The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than 20% of American adults — some 50 million people — struggle with chronic pain that lasts for months or years, although some studies report the number may be as high as 40%. Chronic pain is a big problem because it’s associated with limited mobility, loss of work, inability to participate in daily activities, opioid dependence, depression, anxiety, and a lower quality of life.
To prevent these all-consuming complications, we invite you to consult with Dr. Jay M. Shah, one of the country’s leading pain management specialists. At SamWell Institute for Pain Management in Colonia and Livingston, New Jersey, he diagnoses and treats all types of musculoskeletal pain and offers a wide range of nonsurgical orthopedic care and surgical solutions using the latest technology.
However, he doesn’t rely solely on conventional modalities. As a pain management expert, Dr. Shah understands the complicated nuances of chronic pain and uses all resources and multidisciplinary approaches available to reduce your pain and increase your quality of life. In many cases, this includes functional restoration. Here, he explains what that means and how it can help you.
In the simplest terms, functional restoration is a chronic pain rehabilitation program. The primary goals are to help you cope with chronic pain and improve your ability to function and lead a happy, healthy, productive life.
Functional restoration isn’t a medication or a treatment; it’s a philosophical approach to chronic pain that considers every aspect of you as an individual. We know that chronic pain involves much more than an acute injury — it encompasses your mental, emotional, and social state, as well.
That’s why we offer comprehensive, multidisciplinary functional restoration. With this approach, Dr. Shah delves into all the potential factors contributing to your chronic pain, knowing that your pain is not only physical (biology), but it’s also influenced by your perception of pain (psychology) and your interactions with your environment and health care providers (social).
Using this biopsychosocial model, he assesses your status and develops a customized functional restoration plan that addresses your unique symptoms and situation.
With the goal of achieving overall body and mind wellness, functional restoration embraces several approaches, including the following:
As an interventional pain management specialist, Dr. Shah offers an array of techniques and treatments that treat pain disorders. Depending on the location, cause, and severity of your pain, these may include:
These are just a few of the many pain-relieving treatments available to you at SamWell Pain.
Chronic pain can lead to immobility, and immobility can lead to chronic pain. Physical therapy breaks this cycle by increasing the range of motion in your joints, strengthening your muscles, and retraining your body to move efficiently and properly.
Physical therapy often involves specific stretches and strength training, and may also include hot and cold therapies, electrical stimulation, light therapy, ultrasound therapy, and targeted exercises to restore your balance and accelerate healing.
In many cases, Dr. Shah recommends acupuncture to reduce pain. This evidence-based traditional Chinese medical practice uses long, extremely thin needles to target precise locations in your body.
According to Chinese practitioners, the needles help balance your chi, your life force. Western practitioners believe the needles stimulate your nerves, connective tissues, and muscles, releasing natural pain killers.
Functional restoration focuses on involving you in your own pain management, making you an active participant. That’s why education is a key component of your rehabilitation.
Through conversations, literature, research, and training, Dr. Shah gives you the resources you need to address your chronic pain and cope with it, so you can function in your day-to-day life. Some of the tools include:
Dr. Shah helps you understand your pain and its source or sources so you can regain control of your life. But that doesn’t mean you’re on your own. We’re on this journey with you for the long haul, and we regularly monitor your progress, make adjustments to your treatments, teach you how to prevent further injury and pain exacerbation, and help you manage your expectations, so you can get back to living life on your own terms.
Functional restoration can help with chronic pain related to a wide range of conditions, including pain in your low back, neck, and joints, as well as neuropathy, post-surgical pain, and migraine disease. If you’re suffering from chronic pain of any kind, schedule a consultation with Dr. Shah to find out if functional restoration can help you reclaim your life from pain.
