Pain physician & PhD statistician
Unlike acute pain, most chronic pain conditions are characterized by “central sensitization.” This is a process where the pain is encoded directly by the brain. The patient therefore may experience pain without any body injury or inflammation. There are no quick cures for central sensitization. It requires specific treatments often delivered repeatedly or over long…
CRPS (complex regional pain syndrome) affects hands or feet after injuries or surgeries. The burning pain of CRPS is much harder to treat if not found early. CRPS detection & treatment should START NOW. A referral should be made to a board-certified Pain Medicine specialist, who can perform advanced procedures such as ketamine infusion, bisphosphonate…
Chronic pain is a complex disease. To treat chronic pain most effectively, a team of specialists from several disciplines must collaborate & coordinate.
Unlike acute pain (pain after surgery or injury), chronic pain is a disease driven by a self-reinforcing cyclic process between the nerves, the brain, & the muscles, Injury, Surgery, & Inflammation Initial tissue injury triggers the chronic pain cycle. In the setting of chronic pain, the initial injury may resolve while the chronic pain cycle…
While each patient is on opioids for a different reason, every person on opioids is equally subject to its powerful effects. The most dangerous features of opioids are tolerance, dependence, and withdrawal, which are different from addiction.
While opioids are often necessary to treat surgical pain, some patients end up feeling “stuck” on high-dose opioids. A complete pain management plan before, during, & after surgeries can minimize the need of opioids. Most patients need opioids only up to 4 weeks, rarely up to 12 weeks. Get large printed posters on Etsy for…
Spinal column stimulation (SCS) is an effective non-drug treatment for chronic pain. Risks A psychological evaluation is required and not every patient is a candidate for SCS therapy. The stage 2 SCS implantation procedure is a minor surgery that does not require hospitalization. Patients will need a responsible adult and dependable transport home. Potential complication…
Read more Spinal column stimulation (SCS) for the treatment of chronic pain
“Peripheral nerve stimulation” (PNS) is a novel, effective, convenient, & minimally invasive non-drug treatment for chronic neuropathic pain & post-surgical pain. Benefits For single-nerve neuropathic pain, PNS lets the patient perform nerve treatments at home, for hours at a time, several times a day, while going about their usual activities. Many patients find over time…
Read more Peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) for chronic pain and post-surgical pain
Long-term use of opioid medications for non-cancer pain can cause a host of adverse effects. Below are our 2 infographics on opioid adverse effects and alternatives to opioids provided by pain physicians.
Lidocaine is a commonly used local anesthetic in medicine & dentistry. When infused directly into the blood, it can temporarily reduce all painsignals in the body. Pain physicians leverage this effect to reset chronic pain circuit. Benefits Lidocaine binds to voltage-gated sodium channels in the brain & nerves. By profoundly reducing pain signal, lidocaine infusion…
