Somatic pain results from damaged musculoskeletal structures and some soft tissues such as skin, mucus membranes, bones, and muscles. Straining a muscle or having a cut on your skin are common ways to experience this.
The pain is often isolated to a single part of your body as a gnawing, aching, or cramping sensation that gets worse with movement. Relief can be found through different pain management treatments.
Types of Somatic Pain
There are two types of somatic pain: deep and superficial. Telling the difference between the two is based on where the pain originates in the body, near the surface or deep inside. How patients experience somatic pain also depends on where its origins are. Deep somatic pain closely surrounds the injured area, while the latter concentrates on the exact injured spot. Treatment can be tailored to find effective relief once it is determined if the issue is deep or superficial.
Deep Somatic Pain
Deep somatic pain is a dull and aching pain radiating from locations such as joints, muscles, bones, and tendons. Patients experience it locally or generally, depending on the extent of the trauma. The cause and severity of the discomfort are considered when deciding on treatment to relieve deep somatic pain. While over-the-counter drugs work for light pains, intensive pain with inflammation requires advanced pain management methods like Epidural Steroid Injections.
Superficial Somatic Pain
Superficial somatic pain originates from nociceptive receptors on the mucous membranes and the skin. Sharp, pricking, or throbbing pain characterizes common injuries like cuts, minor burns, and lacerations. Medical providers sometimes prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to manage superficial somatic pain.
Treatment For Somatic Pain
Somatic pain treatment depends on the type, location, cause, and severity of the pain. Some subside with over-the-counter NSAID, while others persist and sometimes become chronic. When experiencing persistent pain, consult your physiotherapist for the most appropriate pain relief remedies. Here are some possible solutions to manage pain.
DRG Stimulation Therapy
Dorsal Root Ganglion (DRG) stimulation therapy is a neurostimulation that manages hard-to-treat chronic pain in the lower parts of the body, such as knees, legs, and feet. DRG stimulation therapy is an ideal treatment for individuals with focal nerve pain. This involves placing electrodes on the dorsal root ganglia, the structures on the spinal column consisting of densely populated sensory nerves. The sensory nerves regulate sensations and signals traveling from the nerve fibers to the brain. Medical experts conduct this therapy by targeting the specific DRG associated with the part where the patient experiences pain. Some doctors offer a trial period to allow the patient to decide if they want to proceed with a permanent implant.
SI Bone iFuse Implant
The iFuse Implant procedure involves inserting a three-dimensional titanium device across the sacroiliac (SI) joint to stabilize it. It is ideal for patients diagnosed with sacroiliac joint problems due to disruption or degeneration since the device also manages pain and improves function. The procedure uses minimally invasive techniques, which promotes faster recovery.
Catamaran SI Joint Fusion System
Medical experts implant the Catamaran fusion device along the longitudinal axis of the SI joint using a two-dimensional fluoro imaging sequence. They fixate cone pontoons into the sacrum and the other into the ilium. When placed on the cortical bone, the fixation device transfixes and stabilizes the SI joint. It follows a natural course away from vascular and neural muscles to reduce SI joint pain.
Find Reliable Pain Management Consultants Near You
Treating somatic pain requires interrupting the pain signals traveling from the affected area to the brain. While anti-inflammatory drugs help with superficial somatic pain, sometimes doctors recommend other interventional methods. There are various methods for treating somatic pain in different body parts, including spinal cord stimulation therapy. Finding a pain management strategy may be overwhelming, but specialists can offer support. Physicians can work with patients to create an individualized plan to ease somatic discomfort. Find experienced pain management consultants to help limit all types of pain.
