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This is the last episode of our 4-part series where we talk about the ConsumerReports.org article on, Real Pain Relief, Now! In our first episode, we have talked about How Pain Affects People. The second part talked about the Therapies that Ease Pain while the third episode dwells into the Different Pain Medications. Here on our last episode, we will discuss the alternative treatments for pain and why steroids and surgeries can help.\nSelf-Preservation\nPain is the body's mechanism to protect yourself from harm. It acts as a signal to our body that harm is about to happen to tissues in our bodies. It is well known to everybody and yet it is so compounded and subjective that it cannot be easily treated. There is also the emotional component when it comes to pain and that is called suffering.\nAlternative Treatments for Pain\nThere are therapies that will help you ease pain, there are also medications for your pain but if these remedies don't work for you there are other alternatives such as steroids and surgeries.\nI have known people who have done both steroids and surgeries and it does provide relief for them, that is why they are also good alternative treatments for pain. But the article still states that “You can\u2019t overuse steroids.” The consumer reports article also talked about when this particular gentleman went to go see a surgeon, the surgeon said that this gentleman got to have surgery. Luckily, they went and got a second opinion and wound up they didn\u2019t really need the surgery.\nSurgery\nIn surgery, you always have to have a second opinion. More people are seeking second opinions in orthopedic surgery than any other specialty. They want to make sure that those alternative treatments for pain are their only hope. The body has the capability to heal itself over time and that is why you don\u2019t need to add surgery to heal the problem. Doctors these days get paid for doing what they normally do and that\u2019s surgery must get paid for the surgery. We know somebody who had surgery and he wound up with MRSA. Now, he has a lifetime problem.\nThat is why, in any case, it just says that you should always try to get a second opinion when you have chronic pain and see if you can avoid having surgery. But sometimes surgery is what you really need. Anytime you go under the anesthesia, anytime you go to the hospital, you run the risk of having complications.\nStress and Pain\nStress can definitely cause pain. When I get my shoulder pain it\u2019s usually because I\u2019m under a lot of stress. It causes inflammation and the inflammation causes pain. Les has the same issue. If he\u2019s under a lot of pressure, his neck will hurt.\nSteroids\nAnother alternative treatment for pain is steroids. Before you get surgery, a lot of people will get cortisone shots. Those people had great relief from cortisone but after a while, it stops working.\nSteroid injections. When going through chemo they give you steroids right at the beginning of the treatment. But in Les\u2019 case their not giving him shots, they\u2019re just giving him pills so that he could keep up with his energy. From a positive standpoint, it did help him have more energy and overcome what could have been a lot worse from the chemo. With direct injections of steroids, it depends on where the injection goes. You could also actually cause a person to die if you're putting it in the wrong space in your back. It\u2019s much safer to put it in your buttocks.\nThose people that have chronic pain and had shots of pain relievers can\u2019t really function between shots. Also,