Most people turn to over-the-counter pain relievers and other medication at the first sign of pain. In many cases, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, or naproxen is enough to deal with minor aches, pains, and inflammation. However, these over-the-counter medications are far from a cure-all, and they are not meant to manage pain long-term or even more than the very short-term. Here are signs that you need to stop taking these medications and seek medical attention for your condition or to manage your pain.
The Pain Gets Worse
If your pain continues at the same level or gets progressively worse over the course of several days, your first instinct may be to take more over-the-counter medication. However, this can be dangerous, especially if you take more than the recommended dose. Worsening pain is a sign that you have an injury that is not healing on its own or other condition that is going to require something more than temporary pain relief.
The Pain Continues for More than a Few Days
If taking medication doesn’t make the pain go away, even if it lessens, you should seek medical attention. Pain is the body’s way of alerting you that something is not right, and if that pain is continuing, it means the problem is still there. You may need physical therapy, surgery, or other treatment before you will be pain-free. In some cases, you may be dealing with chronic pain. If that’s the case, you will need ways of managing the pain that does not rely on over-the-counter medications.
You Begin Experiencing Additional Pain or Symptoms
If you start experiencing pain in other parts of your body or symptoms such as vomiting blood or having issues breathing, you need to stop taking the over-the-counter medication and get help. Some of these symptoms could be signs that you have taken too much of the medication or that it’s interacting with other medications you take. In some cases, over-the-counter medication could make a condition worse. You may not even know you have this condition until symptoms appear.
Need help treating your chronic pain or diagnosing the cause of it? Contact Maximum Orthopedics today to schedule an appointment.
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Posted on: Nov 25 2020
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By: admin
If you have developed a pain in your wrist and hand that continues for more than several days, it could be carpal tunnel syndrome. This condition occurs by overworking the wrists, and those who work on the computer or who have jobs that require them to make repetitive hand movements often develop it. Early on, you can treat carpal tunnel by wearing a wrist brace, taking over-the-counter medication, and changing your work habits. However, many people find that they need surgery to truly alleviate the pain. The good news is that workers’ comp does cover carpal tunnel if you can show that you developed it on the job.
The Process of Applying for Workers’ Comp for Carpal Tunnel
When you first believe you may be suffering from carpal tunnel, you should notify your employer. Let them know even if you don’t have an official diagnosis yet because it’s important to document the entire process. You will need to let them know when you first began experiencing symptoms, too. After that is done, you will need to have the condition officially diagnosed and submit the appropriate paperwork to begin the workers’ comp process.
What Can Make the Process More Difficult?
Your employer’s workers’ comp insurance company is going to want to deny your claim, as they typically want to deny as many claims as possible to save them money. For carpal tunnel, this means they will be looking for anything they can use to show that your condition developed as the result of something you did outside of work. You will want to talk to your doctor about these activities and ask them what the likely primary cause of your carpal tunnel is.
The good news is that it’s often easy to see that work is that main cause because you engage in work-related activities 40 hours a week. It’s not likely that you do anything else as often. However, don’t hide any hobbies or other activities you do. If it comes out that you were attempting to hide activities that many have impacted your workers’ comp claim, it can result in your claim being dismissed.
Another way of making your claim pass through the system more quickly is to have an experienced workers’ comp doctor on your side. The team at Maximum Orthopedics has years of working with employees, and we can help you, too. Contact us today for a free consultation.
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Posted on: Nov 15 2020
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By: admin
