Pain management has long been ignored outside of the hospital or medical professional's office. Patients are typically given some form of medication and are required to constantly attend visits to different doctor's offices. The age of technology has begun to change this for those who suffer from all levels of pain.
Advancing pain management
Applications have become very popular. They are used for all sorts of things from work related activities, games, and now, even pain management. These applications allow patients to gauge their pain at different intervals throughout their day. They can then add on to the smartphone through the app the activities that are triggering the pain episodes.
The benefit of using one of these applications on the smartphone is that the patient does not have to carry around journals and pens, as well as they do not need an extraordinary memory to log down their episodes. They can simply enter the information, and then retrieve it when they are at the doctor's office.
A downside to using these apps are that they are not generated or even use consultation of doctors or pain management physicians. The FDA has not sanctioned them and they are not recognized as viable apps in a patient's treatment.
This does not seem to be slowing down the use of the apps though. Many patients state that while they know a medical professional has had nothing to down in developing these apps, they have realized a better way to manage and lessen their pain. The apps are also very low cost, and some are even free, making them accessible to everyone who wants to try to use them in managing and eliminating their pain.
Available Apps
This all being said, the apps are an innovation that many have found to be useful. They include a wide range of ways to record and track when pain episodes occur. This helps patients to identify how and when they can reduce the severity and occurrence of pain in their daily lives.
To begin with are the apps that are free. These are Chronic Pain Tracker and My Pain Diary. The Chronic Pain Tracker allows the patient to gauge their level of pain on either an hourly or daily basis. It keeps track of the amount and schedule of medications as well as highlighting the area or region of the body where the pain is felt. It works off of statistics, so data is quantified to be the most help to both patient and physician.
My Pain Diary is a very simple to use application. It allows the patient to keep an electronic journal of their pain and when they feel it. It records the severity of the episode and can even electronically submit the information to the doctor.
Then there are applications that require a small fee. Among these are:
These all essentially do the same thing as the free apps do. The information is recorded in the phone and can be either submitted electronically to the doctor, or accessed during an in office visit.
Applications have become very popular. They are used for all sorts of things from work related activities, games, and now, even pain management. These applications allow patients to gauge their pain at different intervals throughout their day. They can then add on to the smartphone through the app the activities that are triggering the pain episodes.
The benefit of using one of these applications on the smartphone is that the patient does not have to carry around journals and pens, as well as they do not need an extraordinary memory to log down their episodes. They can simply enter the information, and then retrieve it when they are at the doctor's office.
A downside to using these apps are that they are not generated or even use consultation of doctors or pain management physicians. The FDA has not sanctioned them and they are not recognized as viable apps in a patient's treatment.
This does not seem to be slowing down the use of the apps though. Many patients state that while they know a medical professional has had nothing to down in developing these apps, they have realized a better way to manage and lessen their pain. The apps are also very low cost, and some are even free, making them accessible to everyone who wants to try to use them in managing and eliminating their pain.
Available Apps
This all being said, the apps are an innovation that many have found to be useful. They include a wide range of ways to record and track when pain episodes occur. This helps patients to identify how and when they can reduce the severity and occurrence of pain in their daily lives.
To begin with are the apps that are free. These are Chronic Pain Tracker and My Pain Diary. The Chronic Pain Tracker allows the patient to gauge their level of pain on either an hourly or daily basis. It keeps track of the amount and schedule of medications as well as highlighting the area or region of the body where the pain is felt. It works off of statistics, so data is quantified to be the most help to both patient and physician.
My Pain Diary is a very simple to use application. It allows the patient to keep an electronic journal of their pain and when they feel it. It records the severity of the episode and can even electronically submit the information to the doctor.
Then there are applications that require a small fee. Among these are:
These all essentially do the same thing as the free apps do. The information is recorded in the phone and can be either submitted electronically to the doctor, or accessed during an in office visit.