An international conference on Pain Management, a new but essential branch of medical science, is being held in Kolkata from March 8th, until Sunday, March 10th. This conference is being held at the Biswa Bangla Convention Center in New Town, Kolkata.
Renowned pain specialists and medical scientists from India and abroad have participated in this conference. Organized in Kolkata, this international conference, the 8th ‘International Conference on Recent Advances in Pain (ICRA Pain-2024),’ is spearheaded by the renowned pain treatment center in this city, Daradia Pain Foundation.
In this conference, various discussions and presentations highlight different methods of pain management, as showcased by experts such as Dr. Smritirekha Hota from Sambalpur, Dr. Shirish Amatya from Nepal, Dr. Kaosar Sardar & Dr. AH Milton from Bangladesh, Dr. CJ Toh & Dr.Gopinath Raju from Malaysia, Dr. Mathu Tang from Singapore, and Dr. Saba Ahmed from Iraq, among others. Through various discussions in the conference, they present various approaches to pain management.
Interventional pain management remains unfamiliar to many despite being among medical professionals. Dr. Gautam Das, the driving force behind Daradia, has tirelessly worked for many years to popularize pain management. Alongside his team, Dr. Das has been providing training to doctors both nationally and internationally for an extended period.
Dr. Gautam Das mentioned that pain is something all of us experience at some point in our lives. In India alone, approximately 22.5% of the population suffers from chronic pain. Globally, up to 40% of people in certain countries endure chronic pain. As age progresses, the prevalence of pain increases. Pain affects various parts of the body, including joints, back, shoulders, spine, migraines, knees, and hands.
Alongside these, the pain at the final stage of cancer is excruciating. Even though temporary relief can be achieved with pain medication, it’s not a solution. Long-term relief from chronic pain is achieved through interventional pain management, which addresses underlying causes rather than just providing temporary relief.
Dr. Shuspa Das emphasizes that while steroid injections may temporarily alleviate pain, regeneration therapy is often more effective in addressing the root cause. When there’s deterioration or damage to joints, muscles, tendons, or ligaments due to aging or injury, regeneration therapy helps in repairing the damage. This therapy involves isolating platelets from the patient’s blood, which contains alpha granules, a special growth factor. When injected back into the damaged area, these platelets promote regeneration, alleviating pain. Ultrasound-guided therapy enhances the effectiveness of this treatment by delivering medication directly to the damaged area.
Recently, another highly effective treatment method for pain reduction has emerged, known as bonemarrow cell therapy. Among various treatment methods in interventional pain management, some include ozone nucleolysis, PRP, selective nerve root block, percutaneous microdiscectomy, and radiofrequency neurotomy. The choice of treatment depends on the patient’s overall condition. Some exercise is also essential alongside these treatments.
“At this international conference, various new aspects of interventional pain management are being discussed in the context of pain treatment.”, Dr. Shuspa added.