Alternative Medicine in Newburgh Helps Ease the Pain Caused by COPD

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or COPD is a treatable disease that primarily affects the lungs.  The effect of COPD on the rest of the body is aptly referred to as “extrapulmonary effects” which contribute to the patient’s discomfort and severity of COPD.  In About Health, RN Deborah Leader reports on how alternative medicine in Newburgh is helping patients manage chronic pain:

Pain, in and of itself, is not a symptom of COPD; rather, it is often musculoskeletal in nature and commonly associated with the work of breathing. Chronic pain may also be connected to the following conditions, which are unrelated to COPD:

• Back, neck and pelvic pain
• Headaches and migraines
• Fibromyalgia
• Arthritis

What is COPD?
The term is actually a collective one that refers to a group of lung diseases which include emphysema and chronic bronchitis. It isn’t unusual for patients to have more than one of these diseases at the same time. Not surprisingly, smoking is the number one risk factor for COPD, followed by indoor and outdoor pollution.

Pain is all around
More than half of patients with COPD suffer from chronic pain. The pain they experience ranges in intensity from moderate to severe in their chest, shoulders, neck, and upper arms. Some patients have opted for alternatives to traditional painkillers to avoid the unpleasant side-effects.

With non-pharmacological methods of pain relief, there is no need to worry about addiction or respiratory depression. They can be used in place of analgesics if pain is mild, or, in cases of moderate to severe pain, as an adjunct to analgesics, for better pain management.

Ice and heat
When it comes to pain relief, extreme temperatures can do wonders for the patient.  For swelling or inflammation caused by chronic pain, ice is applied to reduce it. On the other hand, heat is used to increase blood flow to reduce painful swelling for arthritis-like symptoms.

Massage and physical therapy
Rubbing of affected areas by trained personnel can loosen stiff joints and muscles which, in turn, relaxes the patient. The skilled staff of Advanced Alternative Medicine Center, for instance, are highly-trained and experienced in chronic pain treatment in Newburgh, providing valuable advice to patients on how to move their bodies and manage pain more efficiently.

(Source: “Pain and COPD”, 02 July 2014, About Health)