Treating Pain without Medication – Part 1

 

The opioid epidemic has gained the national spotlight.  Locally, there is a bill in the Florida State Legislature to restrict the prescription of controlled substances by physicians including opioid pain medications. 

Regardless of whether you are dealing with fibromyalgia, chronic back pain or rheumatoid arthritis.  There are 5 main key cornerstones to pain recovery.

  • Manual therapy
  • Acupuncture
  • Strength Restoration
  • Remapping the Mind
  • Anti-inflammatory Diet

To be able to truly break the pain cycle, requires the attention and work of all five.  However, the biggest challenge that most pain patients face is affordability and access to the providers in each of these areas.  Unfortunately, pills and tablets are cheap and the effort and price required for these interventions is expensive. 

As a society, the epidemic will not go away until these core access issues are addressed.  However, each of us an individuals can make an independent choice to work on each of these five areas on our own.  In upcoming blogs, I will explore each of these cornerstones and the rationale behind their effectiveness and also examine cost effective ways that each of us can integrate these into our busy lives.  

As someone who deals and has dealt with chronic pain on a daily basis, I can understand the emotional as well as physical challenge of dealing with such a chronic disease.  However, the body has a tremendous ability to heal and with a new perspective and a willingness to step into a new frame of mind there is much hope.  One simple change a day is all it takes. 

Optimize Your Health, Simplify Your Life,

Sharyl Truty, MD

 

Dr. Sharyl has been engaged in family medicine, sports medicine and orthopedics for over fifteen years in many different capacities. She is the physician-owner of Balanced Physician Care, a holistic, direct primary care medical practice in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.  Her practice provides a unique solution for individuals and small business owners who are seeking answers to better healthcare.  She is Board Certified in Family Practice and has a Certificate of Added Qualification in Sports Medicine.  She was team physician for the Chicago Red Stars women’s professional soccer team, completed a fellowship in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, and has received her acupuncture training at the UCLA physician certification program. She currently lives in Jacksonville Beach with her husband, Myke and 4-year-old son, Lukas.