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: Blog
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 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?”
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 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?”
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”
Summit Spine & Joint Physicians Participate in Statewide Opioid Task Force
As many of you may be aware, opioid abuse is not only a national emergency, but one that has had a devastating impact on families and communities all across Georgia. In response, a task force has been instituted to raise public awareness. In 2017, Attorney General Chris Carr announced the creation of a Statewide Opioid Task Force, providing an infrastructure of communication between organizations in the public, private and non-profit sectors that are combating and are impacted by this critical issue. Summit Spine & Joint Centers CEO, Dr. Amit Patel, and Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Sri Mandyam, are honored to be members of this task force.
What Is a Low Back MRI?
A low back MRI creates detailed images of your spine and the soft tissue surrounding it. These images come in slices which can be used to detect, diagnose and guide treatment for a number of issues. Here’s what you need to know about magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the lower back.
What Is Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS)?
The medical field is constantly changing. In the practice of medicine, and more specifically pain management, there’s always room for growth and improvement. Here at Summit Spine & Joint Centers, we aim to be on the forefront of innovation in every aspect of patient care. Continue reading “What Is Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS)?”