Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is an FDA-approved treatment for chronic back and limb pain. Designed for patients who have tried other therapies without success, SCS may help reduce or alleviate chronic discomfort in patients who qualify. Continue reading “Do I Qualify for Spinal Cord Stimulation?”
Category: Back Pain
Understanding the Intrathecal Spinal Pump Implant
If you live with chronic pain due to an injury or illness such as cancer, and have tried other therapies without success, you may be a candidate for an intrathecal spinal pump implant. An intrathecal pump implant uses medication administered directly into the area surrounding your spinal cord, which is called the intrathecal space and contains cerebrospinal fluid. The medication stops pain signals from reaching the brain so you don’t experience discomfort. Continue reading “Understanding the Intrathecal Spinal Pump Implant”
What Is MME & Why Is It Important to Pain Management?
If you live with chronic pain and have been prescribed opioids, you may have heard of MME. MME stands for morphine milligram equivalents, a measurement pain management physicians use to determine how different opioids relate to each other. Using morphine as the standard, MME is a tool for doctors to compare different drugs in a simplified, unified measurement. This can ensure physicians prescribe safe, effective doses for their patients. Continue reading “What Is MME & Why Is It Important to Pain Management?”
Can Spinal Cord Stimulation Help Your Chronic Back & Neck Pain?
Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) uses a device to prevent pain nerve signals from reaching your brain. Using a neurostimulator, a small, thin device implanted in the skin, SCS sends out electrical signals that interrupt those from the source of your pain, which can help reduce or eliminate your discomfort. But is spinal cord stimulation the right choice for your chronic back or neck pain? Continue reading “Can Spinal Cord Stimulation Help Your Chronic Back & Neck Pain?”
5 Benefits of Epidural Steroid Facet Injections
Facet joints—the joints that help link each vertebrae in your spine—can become painful for a variety of reasons. You may have had an injury or they may have developed chronic inflammation or arthritis. Facet joint syndrome is a condition in which the facet joints cause chronic pain and reduced mobility. Continue reading “5 Benefits of Epidural Steroid Facet Injections”
Can Epidural Steroid Injections Relieve Your Pain?
Are you suffering from chronic lower back or radiating leg pain and want to avoid back surgery? An epidural steroid injection (ESI) may help. ESIs are commonly used in combination with other types of therapies to help relieve back pain. The injection contains a steroid-anesthetic medication which may help alleviate spinal nerve inflammation and improve your pain. The procedure only takes a few minutes and some patients can experience pain relief that lasts anywhere from a few weeks to a year. Continue reading “Can Epidural Steroid Injections Relieve Your Pain?”
How to Cope When You Live With Chronic Pain
Chronic pain is persistent discomfort that can last weeks, months or even years. While some patients have an initial injury that can lead to ongoing pain, others may not have a definitive source of discomfort. Other types of pain are the result of a specific disorder or another condition. Continue reading “How to Cope When You Live With Chronic Pain”
How a Medial Branch Block Relieves Lower Back Pain
A medial branch block may be helpful for people who are experiencing facet joint syndrome symptoms as the result of injury or arthritis. During this procedure, a small amount of anesthetic medication is injected into your body close to the medial nerves. If you experience pain relief, you could be a candidate for radiofrequency ablation, which is a procedure that can provide more long-term pain relief. Continue reading “How a Medial Branch Block Relieves Lower Back Pain”
Elliquence Disc-FX® System Helps Patients With Back Pain Due to Degenerative Disc Disease
People who live with back pain due to degenerative disc disease are often in chronic discomfort, and may even experience leg pain as the result of pinched nerves. For patients who have not experienced pain relief with conventional therapies, the Elliquence Disc-FX® System may help. Continue reading “Elliquence Disc-FX® System Helps Patients With Back Pain Due to Degenerative Disc Disease”
Q&A: Alternatives When Epidural Steroid Injections Don’t Work
Epidural steroid injections for back pain are sometimes given to those who experience sciatica symptoms or Lumbar Spinal Stenosis (LSS), in which the spinal canal is affected by soft tissue degeneration, which can affect the lower back. Unfortunately, these injections don’t work for many patients and are considered to be ineffective for relieving long-term pain, leading many people to search “pain clinic near me.” Continue reading “Q&A: Alternatives When Epidural Steroid Injections Don’t Work”
The 6 Most Common Sports Injuries
Millions of people play sports and participate in athletic activities. With all the benefits physical exercise offers, it’s not without risks. Physical injury is all too common in sports, whether you’re a cheerleader or a runner. Here we list the six most common types of sports injuries that our patients experience. Continue reading “The 6 Most Common Sports Injuries”
Announcing an Exciting New Treatment for Sacroiliitis & Low Back Pain
Summit Spine & Joint Centers is excited to announce a new treatment we’re offering for sacroiliitis and low back pain. This treatment is called the LinQ™ and allows patients to fuse and stabilize their sacroiliac joints to reduce pain and discomfort. Continue reading “Announcing an Exciting New Treatment for Sacroiliitis & Low Back Pain”