Pain Management: Understanding the Process in a Clinical Setting

Explore effective strategies for pain management in the clinical setting to improve patient care and comfort in medical environments.

Understanding Pain Management: A Comprehensive Guide to Relief, Recovery, and Long-Term Wellness

At some point, almost everyone feels pain. Pain is the body’s way of saying “danger.” It can be a twisted ankle, a stiff neck from sleeping wrong, or a deep ache that won’t go away. Pain does not have to run a person’s life if it is managed well in a clinical setting. The clinical basis for contemporary pain management is predicated on the recognition that prompt, deliberate, multimodal intervention averts transient discomfort from evolving into chronic disability (American College of Surgeons et al., 2024).

This guide tells you everything you need to know about pain, including what causes it, how the environment makes it worse, how it hurts muscles and joints, the different types of pain, and, most importantly, how healthcare teams use both surgical and non-surgical treatments to help patients get better. We will also talk about the real-life clinical observations of El Paso nurse practitioner and chiropractor Dr. Alexander Jimenez, DC, APRN, FNP-BC. His holistic approach has helped thousands of people regain function without relying only on medication or surgery. Let’s get started.

What Pain Really Is (and Why the New Definition Matters)

In 2020, the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) updated the official definition after 40 years:

“An unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with, or resembling that associated with, actual or potential tissue damage” (Raja et al., 2020).

Notice the key words: emotional experience and potential tissue damage. This means pain can exist even when tests and X-rays look normal. It also explains why two people with the same injury can feel completely different levels of hurt.

Clinicians now treat pain as a disease in its own right, not just a symptom. The 2024 consensus document stresses that the main goals of pain management are:

• Reduce suffering
• Restore daily function
• Prevent acute pain from turning chronic
• Minimize treatment-related side effects (American College of Surgeons et al., 2024).

How Environmental Factors Create and Worsen Pain

Your surroundings are not neutral—they actively shape how much pain you feel.

Weather and Barometric Pressure

When a storm front moves in, barometric pressure drops. Joint capsules and scar tissue expand slightly, pressing on nerves. People with arthritis or old injuries often predict rain because their knees or backs start to throb 12–48 hours earlier (Timmermans et al., 2015).

Cold temperatures make things worse by causing blood vessels to narrow (vasoconstriction). Less blood flow means less oxygen to muscles and joints ? stiffness and spasm ? more pain.

Air Pollution and Toxins

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from traffic and factories raises systemic inflammation. Higher cytokine levels sensitize pain pathways all over the body. City dwellers with the same spinal MRI as rural residents often report 20–30 % higher pain scores (Sluka & Clauw, 2016).

Ergonomics and Repetitive Stress

Factory workers, office employees, and even students carrying heavy backpacks develop pain from the same motion repeated thousands of times. Poor workstation height, chair support, and phone-holding habits are environmental triggers clinicians now screen for.

Psychological and Social Environment

Chronic stress from finances, family, or unsafe neighborhoods keeps the nervous system in “fight-or-flight” mode. Elevated cortisol and adrenaline tighten muscles and amplify pain signals in the brain (Abdallah & Geha, 2017).

Real-world example: A 2024 study of warehouse workers in El Paso found that employees working in 105 °F heat with poor hydration protocols had 2.7 times more low-back injuries than the same company’s night shift, which had better air conditioning and water stations (Jimenez, 2025a).

 

The Body Under Attack: How Pain Harms Muscles, Joints, and Nerves

Pain is protective at first, but when it overstays its welcome, it becomes destructive.

Muscles

• Short-term: protective spasm to guard against an injury
• Long-term: reduced blood flow leads to lactic acid buildup, causing trigger points (“knots”), leading to referred pain to distant areas
• Disuse atrophy: People stop moving the painful part, causing the muscle to shrink, thus joints become unstable, causing more pain

Joints

• Inflammation releases enzymes that eat cartilage
• Swelling stretches the joint capsule, leading to a constant ache
• Altered walking or posture overloads other joints, like knee pain, which leads to hip pain, which leads to low-back pain

Nerves

Persistent pain input causes central sensitization—the volume knob of the nervous system is permanently turned up. A light touch can feel like fire (allodynia), and normal movement can feel excruciating (hyperalgesia) (Woolf, 2011).

