Pain Management

If you suffer from chronic pain, like Abbey did, you know how it can rob you of your life.

It can be difficult to sleep, a chore to pull yourself out of bed every morning, and achieving small tasks can be exhausting. It can be downright emotionally distressing and fatiguing.

Severe acute pain can be just as distressing whether it is due to an injury or simply sleeping in a wrong position. Whether acute or chronic, integrative pain management can help.

The goal of pain management is to identify the underlying cause of pain and remove it through using whatever tools at our disposal. We cater our treatment plans to the individual.

Many of our patients are able to control their pain through natural means but we also work with patients who are planning to have surgery, post surgery, or on medication to control pain.

Pain Management with Diet & Nutrition

Removing foods that are pro inflammatory is a good start. The next step is evaluating your nutritional status and food intolerances.

What is a food intolerance? It is not the same as an allergy. An allergy to a food can cause hives, rashes, and close your airway! A food intolerance is more subtle. It triggers an immune response which results in inflammation. That inflammation then causes pain and that pain can be anywhere in the body.

With nutritional testing, we are able to identify what vitamins and minerals are deficient in your body and what foods may be causing an inflammatory response.

San Jose Integrative Medicine uses local labs and specialty labs like SpectraCell and Genova laboratories for nutrient testing, and Alletess, Meridian Valley Labs, and U.S. Biotek for food intolerance testing.

Food intolerances & nutritional deficiencies can contribute to:

Pain Management with Herbs & Supplements

There are different herbs and supplements that can alleviate inflammation and pain. The most popular and useful of all the herbs is turmeric. Turmeric is a general anti inflammatory herb but there are many herbs and supplements that can target different types of pain. When used at high doses and in combination together, natural herbs and supplements can be especially effective.

Pain Management with Acupuncture

Acupuncture has long been used for pain relief. Needles are placed at specific points along an acupuncture meridian or at musculoskeletal trigger points. Endorphins which are the body’s natural painkillers are released along with “feel good” neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine. These neurotransmitters promote pain relief through the mind body connection. In addition to acupuncture, relaxation techniques like yoga and meditation also release these same pain relieving neurotransmitters.

Pain Management with Therapeutic Massage

San Jose Integrative Medicine offers a variety of massage techniques to reduce pain and boost your immune system. Therapeutic massage improves circulation, increases joint mobility, improves posture, prevents injury, reduces inflammation, and relieves stress.

Techniques used are: myofascial release, trigger point therapy, deep tissue massage, lymphatic massage, and Chinese cupping.

MYOFASCIAL RELEASE.

Myofascial Release (MFR) is a technique in which sustained pressure is applied to cause a release in the myofascial connective tissue. Myofascial release breaks up adhesions in connective tissue which cause pain and reduce mobility. It is a powerful technique to reduce pain and increased mobility. Each session is tailored to work on your specific goals and needs. Just a few sessions can reduce your pain and increase your mobility.

TRIGGER POINT THERAPY.

Trigger Point Therapy is an adaptation of Japanese Shiatsu, an ancient manual therapy technique which literally means “finger pressure”. Trigger point therapy relieves pain by applying pressure at certain points along the acupuncture meridians. Pressure at these points induces muscles to “let go” of pain and tension.

DEEP TISSUE MASSAGE.

Deep tissue massage applies deep pressure to injured, sore, and tense muscles to improve circulation and promote healing. Deep tissue massage should not be painful but can be more uncomfortable than a relaxing Swedish massage.

LYMPH DRAINAGE.

Lymph Drainage is a technique with an extremely light touch that allows manipulation to your lymph system, improves your immune response, and reduces excess fluid (i.e inflammation) in your body. Moving the lymph fluid helps your body remove waste and toxins which build up from chronic pain.

CHINESE CUPPING.

Chinese cupping has been used for centuries to relieve pain, promote healing, and cure diseases. Cupping involves placing small glass cups on the skin along acupuncture meridians to improve circulation and promote repair to injured or tired muscles. It releases adhesions in the connective tissue to improve joint mobility and reduce pain.

Pain Conditions Treated

Whether you’re recovering from an injury, overworked, or suffering from a chronic pain condition, acupuncture and manual therapy can offer you pain relief and restore function so you can enjoy your life and return to your activities pain free.

Common pain conditions we see: