Algology (Pain science) is a subspecialty that diagnoses, treats and monitors pain that lasts for 3 months or longer (chronic pain).
Algology specialists are entitled to become algologists after 2 years of algology training by taking the sub-branch exam of physicians who have completed their specialties in anesthesiology, neurology and physical therapy. The aim of the science of algology is to restore the quality of life lost by the person due to chronic pain.
The main pains that algology deals with are;
Migraine, tension-type headaches
Pain due to lumbar disc herniation, cervical disc herniation
Pain due to arthritis in neck, back and waist joints
Knee - hip-shoulder joint pain
Cancer pain
Fibromyalgia
Shingles pain
Diabetic neuropathic pain (burning and stinging in the hands and feet due to diabetes)
Neuralgias (trigeminal neuralgia: electricity on the face pain in the form of a throbbing)
Pains due to vascular occlusion
The most common pains in the society are headaches, waist and neck pains, and joint pains.
-Algologist. What kind of treatment does he apply?
When patients with pain that does not go away with medication or physical therapy come to the algology polyclinic, a diagnosis can be made after a detailed examination and different drug treatments can be started. In suitable patients, nerve blocks can be performed with local anesthetic drugs on the nerves of the area where the pain occurs. To eliminate pain by desensitizing the nerves, radiofrequency therapy (popularly known as laser, burning therapy) can be applied. Trigger point injections and ozone applications can be applied to patients with fibromyalgia and muscle stiffness. In patients who have undergone multiple lumbar-cervical disc herniation surgeries but continue to have pain, SCS (pain pacemaker) can be inserted. If cancer pain does not decrease with medications, insertion of an epidural catheter (known as a morphine pump) and sympathetic blocks (known as nerve root burning therapy) can be applied to the nerve roots where the cancer is related.
When chronic pain patients are left untreated, they experience inactivity, insomnia, inability to move. Weight gain and depression may develop in patients who do not. For these reasons, pain management is multidisciplinary. Physical therapy and psychiatric support are very important.
Living with pain is not your destiny. We can reduce your pain by 80% with algology treatments. I wish you healthy, pain-free days.
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