Pain
Pain can be both complex and perplexing and is the #2 reason patients seek a healthcare practitioner. Pain can range from headaches, stomach aches, genital discomfort, internal problems, back distress, throbbing foot pain to numerous other reasons for resorting to medication. Over $100 billion is spent annually on non prescription analgesics in the U.S.

Causes of Pain:
Cancer Arthritis Bursitis Tendonitis Gout Foot problems Osteoporosis Neurogenic pain Lesions/wounds Superficial herpes simplex/shingles
Chronic fatigue syndromes/Fibromyalgia Neuropathic pain (Diabetes)
 
The intensity of pain can range from mild, moderate, severe or excruciating. Many underlying causes can be the factor for the pain such as: cancer, stress, injury or even a surgery.

Acute pain generally lasts less than 30 days. Chronic pain persists for more than six months and is one of the most prevalent, challenging problems facing our society. Usually chronic pain falls under either Benign or Cancer related. Patients do not die from benign pain, but experience a disabling, pleasure less existence. It impacts an individual’s psychological, social, vocational, behavioral and physical well being. Chronic pain patients can live a better life with the use of opiods.
 
Diabetes strikes an estimated6% of the United States population. Of that 6%, 30-50% suffer from neuropathy. Diabetic neuropathy is troubling and disabling. The unusual burning and tingling sensation associated with diabetes can be severe and interrupts daily activities including sleep disturbances and mood swings. The feet and ankles are generally affected, while the fingers and hands can have the sensation at a lesser degree. Postherperic Neuralgia, another type of neuropathic pain, is a complication of infection of the chicken pox. It can remain dormant for many years, when reactivated a person can develop shingles. Transdermal gels are available in the treatment of Diabetic Neuropathy with reduced side effects.
Diabetic foot ulcers leading to amputation is responsible for 25% of diabetic hospitalizations. Various compounded medications are available to treat the wound, but detection must be made in the very early stage to avoid amputation.
 
Fibromyalgia is characterized by musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, disturbed sleep and restless legs. Middle-aged women are predominantly affected by this syndrome.

Phantom pain, a result of a loss of limb, has also seen results from compounded pain medication, when resistant to traditional therapy.

Arthritis can leave a patient with very painful symptoms, such as deterioration of the hip, inflammation, tennis elbow, lower back pain, stiffness, gastric ulcer resulting in bleeding perforation, are just a few.

Headaches inflict many people daily, but there are those that suffer from Chronic Paroxysmal Hemicrania. Working with your Dr. and pharmacist, medications can be compounded to minimize the severe pain.
 
Standard therapy can be burdensome for some and exposes the patient to numerous side effects. Compounded medications can be a big relief for the non compliant patient. Commercial products that are no longer available can be compounded through your local compounding pharmacy.
A wide variety of compounded medications are available as alternative routes of administration minimizing the side effects of commonly used oral drugs. Compounding can also reduce expenditures. The quantity/dosage can be made specific to the patient and medication formulas can be modified. Compounded medication can also complement traditional meds.
 
FORMS OF MEDICATION
Transdermals
Sprays
Capsules
Gummy gels
Troches
Inhalations
Suppositories
Gels
Freezer pops
Sublingual drops
Creams
Lip Balms  

VALUE
Approximately 20,000 deaths and 100,000 hospitalizations in the U.S. are caused annually from oral medication that cause GI distress. It is also estimated that 8-10% of kidney failures in the U.S are caused from oral NSAIDS. However, when applied topically, the medication goes directly to the spot and bypasses some of the internal organs giving quicker results and fewer side effects.
 
When the traditional medication doesn’t work, talk to your Dr. and pharmacist about your options for a better quality of life.