22 May, 2024
The barnaclínic+ Pain Unit is born to provide a solution to patients with any type of pain
Chronic pain is a complex and debilitating experience that affects millions of people around the world. Unlike acute pain, which is a temporary response of the body to an injury or illness, chronic pain persists for weeks, months or even years, challenging quality of life and creating a significant burden on both individuals and society in general. The new barnaclínic+ Pain Unit aims to explore this multifaceted condition in depth, addressing its causes, clinical manifestations, biopsychosocial impact and management strategies. By better understanding the complex nature of pain, healthcare professionals will be better equipped to provide comprehensive, personalised care to those who suffer from it.
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· Website of the New Pain Unit of barnaclínic+
CHRONIC PAIN CAN BE CURED
“Chronic pain is pain that lasts longer than three months. It affects all dimensions of a person’s quality of life, physical function, social relationship capacity, mental state. It doesn’t necessarily have to be for life. Chronic pain can also be cured” explains Dr Christian Dürsteler, from the Anaesthesiology Service at Hospital Clínic and Pain Management Specialist at barnaclínic+.
“Chronic pain is pain that lasts longer than three months. It affects all dimensions of a person’s quality of life, physical function, social relationship capacity, mental state. It doesn’t necessarily have to be for life. Chronic pain can also be cured“
Dr Christian Dürsteler, from the Anaesthesiology Service at Hospital Clínic and Pain Management Specialist at barnaclínic+
“Chronic pain is pain that lasts longer than three months. It affects all dimensions of a person’s quality of life, physical function, social relationship capacity, mental state. It doesn’t necessarily have to be for life. Chronic pain can also be cured“SPECIALISTS IN COMPLEX CASES OF PATIENTS WITH PAIN
The new Pain Unit was created to respond to the most complex cases of patients with all types of pain, who have been visited by other specialists, but whose treatments have failed or have not responded satisfactorily. “We are specialised in the most complex cases of persistent post-surgical pain, neuropathic pain and even cancer pain,” continues Dr Düsteler, who focuses on how chronic pain affects multiple spheres of patients’ lives, not only affecting its physical function, but also having repercussions on mental health and people’s capacity for social relationships.
“We are specialised in the most complex cases of persistent post-surgical pain, neuropathic pain and even cancer pain”
Dr Christian Dürsteler, from the Anaesthesiology Service at Hospital Clínic and Pain Management Specialist at barnaclínic+
“We are prepared to be able to solve all types of pain problems that persist after a trauma, an accident or surgery,” says Dr Guilherme Ferreira dos Santos, senior specialist at the hospital Clínic and the Pain Unit of barnaclínic+.
Dr Guilherme Ferreira dos Santos, senior specialist at the hospital Clínic and the Pain Unit of barnaclínic+
“We are prepared to be able to solve all types of pain problems that persist after a trauma, an accident or surgery”DIFFERENT TYPES OF PAIN AND TYPES OF PATIENTS
The most common chronic pain is musculoskeletal, which in turn can be divided into different types, such as bone pain, lumbar pain or cervical pain. Low back pain, which is usually located in the lower back, can sometimes radiate to the buttock area and even the leg. “In these cases, we must rule out that there is no root involvement due to a herniated disc,” explains Dr Dürsteler, who adds that in this case the treatment is very different, with more targeted drugs and may even require interventional techniques like infiltrations in the back.
The new Pain Unit will also be able to treat a wide variety of patients, such as those who have undergone an intervention or also those who have suffered trauma or accidents, for whom sequelae of lumbar, cervical or joint pain persist.
WIDE VARIETY OF PAIN TREATMENTS
The new Unit has different types of pain treatment, which adapt to the needs of each patient. These include neuromodulation treatments, which include intrathecal drug administration—a special way of giving medications that is used when they need to reach the brain or spinal cord directly—or electrical stimulation. “These therapies offer the best alternative to at least partially relieve patients’ chronic pain,” continues Dr Christian Dürsteler.
Likewise, regenerative medicine techniques will also be available in the new unit. “We are talking about products that are prepared after drawing the patient’s blood and from which multiple products can be prepared to infiltrate directly into joints or tendons or around nerves,” says Dr Guilherme Ferreira dos Santos.
“We also have multiple percutaneous techniques, we talk about different types of radiofrequencies or rhizolysis techniques that we use, for example, in problems related to chronic lumbar pain, chronic cervical pain or chronic radicular pain, that is, such as sciatica, for example”, continues Dr Ferreira dos Santos. They are minimally invasive techniques that use small needles to treat pinched nerve problems. “In terms of results, these techniques allow us to prolong the pain reduction effect when we compare, for example, with infiltrations without the addition of rhizolysis or radiofrequency,” continues the expert.
“In addition to classic pharmacological therapies or interventional techniques, we also offer a Comprehensive Care program for Patients with Chronic Pain,” adds Dr Dürsteler. This program consists of a series of group sessions in which we empower the patient to self-manage their pain, emphasising therapeutic education, psychological support, mindfulness techniques, education in the neurosciences of pain, physical medicine and rehabilitation and in directed physical exercise.