With chronic pain increasingly affecting people with sedentary lifestyles and prolonged desk work, pain physicians in Hyderabad have called for greater awareness of minimally invasive treatment options for patients who do not respond to medicines and physiotherapy.
The Society for the Study of Pain (Telangana Chapter), as part of Pain Awareness Month, organised an awareness meeting attended by around 40 pain physicians from across the city.
Chronic pain, generally defined as pain persisting beyond the normal healing period or for more than three months, can involve the bones, muscles, nerves, tendons and ligaments. Doctors said reduced physical activity, prolonged sitting and stress were contributing to the problem.
Dr Umamaheshwara Rao, president of the Society for the Study of Pain, Telangana Chapter, said chronic pain should not be considered something patients simply have to live with. “When medicines and physiotherapy do not provide relief, or when a patient cannot undergo major surgery, minimally invasive pain and spine interventions can provide another treatment option,” he said.
The procedures discussed at the meeting included ultrasound‑guided interventions for conditions such as frozen shoulder and plantar fasciitis, spine interventions, radio‑frequency ablation, botulinum toxin injections, neuromodulation, cryoablation and selected procedures for cancer pain and diabetic neuropathy.
Dr Sachin D. Joshi, vice‑president, said the focus was on making patients aware that treatment options exist between conventional medication and major surgery. He added that patients do not need to avoid their work during these treatments.
Dr Nagalaxmi Patnala, secretary, said chronic pain affects more than physical health and can interfere with mobility, work and daily activities. “The objective of the awareness initiative is to help people understand that chronic pain needs proper assessment and treatment. Depending on the condition, targeted interventions can help reduce pain and improve function,” she said.
The chapter said the procedures include interventions targeting specific nerves or joints, radio‑frequency techniques to interrupt pain signals, and neuromodulation using electrical stimulation. Regenerative therapies and other interventions may also be considered for selected patients depending on their condition.
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