Patient Education from Michael J. Platto, M.D.

Multiple medical experts and government agencies recommend regular exercise, body mechanics, pacing, proper nutrition, and good sleep as keys to minimizing most chronic pain conditions. We encourage natural healing techniques. We avoid prescribing opioid pain medications whenever possible. For flareups of pain, we encourage, rest, heat/cold modalities and home stretching. For severe pain flareups, we do perform soft tissue injections. When medications are used, we prefer to use non narcotic anti-inflammatory medications, muscle relaxants, and nerve stabilizing agents. Opioid medications are used only as an absolute last resort when other medications have failed. (We do not however recommend or manage patients on medical marijuana). Most chronic pain conditions can be managed without the use of strong pain medications, invasive pain procedures are surgery. When all else fails, we still do refer patients to other providers for more invasive procedures.