Pain is one of the most common chronic conditions and it is estimated about 8 million Canadian adults experience chronic pain. In addition to the staggering number of people suffering from pain, the management of pain has become challenging with the current state of drug addiction and opioid abuse.
The toll chronic pain has on the country’s economy is substantial, due to missed work, long-term medication use, and ongoing medical care. The good news is that there are alternative options to treat pain.
Effective pain management is best achieved by a team approach involving the individual, his/her family, and health care providers, including pharmacists. Chronic pain is often the result of multiple unknown sources which share a common pathway of how pain is perceived and registered in the body. As soon as pain begins, whether it is the result of disease or an injury, it is important to talk to a health care provider who is knowledgeable in pain management. Besides mitigating suffering, pain control is crucial to allowing individuals to work productively, enjoy recreation, or take pleasure in life.
The experienced pharmacists at The Northgate Medicine Shoppe in Regina work with individuals and their providers to create customized options for their pain management. Since mass-produced pain medications have set dosage strengths and dosage forms, they can lead to unwanted side effects, including drowsiness, stomach irritation, ulcers, and addiction. In addition, many individuals have difficulty swallowing pills or tablets or need multiple medications to achieve comfort. At our pharmacy, we can prepare a variety of dosage forms tailored to specific needs, including creams, ointments, gels, suppositories, mouth rinses, troches/lozenges, nasal sprays, and more.
Topical and transdermal pain medications that are applied to the body can truly be customized to an individual and their type of pain. Compounded pain therapies can include multiple compatible ingredients that can work together synergistically for optimal therapeutic outcomes. Common ingredients can include NSAIDS (Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs), muscle relaxants, anesthetics, pain and nerve channel blockers, nerve agents, calcium channel blockers, and others. Topical and transdermal pain management medications offer a variety of benefits over many commercially available solutions, including rapid onset of relief, targeted application to site of pain, high-local concentrations, non-addictive, minimal drug interactions, and more.
Chronic pain can be complex and point to other physical problems and can even affect mental health. Pain could be the result of disease such as rheumatoid arthritis or fibromyalgia. It could also be due to illness such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, viruses, ulcers, or others. Once pain is controlled, it is important to address the root cause.
Successful long-term pain management requires rapid, flexible, and expert responses to the changing needs of the patient. Patients and their loved ones should never tolerate pain due to fear of medication-related side effects or risk of addiction or loss of control as a result of using pain medication. Patients with pain or other distressing symptoms that persist despite the best efforts of their current healthcare provider can speak with the experienced team at the Northgate Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy about how we can work together.
Experience The Northgate Medicine Shoppe Difference. We have been serving Regina and the surrounding area since 2010. Our skilled pharmacists look forward to caring for you and your family.