It is the mission of Comprehensive Pain Centers to provide state-of-the-art multidisciplinary team approach to the identification, diagnosis and treatment of chronic pain. It is our goal to provide early intervention and treatment using the most advanced techniques available to provide relief of pain, prevent prolonged disability and return the individual to their maximum level of function within physical limitations. Our entire medical staff is committed to ongoing research and education in the clinical specialty of pain medicine. Here, I share my thoughts on our approach to pain medicine, patient treatment and research.
Trigeminal neuralgia affects 5 in every 100,000 people and occurs slightly more in women than men. Patients are usually middle age and older. Some people with multiple sclerosis also develop trigeminal neuralgia. Medication, injections, surgery, and radiation may be used to treat the pain. Each treatment offers benefits, but each also has limitations.
Read MoreMigraines are a neurological condition that can cause multiple symptoms, frequently characterized by intense, debilitating headaches. Symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, difficulty speaking, numbness or tingling, and sensitivity to light and sound. Migraines often run in families and affect all ages. The question is, are your migraines acute or chronic?
Read MoreThe cause of chronic low back pain is notoriously hard to diagnose. The spine’s intervertebral discs are the usual suspects; but, when disc-related treatments don’t help ease the pain, the root of the problem could very well be something else. One overlooked source is the vertebral endplates. This is what is causing vertebrogenic chronic low back pain. So, how can this be treated with ablation?
Read MoreA survey about marijuana use among orthopedic patients showed many of them believe marijuana is beneficial for managing pain and other conditions. Repost from Healio.com.
Read MoreSpinal nerve gates control the flow of pain messages from the peripheral nerves to the brain. Many factors determine how the spinal nerve gates will manage the pain signal. These factors include the intensity of the pain message, competition from other incoming nerve messages and signals from the brain telling the spinal cord to increase or decrease the priority of the pain signal and how it is processed as information by the brain.
Read MoreIf you tell your doctor you are experiencing burning hip pain, they will take a detailed medical history and perform a physical exam. After the clinical exam is complete, you will be asked to get an image of the problem area, such as an x-ray or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The combination of a detailed history, clinical examination, and imaging are used to make an accurate diagnosis. Multiple treatment modalities are then usually used to alleviate or eliminate burning sensation in the hip. Here are some basic treatment options.
Read MoreBurning hip pain is caused by a multitude of conditions like bursitis, tendinitis, a pulled muscle or a pinched nerve. Burning hip pain can feel like a sharp, searing or achy pain in the upper outer thigh. This often results from inflammation. And, if it lingers, it can be debilitating.
Read MoreNeuropathic pain can make movement painful, which leads patients to start to limit their mobility. And, being sedentary can cause muscles to weaken. This then further restricts any physical functioning. And, eventually, many people with neuropathy and/or a neuropathic pain disorder find themselves unable to work, to socialize or to move through daily life as they once did.
Read MoreCOVID-19 has caused so much devastation since we first learned of this ‘new strain of deadly flu/pneumonia’ around this time last year. And, for many with chronic pain, COVID has had a significant impact on daily life, ability to function and access to doctors and treatments. Here are some of the pain-related symptoms and issues that can be caused by a COVID-19 infection as well as possible remedies to help reduce a chronic pain patient’s ongoing pain and suffering.
Read MoreHappy New Year 2021!
Read MoreYour stomach’s a rollercoaster. You’re sure you’re going to throw up.
Nausea is a nasty symptom. And, for someone with chronic pain, nausea can be part of everyday life.
When you are in extreme pain, your nervous system mobilizes an added "pain response" through the nervous system... on top of your existing chronic pain symptoms. Why is this?
Read MoreGetting an injury from an accident or even while at work, is bad enough. To then be suffering from joint pain that does not diminish is even more challenging. Do not try to handle the injury on your own. Visit a Comprehensive Pain office to get help with ongoing joint pain. Finding the right treatment for chronic pain following an injury or accident can make all the difference in getting you back to work!
Read MoreAlmost 1 out of 3 people in the United States will develop shingles in their lifetime. Most people who get shingles will have it only once. However, you can get the disease more than once.
Your risk of getting shingles increases as you get older. The most common complication of shingles is postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), which is severe pain in the areas where the shingles rash occurred. About 10 to 18% of people who get shingles will experience PHN. The risk of PHN also increases with age.
Read MoreNo matter what holiday you celebrate, this time of year can be a lot. There are elaborate dinners to prepare, parties to host and attend, presents to find, decorations to hang, families to visit, traditions to respect, and very little time for self-care. But your body doesn’t know that, and chronic pain is, if anything, exacerbated by stress and busy schedules.
Read MoreKnee pain is the most common pain complaint cited among all age groups. There are multiple causes of pain in the knees, which range from a variety of injuries, such as a torn ligament, a fracture or torn cartilage. Medical conditions such as arthritis or infection can also be a cause for knee pain.
Read MoreWith chronic pain, “healing” can happen even if the doctors cannot cure or fix your condition. Healing is the process of becoming as healthy and as well as possible physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Chronic inflammation in the body can cause severe chronic pain. Certain foods have been shown to reduce inflammation.
Read MoreIt is important to find a physician, or group of physicians, with knowledge and expertise in CRPS and its treatment. Doctors like these include pain specialists, a vascular surgeon, an orthopedic surgeon, a physical therapist and/or an occupational therapist who has worked successfully with other CRPS patients.
Read MoreIt’s generally accepted that by overcoming the persistently stressful problems that occur as a result of living with chronic pain, you can make some headway in reversing these changes in stimuli processing. You might not be able to change them entirely, but enough to reduce the pain itself. Indeed, most doctors concur that to adequately manage chronic pain, stressors must be addressed.
Read MoreKnown by many names — Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD), Sudeck’s atrophy, causalgia, shoulder-hand syndrome, algodystrophy and transient osteoporosis — Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is a painful and long-lasting condition. CRPS results in severe, constant, burning pain in the affected limb.
Read MoreHere are what studies say about cannabis' effect on chronic pain, MS, depression and other conditions. AARP article shared with comment.
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