Can Degenerative Joint Disease Be Cured?
Degenerative joint disease affects millions of people worldwide, primarily in the form of arthritis. In the United States alone, approximately 32.5 million people suffer from osteoarthritis, which is one of the most common forms of the 100 different types of arthritis. While the highest incidence is among people aged 55-64, with women being the most affected, those above the ages of 45 are also susceptible to this joint degeneration[1]. Degenerative diseases of the joints develop with inflammation in the joints or when the cartilage within the joints in the human body (usually the spine, hands, hips, and knees) begins to wear
Lingering Pain From an Old Injury? How to Address Pain That Doesn’t Go Away
By Clayton Adams, M.D. Lingering pain can come from many different sources: an old trauma, surgery pain, or pretty much any injury that should have gotten better, but hasn’t. It’s usually a frustrating experience to be saddled with pain when it should have gone away. We know that any kind of pain can affect our mindset and mental health. This is especially true with lingering pain or pain that doesn’t go away, because there’s a whole other dimension of helplessness that colors the experience. However, the unfortunate truth is that the experience of pain varies widely and no two people have the
Demystifying Intrathecal Pain Pumps: What to Expect
By Dr. Ryan Michaud Intrathecal pain pumps can sound intimidating, but they’re actually a great option for patients with severe chronic pain who haven’t yet found a treatment that works well for them. An intrathecal pain pump is placed under the skin and administers pain medication at a regular rate to combat severe chronic pain. The pain pump itself is a reservoir that holds the medicine and is connected to an intrathecal catheter which runs through the thecal sac, the area around the spinal cord that is filled with fluid. The pain medication is delivered to this thecal sac area at a
Patient Spotlight: Two Very Different Total Joint Replacement Surgeries
By Vernon Rerich When I learned I had to get both knees replaced, it was a daunting thought. How could I take enough time off of work to get both surgeries and fully recover? As someone who works a physically-demanding job, it seemed even more far-fetched. However, these were the circumstances I found myself in last year when my job gave me six months off to get my procedures done. It was already going to be a tight squeeze, but when the ice storm hit Texas, I lost two weeks. I was worried that I wasn’t going to be able to get
A Pain Specialist Explains The Anatomy of Walking with Chronic Pain
By Austin Horrocks, D.O. Chronic pain can make any of us into a bit of a hermit. It’s hard to do the things we love to do when they’re physically challenging or even painful. It can be easier to withdraw from certain activities and social obligations. This is where walking comes in! It may seem small in comparison to the magnitude of things you want to do. However, it’s a great place to start. Walking has numerous physiological and psychological benefits for people struggling with chronic pain. It can also be just the thing to help you ramp up your physical exercise and
Patient Spotlight: A Multidisciplinary Pain Management Patient Experience at APC
By Hope Piper I made the switch from my previous clinic to Advanced Pain Care about ten years ago and it’s been one of the best decisions I ever made. Back in 1998, I was in a serious car accident and my back has never been the same. I was in a lot of pain when I first visited Advanced Pain care, who suggested pain management. At my previous clinic, the treatment plan revolved around medications. There weren’t many other options offered to me and I got the sense that they weren’t truly interested in getting to the bottom of why I
How To Manage Pregnancy and Chronic Pain
By Advanced Pain Care Pain management has to change when you're pregnant, but it doesn’t have to be a scary prospect. Many pregnant pain patients actually find that their chronic pain improves during pregnancy. About half of the people we see find that their pain levels are actually better in pregnancy and half the people are about the same. Of course, towards the end of pregnancy, everyone has a little bit of pregnancy pain. The baby is getting really big, so there’s naturally a lot of stress on the body. For those that are in pain management already, their treatment plans have
Being An Anesthesiologist At A Chronic Pain Management Clinic
By Rudy Garza, M.D., Anesthesiologist As an anesthesiologist, I am not just an expensive bartender serving up margaritas or special cocktails. Being an anesthesiologist is a little more complex than the common stereotype. As an anesthesiologist, my job starts way before the surgery and extends past the time you leave the recovery room. Throughout the evolution of the specialty, an anesthesiologist has transformed themselves into perioperative medicine physicians. This means that I am there before, during, and after surgery, getting to know a patient and caring for them throughout the process. Coordination of post-operative care begins with a good preoperative
A Day in the Life of a Multidisciplinary Pain Management Clinic
By Summer Urbanczyk, Chief Nursing Officer As APC’s chief nursing officer, I currently manage clinical operations for our outpatient surgery centers. I oversee all of the clinical day-to-day, as well as our anesthesia department within our surgery center. I manage the schedule, staffing, and approving procedures. At one surgery center alone, we do about 1,200 procedures a month, so managing all of these moving parts can get challenging! However, before I was on the administrative side at APC, I was a nurse practitioner. As someone who’s seen both sides of the clinic’s operations, I’m in a unique position to appreciate
Take The Steps To Treat Back Pain Today: Kyphoplasty 101
By Victor Taylor, M.D. Pain is the most common reason a person goes to see their doctor and spinal pain is one of the most prevalent complaints seen. There are multiple causes of spine pain and treatment can range from over the counter medications, physical therapy, chiropractic care, interventional techniques or surgery. Understanding the underlying cause of your pain is essential to developing the right approach to treatment. A common cause of spinal pain in patients over fifty is compression fracture. A compression fracture occurs with a spinal bone partially collapses. This is most common in patients with osteoporosis or thinning of