Medical Management and Alternative Therapy for Acute and Chronic Conditions

Course overview

Acute and chronic pain affects a large percentage of the population in the nation and worldwide, and every person will feel and respond to pain in a uniquely individual manner based upon biological, social, cultural and psychological factors. Pain treatment plans often include pharmacological options, which may consist of opioid, non-opioid or combination drug treatments. Often patients will seek treatment other than what has been recommended by a medical provider either because of a concern of side effects or due to inadequate pain relief. Common types of nonpharmacological approaches to pain management, including complementary and alternative medicine strategies, have been studied and several options are increasingly supported in the medical literature with regard to chronic pain and procedural pain. Techniques such as progressive relaxation and other forms of therapy have gained increased recognition as potentially useful treatment regimens without or in combination with medical approaches focused on alleviating pain and improving quality of life. It is important that pain management strategies for acute and chronic pain be tailored to each specific patient's diagnosis and general condition in order to provide safe and appropriate pain relief.