, as soon as possible:

• Persistent back pain that lasts more than a few days
• The pain wakes you up at night
• You have incontinence issues (bladder or bowel control issues)
• You have signs of infection like fever, chills, and sweats
• Any unusual symptoms that accompany the pain

Back pain can be managed and even cured with a proper diagnosis and treatment plan. When you are experiencing back pain, contact Florida Coast Pain and Spine Center at 904-449-7246 or book your appointment with our experienced pain physicians online.