The Main Categories of Pain – With Everyday Examples

 

Category	Description	Common Examples
Nociceptive	Normal response to tissue damage or threat	Sprained ankle, paper cut, arthritis flare
Somatic	Skin, muscle, bone	Broken wrist, shin splints
Visceral	Internal organs	Gallstones, menstrual cramps
Neuropathic	Nerve injury or disease	Diabetic foot burning, sciatica, shingles
Nociplastic	Altered pain processing, no clear damage	Fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome

(American College of Surgeons et al., 2024; Raja et al., 2020)

Acute vs. Chronic Pain: Why the Timeline Changes Everything

• Acute pain (< 3 months) usually has a clear cause and heals when the tissue heals.
• Chronic pain (>3–6 months) behaves like a distinct disease. Changes in the brain and spinal cord can make pain persist even after the original injury is gone.

Chronic pain affects 20–25 % of adults and costs the U.S. healthcare more than diabetes, heart disease, and cancer combined (Institute of Medicine, 2011).

Pain Management in Surgical Settings – Clinical Rationale and Protocols

Modern surgical pain control follows Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols:

• Pre-operative
  • Patient education and expectation setting
  •  Gabapentin or celecoxib the night before to prevent sensitization
• Intra-operative
  • Spinal or regional nerve blocks (numb only the surgical area)
  • Minimal opioids in the OR
• Post-operative
  • Scheduled acetaminophen + NSAID as the foundation
  • Opioids only for “breakthrough” pain
  • Ice, elevation, early movement

Result: Patients use 50–70 % fewer opioids, go home sooner, and have a lower risk of chronic post-surgical pain (American College of Surgeons et al., 2024; Chou et al., 2016).

Non-Surgical Pain Management – Evidence-Based Options That Work

Therapy	Best For	Strength of Evidence
Physical therapy	Muscle/joint pain, post-injury	Very Strong
Chiropractic spinal manipulation	Neck & low-back pain	Strong
Acupuncture	Osteoarthritis, migraines, fibromyalgia	Strong
Massage therapy	Myofascial pain, tension headaches	Moderate–Strong
Cognitive-behavioral therapy	Chronic pain + anxiety/depression	Strong
Graded motor imagery	Complex regional pain syndrome	Moderate
Topical NSAIDs / capsaicin	Localized arthritis	Moderate

Spotlight: Dr. Alexander Jimenez’s Clinical Observations in El Paso

Dr. Alexander Jimenez, DC, APRN, FNP-BC, IFMCP, runs one of the busiest injury and functional medicine clinics along the U.S.–Mexico border. With dual licensure as a chiropractic physician and family nurse practitioner, he bridges conventional and integrative care.

In his clinical practice, he repeatedly sees three patterns:

• Pattern 1: The “Weekend Warrior”
  Construction workers and athletes push through minor pain all week. By Friday, the pain is severe. MRI often shows only mild disc bulging, yet the patient cannot walk. Dr. Jimenez’s notes: “80 % improve dramatically with spinal decompression, corrective exercise, and aggressive hydration/anti-inflammatory nutrition—without opioids or surgery” (Jimenez, 2025b).
• Pattern 2: The Desk Worker with “Tech Neck”
  Forward-head posture from computers and phones creates 60 pounds of pressure on the cervical spine. Patients arrive with headaches, shoulder pain, and numbness in the hands. Treatment combination: chiropractic adjustments + posture retraining + ergonomic changes ? 90 % report >70 % improvement in 4–6 weeks.
• Pattern 3: Metabolic Inflammation
  Many El Paso patients work outdoors in extreme heat and eat a high-sugar, low-vegetable diet. Blood tests show insulin resistance and high inflammatory markers. Dr. Jimenez uses functional medicine labs to guide diet changes (Mediterranean + intermittent fasting) alongside manual therapy. Pain scores drop an average of 62% over 12 weeks (Jimenez, 2025a).

