Conventional Treatment of Chronic Pain
Side effects of long-term pain medications are one of the major political and public concerns for last decade. In adequate pain relief of patients suffering with long-term chronic pain has been debated since 1980. Chronic pain is treated with conventional treatment like medications, manual therapy, interventional treatment and surgeries. Few patients suffering with chronic pain may not respond to any of the conventional treatments. Chronic pain patients not responding to conventional treatments may be treated with combinations of two or more medications. Opioids may be combined with muscle relaxants, anti-depressants and/or anti anxiety medications. Pain relief after first few weeks or months can be dose dependent because of opioid tolerance or resistance. Frequent increased opioid dosage are often combined with muscle relaxants or anti-anxiety medications. Combination of medications can be lethal if taken more than prescribed dosage. Patient may consume voluntarily more than prescribed dosage because of frustration of not getting adequate pain relief. Most common life threatening side effects are severe opioid addiction and respiratory depression.
Demand to achieve adequate pain relief is extremely high by patient, families, insurance providers and media. Marketing guidance by pharmaceutical companies has governed the practice behavior of prescribing physicians and demand for pain medication by patients. Recent increased number of opioid addict, drug seekers, doctor office shopper and recent fatalities has injected a new direction for future opioid prescription. Scientific data and research suggest opioid should be prescribed to optimum safe dosage. Though how much is optimum safe dosage is not yet defined or published.
Alternative Treatment of Chronic Pain
Patient suffering with intense chronic pain may not get more than 50% pain relief with unaided medications or alternative treatment, but combination of medication and alternative treatment may help to achieve goal of 50% pain relief. Physicians now days are approving alternative treatment in addition to conventional treatment in patients when pain relief is less than fifty percent. Alternative treatment in few cases has prevented opioid resistance and tolerance. Most cautious chronic pain patient do not prefer to take opioids and would prefer an alternative treatment if is effective and inexpensive. There are several alternative treatments available to treat chronic pain. Vibroacoustic music therapy is one of the alternative treatment been used since 1980 for pain and sufferings in Europe and Canada.
Vibroacoustic Music Therapy To Treat Chronic Pain
Vibroacoustic Music Therapy is combination of “vibro” and “acoustics”. “Vibro” is a feeling of vibration and “acoustic” is hearing of music. Principle of therapy is transmission of vibration through superficial tissue (skin) to deeper tissue (muscles and central nervous system). Vibration and sound waves are transduced at frequency of 20 to 120 Hz. Sound waves and vibrations are created by transducers or specially design speakers. During Vibroacoustic Music Therapy treatment patient will feel the vibration and also able to listen to music at same frequency.
Vibroacoustic equipment such as speakers or transducers are embedded or built into furniture. Surface of furniture vibrates with define frequency of sound waves and music is heard while resting over the furniture. Specially designed furniture such as recliner, mattress, table or bed vibrates with the sound waves. Sound waves of low frequency of 30 Hz to 120 Hz are transmitted through superficial body tissue like skin and subcutaneous tissue into deeper muscles. Low frequency sound waves are converted into deep tissue low frequency vibration resulting in soft tissue massage. Vibroacoustic Music Therapy has been widely studied in Canada and Europe. Vibroacoustic Music Therapy is a beneficial treatment to cutback the chronic pain, stress and insomnia. Vibrations are felt as deep soothing sensation or gentle patting. Therapy can be customized and programmed to individual’s liking by selecting vibration frequency between 40 to 120 Hz.
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