Despite repeated investigations confirming that the fracture had healed, she continued to have severe burning pain, swelling, stiffness and changes in skin colour. Months after a fractured wrist had healed, a 42-year-old homemaker from Mysuru was still unable to cook or even tolerate the touch of clothing on her hand.
Pain specialists say such cases highlight the need to recognise chronic pain as a condition that may require specialised care. The clinical team, comprising associate professor Nethra H.N., assistant professor Harshavardhan H.S., Satish Kumar and Dr. Nethra, treats patients with cancer pain, neuropathic pain, musculoskeletal disorders, spine-related pain, knee and shoulder pain, trigeminal neuralgia and other chronic pain conditions. Sadasivan S. Pain medicine is not limited to prescribing stronger painkillers. Depending on the condition, treatment may include medication optimisation, physical rehabilitation, psychological support, lifestyle modification and minimally invasive, image-guided procedures such as nerve blocks, epidural injections and radiofrequency ablation.
Because investigations do not reveal an obvious cause, “Many patients are told to simply live with pain. At Victoria Hospital, attached to the Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute (BMCRI), more than 1,200 patients have undergone specialised pain-relieving procedures since its pain clinic was established in June 2023. The clinic, run by the Department of Anaesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, has also provided outpatient consultation to over 4,000 patients.
“Our team led by our head of the department Nethra S.S. has performed over 1,200 advanced pain intervention procedures and has seen over 4,000 patients in the outpatient department,” said Satish Kumar M.N., associate professor, Department of Anaesthesia and Pain Medicine, BMCRI, and treasurer of the Karnataka Chapter of the ISSP. Iyer, consultant and lead, Pain Medicine, Manipal Hospital, Old Airport Road, and vice-president of the Karnataka Chapter of the ISSP, said a common misconception was that patients should simply learn to live with chronic pain. But persistent pain can itself be a medical condition requiring specialised evaluation and treatment,” he said. Millions of Indians live with persistent back and neck pain, sciatica, diabetic neuropathy, post-herpetic neuralgia, trigeminal neuralgia, cancer pain and pain that continues after surgery, according to the ISSP.
