Chronic Primary Pain is a puzzling condition which causes significant distress and disability. It describes pain which can’t be accounted for by another diagnosis or as a symptom of another underlying condition. Examples include chronic widespread pain and chronic musculoskeletal pain.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) have just issued draft guidelines for doctors to help them manage Chronic Primary Pain. They have reviewed the evidence for different treatments and have come to the conclusion that standard treatment of painkillers such as paracetamol, aspirin and the
anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen are not effective for managing this type of chronic (or long lasting) pain. Other medications such as gabapentin, ketamine and steroids are also seen as largely ineffective, and all have the capacity to cause some harm.
So, if you can’t take painkillers or your GP now won’t prescribe them, what can you do?
In their place, NICE is now suggesting that patients with chronic primary pain should be offered group exercise sessions, some types of psychological therapy, or acupuncture.
These have been the recommendations of the American College of Physicians for some years as US doctors try to avoid prescribing opioid drugs for pain, in an attempt to tackle the ‘opioid crisis’ caused by loose prescribing of painkillers.
For many years Dr Monk has been using needle acupuncture and electroacupuncture for treating all types of pain, including chronic primary pain. Most types of pain will be eased or relieved with an acupuncture approach, whether using needles or electrostimulation.
With some of the electrostimulation units available it is now possible to use just such an ‘acupuncture approach’ for you to manage your pain at home. We have developed our online Guided Home Electroacupuncture Treatments where we draw up a prescription tailored for your pain. Dr Monk will guide you through the placement of the electrodes (no needles) and how to set the pulse frequency, wavelength and pulse width for your particular problem.
There are several benefits of Guided Home Electroacupuncture Treatments;
Author : Michael Monk
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) have just issued draft guidelines for doctors to help them manage Chronic Primary Pain. They have reviewed the evidence for different treatments and have come to the conclusion that standard treatment of painkillers such as paracetamol, aspirin and the
anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen are not effective for managing this type of chronic (or long lasting) pain. Other medications such as gabapentin, ketamine and steroids are also seen as largely ineffective, and all have the capacity to cause some harm.
So, if you can’t take painkillers or your GP now won’t prescribe them, what can you do?
In their place, NICE is now suggesting that patients with chronic primary pain should be offered group exercise sessions, some types of psychological therapy, or acupuncture.
These have been the recommendations of the American College of Physicians for some years as US doctors try to avoid prescribing opioid drugs for pain, in an attempt to tackle the ‘opioid crisis’ caused by loose prescribing of painkillers.
For many years Dr Monk has been using needle acupuncture and electroacupuncture for treating all types of pain, including chronic primary pain. Most types of pain will be eased or relieved with an acupuncture approach, whether using needles or electrostimulation.
With some of the electrostimulation units available it is now possible to use just such an ‘acupuncture approach’ for you to manage your pain at home. We have developed our online Guided Home Electroacupuncture Treatments where we draw up a prescription tailored for your pain. Dr Monk will guide you through the placement of the electrodes (no needles) and how to set the pulse frequency, wavelength and pulse width for your particular problem.
There are several benefits of Guided Home Electroacupuncture Treatments;
- You can treat yourself very frequently, maybe even daily, once receiving guidance from Dr Monk, giving you better control of your chronic pain.
- You don’t have to travel to a clinic or surgery for treatment, Many patients with chronic pain will be in high risk groups and will welcome the idea of a treatment which can be managed without the risk of contracting COVID-19.
- Because you can treat yourself frequently, the overall cost of managing your pain is likely to be much less than repeated acupuncture sessions.
- Once you buy the GHET unit it is yours, and if your pain comes back you can simply use the unit and the prescription pattern again, or arrange another consultation with Dr Monk
Author : Michael Monk