If you’re experiencing chronic pain, you’ll want to hear what URI pharmacy students Jessica Minoz and Braylee Wardwell have to say about complementary treatment options. The two women joined the Cranston Senior Enrichment Center Sept. 7 for a presentation on ways to reduce chronic pain.

Minoz and Wardwell are in their sixth and final year of pharmacy school and, as part of URI’s Pharmacy Outreach Program, the two will hold presentations at the center for six weeks. Program Coordinator and Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor Nancy Tortolani has been at URI for 25 years and said the students learn as much from the seniors as the seniors learn from them; the students create their own presentations and answer seniors’ questions.

Last Wednesday, seniors learned that while medicines such as Tylenol, ibuprofen and opioids can distract from chronic pain, complementary treatment can further relieve pain. According to a study out of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only 27 percent of patients who take opioids think it’s effective for their pain.

“That’s why it’s super important to talk about other ways to treat pain,” said Wardwell.

Seniors in attendance said they were shocked the number was so low.

“I was surprised too when I saw this statistic because I feel like, when we think about these strong medications, you’re like ‘oh of course this is going to help my chronic pain.’ But it’s really about all the little things that you’re doing on a day to day basis,” said Minoz.

Minoz and Wardwell explained that chronic pain is any pain that lasts longer than three months. There is neuropathic pain – which is caused by an injury to a nerve – and nociceptive pain – which is caused by injury or inflammation of a body tissue. Complementary treatment includes physical therapy, yoga, Tai Chi, acupuncture and acupressure, massage therapy, chiropractic,  transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENs), meditation, supportive equipment and a positive attitude.

Examine Your Options

Minoz and Wardwell said complementary treatments are not going to treat chronic pain, but can support oral medications. While there are benefits to each type, individuals should be aware of risks; it is also important for individuals to go to licensed professionals for treatment.

Wardwell explained that physical therapy helps individuals understand underlying causes of their pain.

“Physical therapy works on strengthening flexibility exercises, manual therapy, posture awareness and body mechanics,” Wardwell said.

Relaxation is a big part of pain management, so yoga and meditation can come in handy. Yoga helps move joints and muscles which decreases pain intensity; the little movements can help with arthritis, fibromyalgia and back pain.

Minoz added that meditation assists with balance and coping with illness or stress. The great part about it is it’s easy to do. One of the most important parts of dealing with pain is maintaining a positive attitude.

“It’s hard if you’re dealing with any pain to not let it affect your attitude and outlook on life,” said Minoz.

Therefore, finding goals, practicing food habits, having a support system and exercising as you can may help individuals.

Other treatment options include massage therapy which is a manual manipulation of body tissue that relaxes the body and improves circulation. Additionally the TENs machine is a type of stimulation that sends electrical pulses across the skin’s surface and stimulates the production of endorphins; this treatment is commonly used for nerve pain.

More invasive treatments include acupuncture and spinal manipulation. Acupuncture is based on the belief that the life energy (qi) flows throughout one’s body in different channels. When a channel is blocked or out of balance, illness or pain can be felt. For acupuncture, needles are inserted in patients to stimulate certain parts of the body which allows the flow of energy to go where it’s supposed to be and relieve any pain. Wardwell said the needles release endorphins which interact with brain receptors to reduce perception of pain. Meanwhile, spinal manipulation is an implant that puts mild electrical pulses that interfere with the pain signals to distract your body from feeling pain. This is more of a last line option for individuals who have found no relief from other forms of therapy.

Mindful of Medicine

Wardwell, who works at Walgreens, explained that many customers ask about natural supplements as a complementary treatment. These products include multivitamins, minerals, amino acids and herbs, and (while some come from natural sources) others are man-made. Natural supplements can help reduce inflammation and pain but are not well regulated by the FDA. She said it’s important that individuals inform both their doctor and pharmacist on the desire to take supplements. Doctors can give recommendations and pharmacists can look up products to make sure they do not interact with any of the patients’ medications.

Some medicine to try includes capsaicin cream which is best for joints close to the skin to relieve minor pain from arthritis. Minoz suggested folks don’t use the cream for finger joints because if the cream gets on the finger pads and the individual touches their face, the cream can burn since it consists of chili peppers.

They spoke about CBD which can be used for pain and comes in capsules, tablets, creams, ointments and gels. The women said individuals should focus on where they purchase CBD products since online stores or places that aren’t pharmacies carry CBD products that aren’t usually regulated.

The two reminded seniors that cold and flu season will be starting soon, and it is important to remember that if individuals are already taking Tylenol or ibuprofen, any additional products they purchase over the counter may have acetaminophen in them.

“A lot of times there is hidden Tylenol in them,” Minoz said, adding that individuals can ask pharmacists about this when they’re at the store.

The Cranston Senior Enrichment Center will continue hosting presentations from URI’s Pharmacy Outreach Program. The next presentation will be held at 10 a.m. on Sept. 21 and will focus on fatigue and aging by addressing what is normal.