Did you know that more people suffer from pain than cancer, heart disease and diabetes combined?

Seventy-six million Americans suffer from pain annually and pain is a major driver of primary care physician visits.

Pain can be caused by a variety of factors, some of which include:

– Family history: You may be more likely to develop arthritis and some other conditions if you have a family history of the disease/diagnosis.

– Age. The risk of many types of diagnoses and pain injuries increases with age.

– Gender. Women are more likely than men to develop rheumatoid arthritis.

– Previous injury. Some people who have experienced previous injuries have pain related to those injuries throughout their lives

– Obesity. Carrying excess pounds puts stress on joints, particularly your knees, hips and spine.

The side effects of pain can have a significant impact on your life as well as the life of those around you. Acute and chronic pain can result in:

– Irritability

– Anger

– Depression

– Difficulty concentrating

– Loss of mobility and muscle weakness

The Fayette County Memorial Hospital Pain Management Program evaluates and treats both acute and chronic pain. Dr. A. Raj Swain is board-certified and fellowship-trained in pain medicine. Dr. Swain evaluates and treats patients alongside his physician assistant, Tim Mellish. They will create a balanced treatment program for each patient that incorporates a variety of modalities, including physical therapy, medication management, interventional procedures and referral for alternative treatment.

No one should live with debilitating pain. If you are experiencing pain that is impacting your daily life, talk to your primary care physician. A referral to the Fayette County Memorial Hospital Pain Management Program may be just what you need to get back to living!

To learn more about the Fayette County Memorial Hospital Pain Management Center, call 740-333-2755 or visit www.fcmh.org