South Texas Health System and STHS Clinics Help Educate Rio Grande Valley Residents on Chronic Pain in Latest Episode of Their "South Texas Healthy Living" TV Program
It's an often-overlooked fact: millions of adults in the United States are living with debilitating pain on a daily basis. Chronic pain can be complex and have many causes, including illness, injury or a long-term condition.
Nearly 21% of U.S. adults — 51.6 million Americans — are dealing with chronic pain, which is defined as pain lasting more than three months, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, while 17.1 million of them live with high-impact chronic pain that significantly limits their ability to work or perform daily activities.
A serious public health concern, chronic pain is highly prevalent among older Americans. Nearly 53% of adults over the age of 65 experience persistent pain, per the CDC, with 30% of seniors reporting chronic pain compared to 8.5% of adults aged 18-29.
Regardless of age, untreated chronic pain can greatly impact a person’s physical and mental health, as well as your ability to function day to day. It can lead to decreased mobility, impaired immunity, hormonal imbalances and an increased risk of depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation. But that’s not all. Chronic pain can lead to isolation and frustration, impact relationships with friends and family and impose a financial burden on the individual, their family, employer and community.
While there isn’t a cure for the condition, an effective pain management program can help chronic pain sufferers function effectively and improve their overall quality of life.
Catch up on "South Texas Healthy Living"
To watch previous episodes of “South Texas Healthy Living” and the system’s South Texas Health Updates, one minute videos offering education on various health issues, visit South Texas Health System’s Medical Minute page on ValleyCentral.com.
“Maintaining overall physical and mental is important in the management of chronic pain. Strategies aimed at helping treat chronic pain include medications, lifestyle changes, steroid injections, mind-body therapies and behavioral treatments,” says Dr. Justin Faye, MD, ABPMR, a pain medicine specialist with South Texas Health System Clinics. “There’s no one-size-fits-all treatment strategy; each plan will vary per patient and should address the symptoms and underlying causes.”
To help shine a spotlight on chronic pain, a condition commonly reported in the Rio Grande Valley, South Texas Health System and STHS Clinics devoted the latest episode of their monthly “South Texas Healthy Living” television program to chronic pain. Broadcast live on Saturday, September 21, and Sunday, September 22, at 11:00 a.m. on KGBT 4.1, the program featured an interview with Dr. Faye, who discussed the common causes, risk factors and types of chronic pain, as well as the treatment options available locally to help patients manage their persistent pain.
Additionally, STHS System Director of Marketing and Public Relations and South Texas Healthy Living host Tom Castañeda, interviewed a 74-year-old McAllen woman who has been living with chronic pain for 20 years. The retired school librarian discussed the events that led up to her issues with persistent pain and how she has tackled the condition, as well as offered her advice on getting pain in check before it wreaks havoc on one’s life.
The program also featured a cooking segment led by Patrick Woodin, South Texas Health System McAllen’s Director of Dietary and Nutrition Services, on anti-inflammatory foods that can help battle chronic pain and an exercise demonstration aimed at helping you beat the condition with a member of the STHS Edinburg Outpatient Rehabilitation Center, as well as important advice on preventing, treating and beating chronic pain.
“It may come a surprise, especially for those dealing with the condition, but exercise can help with chronic pain by building muscle strength and flexibility, reducing fatigue, lowering pain sensitivity and decreasing inflammation. Physical activity is actually an essential part of managing chronic pain,” says Castañeda. “And there are foods that fight chronic pain, including whole grains, lean proteins, healthy fats and fruits and vegetables rich in antioxidants. So, in the latest episode of ‘South Texas Healthy Living,’ we’ll highlight the common causes and types of chronic pain and share strategies to help fight it to help you get healthy and stay healthy!”
A rebroadcast of the show will air on Saturday, September 28, and Sunday, September 29, at 11:00 a.m. on KGBT 4.1.