Jenny L. F. Andrus, MD If you asked ten chronic pain patients what the goals were for their pain management program, you’d probably hear ten very different answers, but with one goal in common – MAKE MY PAIN GO AWAY! While that is certainly an important goal, it is not the only or most important… Read more »
Jenny L. F. Andrus, MD From being covered in a feature on popular morning TV show Good Morning America, to headline articles in Health and Elle Magazine, to an on-line physician review on WebMD, to a fawning review on Goop, to being offered for sale on Amazon, Walmart and other mega-E-tailers, Ear Seeds are THE… Read more »
Mark W. McFarland, DO In the last article, I discussed the causes, triggers, symptoms and the four phases of migraine headaches. In this article, my focus will be the diagnosis and treatment of migraines. As an orthopaedic spine physician, I already perform many interventional procedures for chronic pain, such as epidural steroid injections. I will… Read more »
Jenny L.F. Andrus, MD As a practicing Interventional Pain Management physician, I can tell you that patients are very different in how they approach the treatment of pain. Some want to immediately tackle the pain in the most direct way possible, and if that means surgery, well so be it. Some take the “wait and… Read more »
Mark W. McFarland, DO Everyone knows what a headache is but say the word migraine… we conjure up vague images of someone with pounding head pain, lying in a dark room with a cool cloth over their eyes, trying to lie still so the accompanying nausea doesn’t overtake them. If you’ve never had a migraine… Read more »
Jenny L. F. Andrus, MD Nerve blocks are commonly used by many types of physicians to prevent or treat pain. An anesthetic medication is injected near the nerve that affects a specific area of the body to provide effective, short-term pain relief to the patient. For example, nerve blocks may be administered by Anesthesiologists before… Read more »
Raj N. Sureja, MD Osteoarthritis of the spine is a common diagnosis that I make in consultation with patients every day. Spinal OA causes pain and dysfunction in the lower back and neck, can limit movement, and can also cause pain, numbness and weakness in the limbs, called radiculopathy. As an Interventional Pain Management Specialist,… Read more »
Jeffrey R. Carlson, MD You may think that being an orthopaedist is all glamorous, like the movies or TV make it out to be. However, I did spend many years in school, working hard, learning how to be a good physician and surgeon. One of the most interesting subjects that I had to master was… Read more »
Did you know that Spinal Osteoarthritis is the number one cause of lower back pain in those over the age of 50? While it is most commonly seen in the lower back, it can also occur in the neck. This is the kind of arthritis that is known as “wear and tear” arthritis and typically… Read more »
Chronic pain is difficult, exhausting and depressing, not only for the sufferer, but for those who love and live with them. Having to modify your life according to someone’s pain level every day takes a great deal of patience and understanding. Doing so for long periods, without respite or refreshment, can easily result in caregiver and compassion fatigue and eventually, caregiver burnout. Let’s discuss how to recognize the signs and manage the normal frustrations and emotions of caregiving to head off fatigue and burnout before they start.