75 million people suffer from chronic pain in America
Walking from Chicago to Los Angeles to raise public awareness about chronic pain, Dennis Kinch, a chronic pain survivor and inspirational speaker was hosted by Dr. Ripu Arora and the Torrance based Peninsula Pain Management Center July 12.
"I've had doctors tell me I'm just a drug addict using drugs for pain they thought didn't exist," said Kinch to a lobby filled with listeners.
“One thing I tell doctors is that if your patients say they are in pain, believe them." Kinch emphasized that chronic pain can be so bad it often drives individuals to suicide, citing a friend who recently killed himself because of the agony he lived with every day.
Kinch, himself, shared that he knew what it was like to feel suicidal about his own pain. "I'm living proof that it doesn't have to be that way anymore because with the right attitudes and understanding you can win the battle of chronic pain that 75 million Americans currently live with," said the former graphic artist.
Kinch's host, Dr. Arora, who was originally an anesthesiologist and then moved into the pain management sector of medicine, agreed: "This is a growing field of integrated pain management where we try to help the patient deal with chronic pain as it affects his or her whole life," said Dr. Arora who pointed to New technologies in the Medical field that allow better pain management than in the past.
“For example, in the spinal area we can treat small disc problems without major surgery by inserting a needle to release fluid and ease discomfort, so there are all sorts of New technologies."
Dr. Arora invited Kinch to speak at his offices because he has been providing chronic pain management service in the South Bay for over 12 years with eight years of experience in training and practice of orthopedic and general surgery. "Pain that persists despite routine Medical management will usually pose difficult problems for patients and their doctors," said Arora. "If this pain continues despite Medical care, there is an increasing probability of physical disability, psychosocial dysfunction, drug dependence and development of chronic pain," he said.
Referring to his example of small disc therapy in the spine, Arora underscored that recent advances in pain management technology along with New understanding of the anatomy and physiology of pain now make it possible to accurately diagnose and effective treat pain previously thought untreatable.
Kinch displayed a self-portrait of himself before his New treatment to underscore the pain he was going through, partly to demonstrate the emotional level of pain that is interconnected with the physical struggle. "Some patients benefit with psychological counseling for their pain and personal lives, because pain will influence your total life," said Kinch. Dr. Arora agreed, saying that many insurances now pay for psychological counseling related to chronic pain, however he said workers compensation claims often do not support psychological counseling as they take a more cynical and suspicious attitude toward 'holistic pain management.' "But the field is changing with a more holistic approach," assured Arora.
One member of the audience said his wife threatened to divorce him if he didn't get help for his pain. But Genevieve Kowalewski, another member of the audience and a client of Dr. Arora's, who is 81, said she is living proof of the positive battle against chronic pain. "My life has really improved and I'm able to do all sorts of things with the therapies I've received with Dr. Arora."
Kinch, who says his only medication is now the drug Neurontin, acknowledged that chronic pain sufferers have good days and bad days. He encouraged pain sufferers to graph their pain experience on a daily basis to better understand it and to share this with their doctors as a way of addressing therapies. He also pointed out that "pain tolerance" on particular days would also affect how the individuals experiences pain. "If you have a low pain tolerance day, you may find it very hard to handle pain that day," he said. He also encouraged his listeners to not give up the fight. "There are a lot of 'old school' attitudes still out there in the Medical field. One doctor who I showed my pain graph to wrote that I was obsessed with my pain and needed counseling."
"I've had doctors tell me I'm just a drug addict using drugs for pain they thought didn't exist," said Kinch to a lobby filled with listeners.
“One thing I tell doctors is that if your patients say they are in pain, believe them." Kinch emphasized that chronic pain can be so bad it often drives individuals to suicide, citing a friend who recently killed himself because of the agony he lived with every day.
Kinch, himself, shared that he knew what it was like to feel suicidal about his own pain. "I'm living proof that it doesn't have to be that way anymore because with the right attitudes and understanding you can win the battle of chronic pain that 75 million Americans currently live with," said the former graphic artist.
Kinch's host, Dr. Arora, who was originally an anesthesiologist and then moved into the pain management sector of medicine, agreed: "This is a growing field of integrated pain management where we try to help the patient deal with chronic pain as it affects his or her whole life," said Dr. Arora who pointed to New technologies in the Medical field that allow better pain management than in the past.
“For example, in the spinal area we can treat small disc problems without major surgery by inserting a needle to release fluid and ease discomfort, so there are all sorts of New technologies."
Dr. Arora invited Kinch to speak at his offices because he has been providing chronic pain management service in the South Bay for over 12 years with eight years of experience in training and practice of orthopedic and general surgery. "Pain that persists despite routine Medical management will usually pose difficult problems for patients and their doctors," said Arora. "If this pain continues despite Medical care, there is an increasing probability of physical disability, psychosocial dysfunction, drug dependence and development of chronic pain," he said.
Referring to his example of small disc therapy in the spine, Arora underscored that recent advances in pain management technology along with New understanding of the anatomy and physiology of pain now make it possible to accurately diagnose and effective treat pain previously thought untreatable.
Kinch displayed a self-portrait of himself before his New treatment to underscore the pain he was going through, partly to demonstrate the emotional level of pain that is interconnected with the physical struggle. "Some patients benefit with psychological counseling for their pain and personal lives, because pain will influence your total life," said Kinch. Dr. Arora agreed, saying that many insurances now pay for psychological counseling related to chronic pain, however he said workers compensation claims often do not support psychological counseling as they take a more cynical and suspicious attitude toward 'holistic pain management.' "But the field is changing with a more holistic approach," assured Arora.
One member of the audience said his wife threatened to divorce him if he didn't get help for his pain. But Genevieve Kowalewski, another member of the audience and a client of Dr. Arora's, who is 81, said she is living proof of the positive battle against chronic pain. "My life has really improved and I'm able to do all sorts of things with the therapies I've received with Dr. Arora."
Kinch, who says his only medication is now the drug Neurontin, acknowledged that chronic pain sufferers have good days and bad days. He encouraged pain sufferers to graph their pain experience on a daily basis to better understand it and to share this with their doctors as a way of addressing therapies. He also pointed out that "pain tolerance" on particular days would also affect how the individuals experiences pain. "If you have a low pain tolerance day, you may find it very hard to handle pain that day," he said. He also encouraged his listeners to not give up the fight. "There are a lot of 'old school' attitudes still out there in the Medical field. One doctor who I showed my pain graph to wrote that I was obsessed with my pain and needed counseling."
posted by Klip7 at
10:28 PM