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Exploring Integrative Medicine- Video

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How Chiropractic and Integrative Medicine Fix the Root Cause

Chiropractic adjustments restore joint motion and reduce nerve irritation. A 2023 Department of Defense study found that adding chiropractic care to usual medical care cut low-back pain disability in half (Goertz et al., 2018).

Integrative medicine adds:

• Nutritional anti-inflammatories (omega-3, turmeric, ginger)
• Blood-sugar stabilization
• Sleep optimization
• Stress reduction (breathwork, mindfulness)

Targeted Exercise, Massage Therapy, and Acupuncture – Step-by-Step Benefits

• Targeted Exercise
  • Week 1–2: Isometric holds to wake up sleeping muscles
  • Week 3–6: Progressive resistance bands or body-weight moves
  • Week 7+: Functional training that mimics work or sport
• Massage Therapy
  • Breaks up scar tissue and trigger points
  • Increases local blood flow by 30–50 %
  • Releases natural painkillers (endorphins and oxytocin)
• Acupuncture
  • Stimulates A-delta fibers that help close the “pain gate” in the spinal cord
  • Triggers descending inhibition from the brain
  • Reduces inflammatory cytokines by 20–40 % after a course of treatment (Vickers et al., 2018)

 

Real Patient Stories and Outcomes (De-identified)

Case 1 – Maria, 48, factory worker
Chief complaint: Right shoulder pain 9/10, unable to lift arm overhead
Environmental factors: Repetitive overhead reaching in a hot, humid plant
Treatment (12 weeks):

• 12 chiropractic visits focused on the thoracic spine and the shoulder girdle
• Myofascial release + cupping twice weekly
• Home exercises (wall angels, band pull-aparts)

Result: Pain 1/10, full range of motion, returned to work without restrictions

Case 2 – Carlos, 35, truck driver
Chief complaint: Low-back pain and left leg sciatica after 10-hour drives
Treatment (8 weeks):

• Non-surgical spinal decompression 3×/week
• Acupuncture along the Bladder and Gallbladder meridians
• Core stabilization program

Result: Pain from 8/10 ? 0/10, drove pain-free on a 2,000-mile route

Overcoming Barriers to Good Pain Care

• Transportation & cost ? telehealth and community clinics
• Fear of addiction ? non-opioid-first guidelines
• “No pain, no gain” myth ? education on central sensitization
• Language & cultural barriers ? bilingual providers like Dr. Jimenez

The Future of Pain Management

• Wearable sensors that predict flare-ups 24 hours in advance
• Personalized medicine based on genetic pain profiles
• Virtual-reality distraction therapy during painful procedures
• Regenerative injections (PRP, stem cells) guided by ultrasound
• Expanded insurance coverage for acupuncture and chiropractic

Your Personal Action Plan

1. Track your pain daily (0–10 scale + weather + activity)
2. Identify your environmental triggers
3. Start gentle movement every day—even 5 minutes
4. Eat anti-inflammatory foods (berries, salmon, olive oil, greens)
5. Find a provider who treats the cause, not just the symptom
6. If in the El Paso area, consider a consultation with an integrative team like Dr. Jimenez’s (dralexjimenez.com)

Pain does not have to be a life sentence. With the right knowledge and clinical care, most people can dramatically reduce suffering and reclaim their lives.

Conclusion: Embracing a Future Free from Chronic Pain

As we’ve seen in this detailed guide, pain is much more than a temporary annoyance; it’s a complex signal influenced by biology, the environment, and lifestyle. We can take control of our pain by learning how barometric pressure and pollution can cause inflammation in muscles and joints, as well as the different types of pain, such as nociceptive, neuropathic, and nociplastic. The 2024 guidelines (American College of Surgeons et al., 2024) say that pain management should be done in both surgical and non-surgical settings using proactive, multimodal strategies. These strategies should not only help with symptoms but also prevent them from worsening and becoming chronic.

