Medically reviewed by Dr. Folasade Oladapo, MD
When pain becomes a constant companion, even simple tasks like getting out of bed, carrying groceries or walking the dog can feel like obstacles. Cold weather often makes chronic pain worse, tightening muscles and exacerbating inflammation. While medication can help temporarily, it rarely addresses what’s happening beneath the surface.
Today, experts are looking beyond pills to understand how pain develops and persists. Chronic pain is no longer viewed solely as a physical problem; it’s a condition that involves the nervous system, brain chemistry and emotional health. Treating it effectively means tackling all three.
A shift toward whole-body care
Modern pain management is about retraining the body and brain to break the pain cycle. When pain signals fire repeatedly, the nervous system becomes hypersensitive—a phenomenon called “central sensitization.” Over time, the body may continue to feel pain even after an injury heals.
That’s why researchers are emphasizing multimodal care, which includes approaches that restore balance between the brain and body.
A recent study on the latest treatments found that combining physical, neurological and behavioral therapies leads to greater improvement in mobility, function and emotional well-being than medication alone.
Promising options for relief
Following national pain management guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the American Physical Therapy Association and the National Institutes of Health, care teams are increasingly using non-opioid, multidisciplinary methods to help patients regain control over their lives.
At WMCHealth, neuroscience and rehabilitation specialists collaborate to design treatment plans tailored to each individual. Depending on your needs, options may include:
- Physical and occupational therapy: Movement is one of the most powerful tools for managing chronic pain. Therapists teach stretching and strengthening techniques that improve joint stability, posture and endurance, gradually retraining the body to move without triggering pain responses.
- Neuromodulation: For some patients, gentle electrical stimulation to targeted nerves or the spinal cord helps “rewire” how pain signals are sent to the brain. This minimally invasive approach can reduce the need for ongoing medication and restore daily function.
- Cognitive or behavioral therapies: Chronic pain can alter the brain’s stress and reward pathways. Counseling techniques such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) help patients build coping strategies, calm overactive pain pathways and regain a sense of control.
- Integrative care: Treatments such as acupuncture, massage and biofeedback work alongside medical care to reduce tension, improve circulation and support overall recovery.
- Interventional Treatments: WMC offers a variety of interventional pain management options that include steroid injections to help reduce inflammatory pain and neural ablation that blocks the transmission of pain signals for 6-24 months.
Getting back to what you love
There’s no single solution for chronic pain, but when treatments work together, they can make daily life feel easier and more fulfilling. WMCHealth’s care teams combine medical expertise with a focus on movement and emotional well-being, helping patients reclaim confidence and independence.
If pain is holding you back this winter, visit out website out to learn more about our pain management programs or call 914.592.2400 to schedule an appointment. Relief is possible, and it often begins with a conversation.