Dramatic results in pain management have been achieved during the past year by members of the Southwest General Medical Staff. Nearly 86 million Americans suffer from chronic pain and 66 million are totally or partially disabled because of it.
The most promising therapies for those whose pain cannot be managed through traditional means are implantable devices. Spinal Cord Stimulation and Intrathecal Therapy are two forms of pain management.
Spinal cord stimulation is essentially a pacemaker for pain. The procedure involves implanting electrodes at the spinal cord. Wires are connected to a tiny battery implanted under the skin. Electric impulses are delivered to the spinal cord to interrupt the pain signal, and people experience a tingling pleasant sensation instead.
Intrathecal therapy requires implanting a pain pump the size of a hockey puck (or smaller) in the abdomen area. The pump is programmed to dose medicine at certain rates, or continuously.
Epidural Injections are an alternative treatment for back pain. This treatment consists of a series of three injections of steroid into the epidural space of the spine. Epidural steroid injections are a common treatment option for many forms of low back pain and radicular pain ( also known as leg pain or sciatica).
In addition to their use in treatment of the low back (the lumbar region), epidural steroid injections are used to ease pain experienced in the neck (cervical) region and in the mid spine (thoracic) region. A few common conditions that cause severe acute or chronic low back pain from nerve irritation are lumbar disc herniation, degenerative disc disease and lumbar and or cervical spinal stenosis. in treating these conditions, a steroid is injected as an anti-inflammatory agent. Inflammation is a common component of many low back conditions and reducing inflammation helps reduce pain. A total of three injections can be scheduled within a six-month period. This procedure is performed by an pain management specialist, often an anesthesiologist. A physician referral and a current MRI are required to schedule a consultation.