Pain Management Centre

Almost everyone is familiar with pain. We experience pain when we are ill or injured, but once we recover, the pain disappears. But what if the pain is constant – 24 hours a day? Chronic pain interferes with work, socialising, and rest, leaving a single, constant thought in the subconscious – how to get rid of it? There are many conditions that cause pain. Patients most commonly complain to doctors about back, joint, and headaches. Many people still tend to tolerate pain for too long. Medical professionals advise treating pain in a timely manner, as untreated or inadequately managed acute pain can become chronic. Chronic pain is difficult to endure, making it impossible to sleep properly, work, or engage in any daily activities.

The pain for which a patient seeks medical advice is either acute or chronic. Acute pain is short-term and has a clear cause – the underlying pathology that triggered it. Chronic pain, on the other hand, is pain that typically lasts for at least three months. According to medical experts, pain is no longer viewed merely as a physiological reaction; it is a complex phenomenon occurring within the human nervous system that can eventually develop into an independent pathophysiological condition – pain disease (chronic pain syndrome).

At the Baltijos-Amerikos terapijos ir chirurgijos klinika Pain Management Centre interventional procedures are performed, and consultations are provided by experienced neurologists, psychologists, orthopaedic surgeons, and neurosurgeons. The clinic also offers physical rehabilitation services, which can be comprehensively combined with pain treatment as required.

Back pain

Some people experience persistent back pain following an accident, spinal deformities, or injuries. Others feel discomfort due to bone or joint diseases, while some suffer from degenerative disc disease.

Chronic back pain is associated with:

• Slipped disc (herniated disc). Pain is typically felt radiating into the limbs. If the herniation is in the cervical spine (neck), pain or aching may be felt in the arm, whereas from the lumbar spine (lower back), it can migrate to the buttocks or legs. In the most severe cases, herniated discs can compress a nerve, causing severe pain, limb numbness, urinary incontinence, etc.
• Degenerative disc disease. Osteochondrosis – a degenerative joint disease that develops when the cartilage of the spine (intervertebral discs) is damaged for some reason.
• Other causes. Pain due to spinal curvature, arthritis, spinal stenosis, and spinal tumours can also cause severe back pain.
• Back problems can also cause pain in other parts of the body. Back pain is one of the most common health conditions in Lithuania.

Neck pain

A relatively common health issue. It is estimated that most people will experience neck pain at least once in their lives. Depending on its duration, neck pain is categorised as chronic or acute. Acute neck pain lasts up to three months, while chronic pain lasts longer than three months. The intensity of neck pain varies from person to person, depending on individual nervous system sensitivity.
Neck pain can occur due to muscle tension, worn joints, osteoarthritis, a compressed nerve, injuries, or other underlying conditions. Sometimes it is caused by daily activities, including poor posture or awkward sleeping positions.

Head and facial pain

Facial pain is pain felt in the face or in a specific part of it, such as the nose, eyes, etc. Facial pain can be one of the first symptoms of serious neurological conditions.
Several types of facial pain are diagnosed in patients:

• Trigeminal neuralgia (sharp, sudden pain on one side of the face). Trigeminal neuralgia is an extremely severe, stabbing pain on one side of the face. It is caused by the trigeminal nerve (nervus trigeminus), which provides sensation to the face. Sensory information is transmitted from the face to the brain via the fibres of this nerve. Trigeminal neuralgia is considered one of the most painful conditions a person can experience.
• Sinusitis – an acute or chronic inflammation of the paranasal sinuses. Sinusitis is classified into acute and chronic forms.
• Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain. Temporomandibular joint disorders are a complex issue. They can present as myofascial pain or Kosten’s syndrome. Since joints are moved by muscles, TMJ problems can cause stiffness, headaches, earaches, chewing difficulties, and can even lock the jaw. TMJ dysfunction and pain are caused by many factors, including harmful habits.
• Migraine. This is a chronic episodic headache accompanied by nervous system, gastrointestinal, and other symptoms. Migraine affects about 15% of people. Women suffer from it 3–4 times more often than men. It most commonly affects people of working age (20–50 years), although migraines can affect individuals of any age.

Joint pain

Joint pain can affect both young and older people. It is a misconception that joint diseases are exclusively a problem for the elderly.
It is important to seek timely investigation to determine the cause of joint pain.

For more information, tel. +370 5 234 2020