Cause and Treatment of Musculoskeletal Pain in Jamaica

Are you suffering from constant pain in your muscles and joints? Musculoskeletal pain is a common issue. Living with it can be difficult for you. This condition limits your ability to move freely as well as do daily activities.                                      

Dr. Thresiamma Mathew is our experienced physiatrist with over 20 years of expertise in the field of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. She will discuss the causes, symptoms and treatment options for musculoskeletal pain today with you. This blog will help you understand your pain conditions. This knowledge will also help you know which treatment you should take to get rid of your pain condition.

What is Musculoskeletal Pain?

Musculoskeletal pain is aches that affect your bones, muscles and tissues. You can feel pain in your muscles, bones, ligaments, tendons and nerves for this condition. This pain can be both short term and long term. You can have this condition from injury or any medical condition. Some common types of this condition are:

• Pain in the Back, shoulder, neck, back, shoulder, elbow, hip, ankle/foot, wrist/hand and knee 
• Fibromyalgia
• Osteoarthritis
• Tendinitis
• Bursitis
• Myofascial Pain Syndrome
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Common Causes of Musculoskeletal Pain

Injuries

Sprains and Strains

You can feel pain and swelling because of sprains and strains. A sprain is when you overstretch or tear your ligaments. It occurs in joints like the ankle or wrist. And strain is damage to your muscles and tendons. You usually feel strain in your lower back or hamstrings. These problems can occur when you lift heavy objects improperly, roll your ankle or twist your knee during sports.

Fractures 

Broken bones can lead to intense pain, swelling and deformity. You need immediate medical attention for fracture treatment. You will need a long time to recover from this condition. You may require complete bed rest to recover.

Dislocations

You can dislocate your bone joints due to injuries. It can cause severe pain, swelling and instability. This condition can occur in your shoulders, wrists, fingers, hips and knees. You need urgent medical assistance to make your joints realign. You need physical therapy to make the muscles of your joints stronger. This will prevent that area from dislocating in the future. 

Overuse

You can feel pain in your muscles or joints because of doing repetitive activities. Such as you may need to lift heavy things in your workspace, gym or for sports. This overuse of your muscles can create inflammation in your tendons. This discomfort can last for a long time if you don’t get proper treatment. 

Poor Posture

You can develop pain in your neck, shoulder or back due to poor posture. This happens because you put stress on your muscles and joints during your long work hours. This causes long term suffering

Degeneration

Your joints can become stiff because of cartilage damage. Injury, obesity and aging can make your joints weaken. You can develop osteoarthritis. This condition creates stiffness and swelling in your joints. Like the joints of knees, hips and hands. You can develop chronic back pain as well because of degenerative disc disease. This happens when you put long term stress on your spine. 

Inflammation

You can also experience severe pain when inflammation occurs in your muscles. This can happen because of infections or diseases. Such as fibromyalgia or rheumatoid arthritis. Your muscles and joints can become sore, stiff or swollen. Some of the conditions can improve with rest. However other conditions need medical assistance to be cured.

Symptoms

• Aching or Stiffness: Your affected area may feel stiff or painful in the morning. Some conditions can show these signs when you try to move after not having physical activity for a long time. 
• Localized Pain: You feel achness in specific areas. Such as back, neck or joints.
• Muscle Fatigue: Your affected muscles will feel weak. You will find it difficult to do daily activities.
• Inflammation: Your affected area can become swollen. Sometimes you may see redness or feel that spot warm.
• Motion Limitation: Your problems with joints will make it difficult for you to move freely. 
• Tenderness: You can feel tenderness when you press the affected area. 

Our Treatment

Treatment for musculoskeletal pain depends on the reason behind the pain. You can cure some conditions through cold and heat therapy, rest and over-the-counter pain medication. However, chronic conditions require guidance from pain management experts. We offer the following treatments in the center.

Shock Wave Therapy

We heal your damaged tissue through shock wave therapy. In this technique, we use high-energy sound waves. This is a non surgical treatment. The sound waves can reduce inflammation. It also improves your blood flow and repairs tissues. You can get quick relief. The results you get will last for a long time.

US Guided Trigger Point Injections

Our clinic offers you US guided trigger point injections for instant relief. We use ultrasound technology to inject medications directly into your affected muscles. This treatment is safe as we maintain precision through ultrasound. You may need multiple sessions for complete recovery.

Non-Opioid Pain Medications

We prescribe you non-opioid medications. These medications don’t have side effects like opioids. Also you don’t have the risk of getting addicted to the medications. You can use these medications for long time. You may experience a few side effects. However the effects are easily manageable.

Acupuncture

We provide acupuncture to ease your pain. We insert thin needles into specific points on your body. This ancient treatment method is effective in improving your blood circulation. It can cure various types of chronic pain.

US Guided Joint Injection

We offer US guided joint injections to cure your joint pain. In this method we identify the areas in your joints that give you pain and discomfort. Then we inject the necessary medicines into your joints with the help of ultrasound. This method is effective for improving your joint function. You can feel the results immediately after your treatment.

Schedule Your Appointment

Does your pain seem to never go away? Contact RTM Physiatry & Psychiatry PLLC for your relief. Our physiatrists have years of experience in pain management. We use latest technology for your treatment. We ensure you get the safest and best care at our clinic. We accept both online and walk in appointments. We also have short waiting times. Book your appointment today. Our service is available Tuesday to Saturday from 9 am to 5 pm.