Pain Management
Pain treatment has become a health crisis in the Western world. With many being prescribed opioids to combat pain, one out of four statistically will become addicted. Hence there has been a mind shift in the conventional medical community towards more traditional, proven through centuries and thousands of years, old fashioned, holistic treatments that have been used in different cultures for hundreds and thousands of years. Massage, acupuncture and hydrotherapy (water applications) are some of the modalities that are now commonly recommended and mentioned by our boards as adjunctive treatments, in addition to over the counter or prescription medicines for management of pain.
Dr. Pautz has been using traditional tools for pain management since she opened her doors 23 years ago. Some of her patients come for her hands. She is medically oriented compared to massage therapists, like working on a constricted rheumatoid arthritis shoulder for instance. She uses several additional modalities in these sessions such as herbal tinctures, light therapy, and others.
Mindfulness exercises and meditation as well as art therapy can be very helpful additional tools to learn and acquire new coping strategies.
In summary there are many ways of nurturing and applying more natural modalities that can start taking the edge of pain away. These tools are usually wholesome, gentle and harmless and can work to different degrees. Guided by a healthcare professional familiar with the tools and indications, they can be combined without any worrisome side effects from prescription pain medicines to help alleviate symptoms and ultimately reduce prescription medicines. This is much safer and bears less harmful side effects than covering pain up with narcotics.
