A Naturopathic Approach to Pain

Chronic pain can be a debilitating condition. Last week we discussed some of the science behind pain, this week we will look into the naturopathic approach to pain.
 
There are lots of different reasons why a person may be experiencing pain. It is important to take the time to identify the root cause so that it can be targeted in the treatment.  For some people chronic pain is a musculoskeletal problem, for others, it’s a problem within the nervous system, immune system, digestive system, circulatory system, respiratory system or multiple of these. In an appointment for pain, you can expect a full workup with detailed questioning, a review of systems and physical exams.
 
It is also important to remember that pain affects everyone’s life differently.  Just like taking Tylenol won’t work for everyone’s pain, neither will prescribing the same treatments. Looking at a comprehensive overview of a person’s medical history and their lifestyle helps naturopathic doctors to create individualized treatment plans.
 
Dr. Mason-Wood, ND uses these principles of finding the root cause and individuality to guide the management of chronic pain. On top of graduating as a Naturopathic Doctor, he has taken multiple additional courses to further his learning and is able to provide some of the best pain treatments. Based on his evaluation of the patient, different modalities may be utilized, such as diet, counselling, botanicals, neural therapyozone therapybiopuncture, acupuncture, prolotherapy or prolozone therapy. To get a personalized pain management treatment, book your appointment with Dr. Mason-Wood, ND today!

Is Pain Affecting Your Life? Prolotherapy May be the Answer

Exercising is such an important part of both our physical and mental health. It is one of the best ways to perform “self-care” because it supplies oxygen to our cells and regulates our mood by balancing neurotransmitters. However, if you are injured or in pain, exercising may feel out of reach.

If you are suffering from pain, whether it’s osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, back pain or a sports injury, prolotherapy may be just the thing to get you back to your daily activities.

What is Prolotherapy?

Prolotherapy, also known as “non-surgical ligament reconstruction”, is an effective way to treat the cause of pain. It has been around for over 80 years and has been effective in treating a host of conditions. Prolotherapy works by injecting a solution containing a specialized sugar called dextrose. When dextrose is injected, it stimulates the body’s natural immune response.  Growth factors are brought to the injection site and the body stimulates tissue growth to promote healing of damaged muscles, tendons, ligaments or bones.

What can it treat?

Prolotherapy can treat a number of different conditions including….

      1. Low back pain
      2. Hip & Pelvic Pain
      3. Knee & Leg pain
      4. Neck Pain
      5. Temporal mandibular joint (TMJ) syndrome
      6. Plantar fasciitis
      7. Achilles Tendinosis & ankle pain
      8. Patellar tendinopathy
      9. Shoulder pain
      10. Osgood-Schlatter Disease
      11. Groin pain
      12. Osteoarthritis
      13. Fibromyalgia
      14. Many other conditions…

Why Should You Consider Prolotherapy?

Aside from limiting the ability to exercise, chronic pain has a huge impact on quality of life. It can affect our ability to work, our relationships, our ability to perform daily tasks and it can affect our mental health. One in four Canadians live in chronic pain and it is one of the major causes of lost work hours. Luckily, Dr. Mason-Wood specializes in pain management and wants to get you back to your normal routine.

Don’t suffer from pain any longer, book your appointment with Dr. Mason-Wood today!

Resources
  1. Hauser RA, Lackner JB, Steilen-Matias D, Harris DK. A Systematic Review of Dextrose Prolotherapy for Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain. Clin Med Insights Arthritis Musculoskelet Disord. 2016;9:139-159. doi:10.4137/CMAMD.S39160
  2. Dueñas M, Ojeda B, Salazar A, Mico JA, Failde I. A review of chronic pain impact on patients, their social environment and the health care system. J Pain Res. 2016;9:457-467. doi:10.2147/JPR.S105892