What Should I Do If I’m Injured at Work?
Often, workers write off their pain as part of their daily routine. However, whether it’s a slip and fall or wear and tear over time, you should always seek treatment for your pain — even on the job.
If you’re experiencing pain that you believe is caused by your work, here’s how our team of innovative specialists at Regenerative Institute of Newport Beach can help.
Is My Job the Cause of My Pain?
When you’re constantly on the go, you may not be paying close attention to when your pain starts, and what causes it. A common answer for many patients? Their job. Here are some common signs your chronic pain is caused by your job:
1. You Have Back Pain
Whether you work in a labor-intensive industry such as construction, are on your feet for long hours in a hospital, or work behind a desk — back pain at the workplace is very common. It’s important to take breaks, stretch your back, and change positions whenever possible.
Being mindful of how your back feels can help you prevent further damage. However, if you’ve experienced trauma to your back, you should see your doctor for immediate treatment.
2. Your Neck Hurts
Patients who have transitioned to working from home often complain of neck pain. Why? Because poor desk ergonomics can cause strain on your neck, in addition to stress. You should always try to be mindful of your posture and correct it if you feel slouching.
3. You Experience Chronic Migraines
Migraines are far more intense than typical headaches and can interfere with the quality of life when they become chronic. The constant pain alone makes it difficult to show up for work and other daily responsibilities. It may also make performing to the best of your ability impossible.
Some of the more common causes of chronic migraines on the job include:
- Fasting or skipping meals.
- Stress.
- Unhealthy sleep patterns.
Treatment Options for Injuries on the Job
Living with chronic pain doesn’t just impact the big moments — it can impact your everyday life and routine. For many patients, medication is not an effective way to manage their symptoms and help them return to their normal schedule safely.
At the Regenerative Institute of Newport Beach, we offer a number of innovative pain management treatments that can help restore your quality of life, such as:
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is a popular option that has the ability to help improve your level of functioning through a completely individualized treatment plan. The main benefits include avoiding surgery and helping with a wide range of injuries and conditions. Some additional conditions physical therapy can help with include:
- Diabetes.
- Slips and falls.
- Car accidents.
- Heart disease.
- Lung disease.
- Postnatal care.
- Patients with vascular issues.
- Patients undergoing or recovering from cancer treatments.
- Age-related issues (such as arthritis).
Stem Cell Therapy
Stem cell therapy is one of the most advanced and minimally-invasive pain relief solutions to help treat patients with chronic pain. This treatment involves either harvesting your stem cells or choosing from pre-harvested cells and injecting them directly into the affected tissue.
This process helps your body to reduce inflammation and pain. You should notice reduced pain and improved mobility in the injured area, with optimal results within six to eight weeks.
PRP Therapy
PRP therapy is a quicker pain-relief method. This process involves obtaining platelet-rich plasma by drawing blood and spinning it down in a centrifuge to separate the various cells including platelets. And we reinject the platelet-rich plasma into the area causing pain. Following just a few weeks after your treatment, you should feel pain relief and can look forward to greater improvement over the following weeks and months.
Joint Injections & Botox
Joint injections are very helpful following an immediate injury or for those who have chronic inflammation in their joints — such as their knees, while Botox can help patients seek relief for their migraines. We offer two types of injections:
- Hyaluronic acid joint injections: patients can have peak benefits for up to three months or more.
- Corticosteroid injections: patients are likely to experience a reduction in pain for a couple of months.
Independent Medical Exams
Depending on the injury, your employer may request a medical exam to prove the extent of your injury for insurance purposes. Luckily, our very own Dr. Khyber Zaffarkhan is a highly experienced legal consultant in the areas of physical medicine, rehabilitation, pain management, and spine care. We can assist you with your exam if needed.
Find Relief For Your Pain at the Regenerative Institute of Newport Beach
In addition to these treatments, we offer a wide range of services to help specifically tailor your healing process to what works best for you.
Prolonged pain can cause a multitude of issues down the line — from musculoskeletal injuries, including sore neck, carpal tunnel syndrome, sore shoulders, and a bad back. If you are experiencing aches and pains on the job, you need to seek medical assistance to avoid worsening the condition.
Whether your pain has been going on for a few days or several years, our experienced physical medicine specialist is ready to help. Contact Regenerative Institute of Newport Beach online today or call (949) 301-8683 to schedule an appointment.