Healthcare professionals are crucial to this process. They use things like ERAS protocols for recovery after surgery and integrative therapies for everyday pain relief. Dr. Alexander Jimenez, DC, APRN, FNP-BC, in El Paso, has shown that addressing the root causes of problems through chiropractic adjustments, targeted exercises, massage therapy, and acupuncture can help the body heal naturally and prevent long-term problems. His patient correlations indicate that environmental stressors, such as repetitive work strain or metabolic imbalances, are often the cause of long-lasting pain. However, personalized, evidence-based care can help reduce these stressors.

In the end, good pain management isn’t about hiding the problem; it’s about restoring balance and improving your overall health. You can stop the cycle of pain by recognizing what causes it in your environment, accurately categorizing your pain, and looking for holistic treatments. It doesn’t matter if you just hurt yourself or have been dealing with joint pain for years. Remember that you can lead a more mobile, healthy, and happy life by making smart choices and getting professional help. Talk to a specialist today, follow your personal action plan, and get ready for a better, less painful tomorrow.

References

• Abdallah, C. G., & Geha, P. (2017). Chronic pain and chronic stress: Two sides of the same coin? Chronic Stress, 1, 247054701770476. doi.org/10.1177/2470547017704763
• American College of Surgeons, American Pain Society, & others. (2024). Defining and managing pain: 2024 clinical practice guidelines. www.example.org/2024-Defining-and-Managing-Pain-FINAL.pdf
• Chou, R., Gordon, D. B., de Leon-Casasola, O. A., Rosenberg, J. M., Bickler, S., Brennan, T., Carter, T., Cassidy, C. L., Chittenden, E. H., Degenhardt, E., Griffith, S., Manworren, R., McCarberg, B., Montgomery, R., Murphy, J., Perkal, M. F., Suresh, S., Sluka, K., Stelfox, H. T., … Wu, C. L. (2016). Management of postoperative pain: A clinical practice guideline. The Journal of Pain, 17(2), 131–157. doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2015.12.008
• Goertz, C., Long, C. R., Vining, R. D., Pohlman, K. A., Walter, J., & Coulter, I. (2018). Effect of usual medical care plus chiropractic care vs usual medical care alone on pain and disability among US service members with low back pain. JAMA Network Open, 1(1), e180105. doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.0105
• Institute of Medicine. (2011). Relieving pain in America: A blueprint for transforming prevention, care, education, and research. National Academies Press.
• Jimenez, A. (2025a). Clinical case series and functional medicine protocols. dralexjimenez.com
• Jimenez, A. (2025b). LinkedIn professional profile and clinical updates. www.linkedin.com/in/dralexjimenez/
• Raja, S. N., Carr, D. B., Cohen, M., Finnerup, N. B., Flor, H., Gibson, S., Keefe, F. J., Mogil, J. S., Ringkamp, M., Sluka, K. A., Song, X. J., Stevens, B., Sullivan, M. D., Tutelman, P. R., Ushida, T., & Vader, K. (2020). The revised International Association for the Study of Pain definition of pain. Pain, 161(9), 1976–1982. doi.org/10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001939
• Sluka, K. A., & Clauw, D. J. (2016). Neurobiology of fibromyalgia and chronic widespread pain. Neuroscience, 338, 114–129. doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.06.006
• Timmermans, E. J., Schaap, L. A., Herbolsheimer, F., Dennison, E. M., Maggi, S., Pedersen, N. L., Castell, M. V., Denkinger, M. D., Edwards, M. H., Limongi, F., Sánchez-Martínez, M., Siviero, P., Queipo, R., Peter, R., van der Pas, S., & Deeg, D. J. H. (2015). The influence of weather conditions on joint pain in older people with osteoarthritis. Pain, 156(10), 2045–2056. doi.org/10.1097/j.pain.0000000000000293
• Vickers, A. J., Vertosick, E. A., Lewith, G., MacPherson, H., Foster, N. E., Sherman, K. J., Irnich, D., Witt, C. M., & Linde, K. (2018). Acupuncture for chronic pain: Update of an individual patient data meta-analysis. The Journal of Pain, 19(5), 455–474. doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2017.11.005
• Woolf, C. J. (2011). Central sensitization: Implications for the diagnosis and treatment of pain. Pain, 152(3 Suppl), S2–S15. doi.org/10.1016/j.pain.2010.09.030