Winter is Here: Stay Safe and Avoid Pain and Injury
Love it or hate it, winter has arrived. For some of us, it’s a time to nestle indoors beside a warm fire with a hot beverage. But for millions of New Jerseyans, the winter is a time to play. Snowboarding, skiing, and other winter sports and activities allow us to get some fresh air and exercise.
However, these activities also come with some risk of injury. So does everyday life during the winter in New Jersey. Extra activity may provoke chronic back pain. Shoveling snow or just navigating some icy steps or a slippery driveway can, unfortunately, lead to herniated discs, ligament sprains, wrist fractures, and more.
Luckily, our NJ pain management clinic has over 25 years of experience providing effective, compassionate pain relief for winter injuries.
Here’s a list of the five most common injuries we see at our pain management clinic in the winter and how we provide pain relief and aid recovery from them.
How We Treat The 4 Most Common Winter Injuries at our NJ Pain Management Clinic
1: Pain Management for Herniated Discs
We see herniated discs year-round, but there is often a rise in them during winter. Sudden, forceful movements, such as slipping on ice or twisting while lifting, can put undue pressure on the spine, potentially leading to a herniated disc.
Managing back pain from a herniated disc can be tricky on your own, but Dr. Koppel has decades of experience with this common injury.
Some herniated disc pain management interventions we use include:
- Steroid Injections
- Medications, like NSAIDs
- Endoscopic Lumbar Discectomy (ELD)
- Physical therapy
- Exosome therapy
2: Managing Pain from Wrist Fractures
Wrist fractures are especially common during the winter months here in New Jersey. As we know, some townships are better than others when it comes to clearing roads and sidewalks, and slips and falls on icy surfaces are a major cause of wrist fractures and other winter injuries that require pain management.
A few of the ways we may relieve wrist fracture pain here are:
- NSAIDs or acetaminophen
- Corticosteroid injections (especially where inflammation occurs)
- Bracing or splinting for support
- Physical therapy
3: Pain Management for Sprains
Ligament sprains are a common issue we see at our pain clinics in Clifton and Elizabeth, NJ. Patients are generally not aware of their exact diagnosis until they are assessed, but managing pain from ligament sprains, fortunately, is something we do quite well. We can make most people reasonably comfortable while their body gets the time it needs to heal properly.
A few of the pain management solutions for sprains we employ are:
- Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy
- Cervical epidural steroid injections
- NSAIDs or acetaminophen
- Exosome therapy
- Physical therapy
4: Knee Injuries and Pain Management
Pain management for knee pain is something we are very familiar with and quite adept at here at Gardens State Pain Management. This is another year-round injury, but we do see a small spike during the wintertime some years. The usual suspects are icy steps and driveways as well as snowboarding and skiing accidents.
Methods we may use to manage knee pain from ACL tears and other injuries include:
- NSAIDs or Acetaminophen
- Arthrocentesis (joint aspiration)
- Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation (RICE)
- Corticosteroid Injections
- Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) Therapy for chronic ligament injuries.
In some cases, more serious knee injuries, like an ACL tear, may also require surgical intervention, like ACL reconstruction, partial ACL repair, or meniscus repair, which we do not do at Gardens State Pain Management. However, Dr. Koppel will gladly refer you to ensure you end up in good hands.
Effective and Compassionate Pain Management in NJ for Over 25 Years
When it comes to finding refuge and relief from pain, New Jersey residents have trusted Garden State Pain Management for more than 25 years. Rely on Dr. Todd Koppel’s expertise and compassion to achieve the relief you or your loved one deserve. We provide careful, accurate diagnosis of a broad range of conditions, from arthritis pain to slipped discs and chronic back pain.
Our mission is to help you find relief from pain and support your body’s miraculous, natural healing abilities in every way possible. We offer a diverse selection of evidence-based pain management solutions, including steroid injections.
Call us today to schedule your appointment, or you can conveniently book your appointment online.