Replacing the Old with the New? Pain Treatment Today
Chronic pain is an inseparable part of life for millions of people worldwide. From ancient civilizations with initial and primitive treatment methods to modern innovative medicine, the primary challenge remains the same—how to ease the lives of people suffering from chronic pain.
In the 21st century, various chronic pain treatment methods are used. Some are time-tested, while others are new and innovative. Pain treatment and spinal surgery specialists at Clinic Agatas share insights into different pain management methods and their importance in helping patients return to a pain-free life.
Medicine is not immune to the changing world. In pain treatment, new methods are constantly sought and applied to keep up with societal changes. One of the best examples of this is regenerative medicine, which is gaining significant popularity in pain management. By using regenerative medicine, damaged tissues are naturally encouraged to restore and regain their original functions.
Clinic Agatas founder, anesthesiologist-reanimatologist and pain specialist Dr. Asta Mažeikaitė explains, “Regenerative medicine is not the future; it is the present, already making strides in pain treatment and showing positive results. Regenerative medicine includes procedures such as prolotherapy (a mixture of local anesthetic and dextrose), PRP (platelet-rich plasma), and stem cell therapy. These products are injected precisely into the damaged area, stimulating the body’s healing processes to strengthen and restore damaged and painful joints, ligaments, tendons, and other connective tissues. The inflammatory response triggered by these injections encourages tissue regeneration and strengthening of weakened structures,” explains Dr. Mažeikaitė about regenerative medicine methods.
Clinic Agatas pain specialist, anesthesiologist-resuscitator Linas Šikarskas, who has repeatedly studied at the Cryo Center in Denmark, encourages us not to forget about the extremely rapidly developing method of pain treatment – cryotherapy (cold therapy). “During cryotherapy, the sensory part of the nerve (sensory fibers) is usually frozen, so after the procedure, pain is no longer felt, but motor functions (movement) remain perfectly functioning. In invasive pain treatment, this is a safe procedure that lasts from 3 to 15 minutes,” says the pain specialist.
Despite the emergence of new treatment methods, time-tested pain treatments remain highly effective and are still frequently used. “Invasive pain treatment procedures under X-ray or ultrasound guidance, as well as trigger point injections, are relevant and modern practices worldwide. For example, the effectiveness of trigger point injections can reach up to 100%. Medication injections directly into the nerve root under X-ray guidance, epidural medication injections (also known as “blocks”), can reach effectiveness up to 85%. This statistic is very favorable for patients seeking faster relief and reduced pain,” states Clinic Agatas anesthesiologist-reanimatologist and pain specialist Dr. Aida Kinderytė.
Pain management specialists at Clinic Agatas, anesthesiologists-reanimatologists Dr. Asta Mažeikaitė, Dr. Aida Kinderytė, and Dr. Linas Šikarskas, agree that the selection of pain management methods depends on each patient’s unique clinical situation. Whether the pain treatment method is innovative or has been in use for many years, the most important thing is to help patients return to a life without pain.