Most pain subsides after an injury heals or an illness runs its course. But with chronic pain syndrome, pain can last for months and even years after the body heals. It can even occur when there’s no known trigger for the pain.
There are a variety of chronic pain disorders that carry many different names (chronic pain syndrome, CRPS, fibromyalgia, myofascial pain syndrome, etc.); however, they all drastically decrease the standard of living for those who suffer from them. These conditions are complex, poorly understood, and often difficult to treat. They are usually multi-factorial and require several specialists to be involved in their treatment.
Causes of Chronic Pain
Nobody is sure what causes chronic pain. Chronic pain syndromes are poorly understand. Some theories involve autonomic dysfunction, muscle imbalances, hypermobility (such as Ehlers-Danlos and other) disorders, systemic problems, and sleep disorders.
Whatever the cause, chronic pain syndrome takes a toll on your physical and mental health. Some symptoms include fatigue, memory issues, coordination difficulty, and poor sleep. But one of the most significant symptoms of these disorders is musculoskeletal pain. Typically, patients with these conditions benefit from evaluation and treatment by an osteopathic musculoskeletal specialist. Dr. Hennenhoefer will work with you to determine what treatments your body can tolerate and provide the most relief.
Hypermobility and Chronic Pain
An often overlooked contributor to chronic pain is patients whose joints are too mobile. While we often consider “flexibility” a good thing, these patients are mobile to the point of joint instability. At the most severe end of this spectrum is Ehlers-Danlos patients, but even those with milder hypermobility can experience chronic joint pain. Dr. Hennenhoefer frequently works with these patients to balance and strengthen their musculoskeletal system in order to return stability to their joints.
Treatment Approach
Dr. Hennenhoefer combines hands-on manipulation (OMT) with other modalities such as prolotherapy injections and home exercise programs to address a variety of factors that contribute to your chronic pain. In doing so, patients will often notice a decrease in their pain level, an increase in their function, and an overall improvement in their quality of life.
In the end, our goal is to relieve pain and get you back to living your full life. We believe in a systematic approach to chronic pain treatment, as well as working with patients’ entire healthcare team for better treatment results.
Schedule an appointment today with Dr. Hennenhoefer for chronic pain treatment. Learn how to understand your symptoms and start on a path toward wellness.