Have Chronic Back Pain? It Might Be Sciatica
By Paul H Le, M.D. About 35% of the population over 40 will have back pain, many of which is chronic pain. There are all different types of back pain, but one of the more common ones is Sciatica. By learning more about signs and symptoms, it’ll be easier for you to get help early on so you can treat your pain easier. Read on to learn more about a common back pain that radiates all the way down to your legs and what you can do if you think you’re suffering from it. What is Sciatica? Essentially, Sciatica is radiating pain, typically down the
What is Interventional Pain Management?
For a long time, Interventional Pain Management had two options-- ice it, or let’s bring you in for surgery. Seems like a pretty big gap, right? Up until the 1980s, pain management seemed to only go down these two roads. For some patients, it meant going in for surgery that they didn’t necessarily need, and for others, it meant dealing with the pain as going into surgery would be too risky for them. Interventional Pain Management is the gap that fills the spectrum of pain-management approaches. It’s helped doctors use diagnoses to apply pain management methods that are more effective than, say,
All About Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)
By Adam Spjute, MD What is Complex Regional Pain Syndrome? Complex regional pain syndrome is a syndrome that’s caused from nerves that continue to fire, particularly in extremities (which means the furthest point in a limb) that causes swelling, discoloration and decreased movement when there’s no obvious pathology. There are several components that are necessary for it to fall under Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. You need pain, discoloration, swelling, and generally there’s decreased mobility. How Long Has Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Been Around? The first recorded instance of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome was in the Civil War. There were a lot of scholarly papers and
Your Pain Care Plan to Occupational Pain Management
By Advanced Pain Care Here in Texas, there are a lot of industries and occupations where work/life balance conflicts because of occupational pain. Many people work on their feet all day and don't know that even standing the wrong way could make them more prone to having pain interact with their ability to work. At APC, we have a variety of Occupational Pain Management solutions for these issues, but we first have to identify how each unique patient will interact with certain pain care plans. Firstly, a quick definition: Occupational Pain Management is the treatment of pain that arises from tasks you
Advanced Pain Care: Before, During, and After the Storm
By Chelsea Simon President’s Day weekend was just supposed to be a four-day weekend. But when the President's Day storm started knocking on the door, it was going to take a little longer to get back to “normal…” The problems from the storm went beyond the lack of transportation. We’d been doing that since March of last year, and had gotten quite accustomed to limited social interaction. It was the lack of power and clean water which affected our patients, our doctors, and our facilities, as well as millions of people around the state. Though we got pretty lucky in the grand scheme
The Medicine Cabinet: Side-Effects, Expired Medicine and Beyond
By Dr. Matt Sage, Pharm D Expired medicine, side effects, effectiveness and more: your medicine cabinet may be packed full-- but is it with the right stuff? When it comes to your health, you'll always want to be prepared (especially in these unprecedented times). Having your medicine cabinet stocked with the basics will keep you from a last-minute rush to the drug store and will allow you to be ready for the expected (and non-expected) speed bumps that life might throw at you. A quick disclaimer: nobody should have anything in their medicine cabinets that they’re allergic to or that is contraindicated to
Rheumatoid Arthritis: Everything You Need to Know
Dr. Samuel Pegram Rheumatoid Arthritis, might not be the most common arthritic conditions, it is most certainly one to be aware of. Contrary to initial thought, it’s actually an auto-immune disease that, if not addressed early, can cause long-term damage on the bones. It can start with minor discomfort in small joints, and when more severe, can aggravate the internal organs. What Causes Rheumatoid Arthritis? There are several answers, and none of them have been totally confirmed. Like most auto-immune diseases, there’s a genetic component and then there’s an outside factor. We do know that patients with Rheumatoid have abnormalities on the short arm
The APC Difference: Our Multidisciplinary Approach to Patient Care
By Dr. Mark Malone, Founder of Advanced Pain Care When you walk through the doors at Advanced Pain Care, I want you to feel happy and optimistic. Everyone at APC brings a positive attitude to their work, and we want you to feel the same way we do. I know you’re in some form of pain when you visit us. I know that’s an unpleasant experience. Feeling happy and optimistic isn’t a typical feeling for most chronic pain patients. That’s why I created Advanced Pain Care: I saw a need for comprehensive and compassionate patient care. And my own personal experience as a pain
Chronic Pain Can Occur at Any Age — How Yolanda Overcame Hers
By Advanced Pain Care Whether you’re experiencing pain for the first time — or have been managing it for years — you might be under the false impression that pain is part of your life forever. But at Advanced Pain Care, we don’t think anyone is beyond help in achieving lasting pain relief. When I met Yolanda, she was one of those patients who thought pain was just a part of life. After a car accident in 2010, she began suffering from chronic pain in her lower back and legs. That pain persisted as she tried multiple treatments over six years. So when she started
The Relationship Between Chronic Pain and Depression
By Sandra Gill, LCSW Addressing the relationship between the mind and body is an integral part of our process at Advanced Pain Care. As a practicing therapist for 20 years, I’ve supported patients from all walks of life. We know your mental health is a critical component of your well-being and that chronic pain and mental health influence each other — especially when it comes to depression. Understanding that relationship can dramatically impact your recovery from chronic pain. How Does Chronic Pain and Depression Influence Each Other? There’s a direct correlation between chronic pain and depression. If you have either chronic pain or depression, you are