Posts Tagged ‘Spinal disc herniation’
The 5 things you should know about chronic pain from BecomePainFree.com
Only sufferers of chronic pain know the implications of pain in every aspect of life. Family members and friends of someone with chronic pain may sympathize to some extent, but it’s difficult to truly understand how chronic pain affects someone. If you have a friend or family member suffering from chronic pain — whether caused by an accident or injury, or another health condition such asfibromyalgia — use these tips to understanding chronic pain to help you be most supportive to your loved one.
1.Don’t pass chronic pain off as “all in your head.” People who suffer from chronic pain are rarely fabricating or exaggerating their symptoms. Conditions causing chronic pain can make an individual truly miserable. Many cases of chronic pain are difficult to diagnose, and thus management and treatment is far more challenging than in cases of acute pain, where the source of pain is easily diagnosed.
2.Chronic pain is different from acute pain. Acute pain lasts for a brief period of time, perhaps following an injury or accident. Chronic pain, on the other hand, is persistent and can even be permanent. We have all felt acute pain at some point in time, but only those with chronic pain know what it is to be in pain constantly.
3.Chronic pain may be caused by or the cause of other health conditions. Difficulty sleeping and depression are two conditions that often plague sufferers of chronic pain. Chronic pain can create a vicious cycle for the sufferer, for example: chronic pain leads to sleep disturbances, whereas lack of sleep can exacerbate chronic pain. The same is true of depression; it can be caused by or the cause of some chronic pain symptoms.
4.Every person’s pain is different. We all experience and express pain differently. Some people may be more tolerant of pain in specific parts of the body, while other people may express discomfort with pain in the same area or caused by the same condition.
5.Chronic pain is emotionally exhausting. Imagine that you are in pain or don’t feel good for months or years on end, with no relief. Constant pain wears on the emotions and can lead to depression and anger. Treatment for chronic pain often means treating each symptom and effect of that pain, including mental health issues such as depression.
Chronic pain is a lonely condition. If someone you know or love is suffering from chronic pain, don’t try to compare their pain to your own experiences, or assume their pain is all made up. Rather, offer your care and support. Be willing to listen when they need to talk and supportive throughout treatment programs.
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Herniated Disk in the Lower Back
Sometimes called a slipped or ruptured disk, a herniated disk most often occurs in your lower back. It is one of the most common causes of low back pain, as well as leg pain (sciatica).
Between 60% and 80% of people will experience low back pain at some point in their lives. A high percentage of people will have low back and leg pain caused by a herniated disk.
Although a herniated disk can sometimes be very painful, most people feel much better with just a few weeks or months of nonsurgical treatment.
Your spine is made up of 24 bones, called vertebrae, that are stacked on top of one another. These bones connect to create a canal that protects the spinal cord.
Five vertebrae make up the lower back. This area is called your lumbar spine.
Other parts of your spine include:
Spinal cord and nerves. These “electrical cables” travel through the spinal canal carrying messages between your brain and muscles.
Intervertebral disks. In between your vertebrae are flexible intervertebral disks. They act as shock absorbers when your walk or run.
Intervertebral disks are flat and round, and about a half inch thick. They are made up of two components:
- Annulus fibrosus. This is the tough, flexible outer ring of the disk.
- Nucleus pulposus. This is the soft, jelly-like center of the disk
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Spine Surgeon Dallas, Mayo Clinic Trained Spine Surgeon, Back Doctor, Spine Pain Doctor
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Become Pain Free | Pain Specialist in Texas
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Kyphoplasty Surgery, Kyphoplasty, Kypho, Vertebroplasty, Back Surgery, Spine Surgery
What is Vertebroplasty & Kyphoplasty?
Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty are minimally invasive procedures for the treatment of vertebral compression fractures (VCF), which are fractures involving the vertebral bodies that make up the spinal column.
When a vertebral body fractures, the usual rectangular shape of the bone becomes compressed, causing pain. These compression fractures may involve the collapse of one or more vertebrae in the spine and are a common result of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a disease that results in a loss of normal bone density, mass and strength, leading to a condition in which bones are increasingly porous, and vulnerable to breaking. Vertebrae may also become weakened by cancer.
In vertebroplasty, physicians use image guidance to inject a cement mixture into the fractured bone through a hollow needle. In kyphohplasty, a balloon is first inserted into the fractured bone through the hollow needle to create a cavity or space. The cement is injected into the cavity once the balloon is removed.
Performing Kyphoplasty Surgery
- During kyphoplasty surgery, a small incision is made in the back through which the doctor places a narrow tube. Using fluoroscopy to guide it to the correct position, the tube creates a path through the back into the fractured area through the pedicle of the involved vertebrae.
- Using X-ray images, the doctor inserts a special balloon through the tube and into the vertebrae, then gently and carefully inflates it. As the balloon inflates, it elevates the fracture, returning the pieces to a more normal position. It also compacts the soft inner bone to create a cavity inside the vertebrae.
- The balloon is removed and the doctor uses specially designed instruments under low pressure to fill the cavity with a cement-like material called polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). After being injected, the pasty material hardens quickly, stabilizing the bone.
Kyphoplasty surgery to treat a fracture from osteoporosis is performed at a hospital under local or general anesthesia. Other logistics for a typical kyphoplasty procedure are:
- The kyphoplasty procedure takes about one hour for each vertebra involved
- Patients will be observed closely in the recovery room immediately following the kyphoplasty procedure
- Patients may spend one day in the hospital after the kyphoplasty procedure
Patients should not drive until they are given approval by their doctor. If they are released the day of the kyphoplasty surgery, they will need to arrange for transportation home from the hospital.
Recovery from Kyphoplasty
Pain relief will be immediate for some patients. In others, elimination or reduction of pain is reported within two days. At home, patients can return to their normal daily activities, although strenuous exertion, such as heavy lifting, should be avoided for at least six weeks.
Candidates for Kyphoplasty
Kyphoplasty cannot correct an established deformity of the spine, and certain patients with osteoporosis are not candidates for this treatment. Patients experiencing painful symptoms or spinal deformities from recent osteoporotic compression fractures are likely candidates for kyphoplasty. The procedure should be completed within 8 weeks of when the fracture occurs for the highest probability of restoring height.
It is not known whether kyphoplasty or vertebroplasty will increase the number of fractures at adjacent levels of the spine. Bench studies on treated bone have shown that inserting PMMA does not change the stiffness of the bone, but human studies have not been done. Osteoporosis is a chronic, progressive disease. As stated earlier, patients who have sustained fractures from osteoporosis are at an increased risk for additional fractures due to the loss of bone strength caused by osteoporosis.
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Lumbar and Cervical Radiofrequency Ablation and Lesioning
What is Radiofrequency?
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Radiofrequency waves are electromagnetic waves which travel at the speed of light, or 186,000 miles per second (300,000 km/s). Radiofrequency Energy is a type of heat energy that is created by a special generator at very high or super high frequencies. With the use of this specialized generator, heat energy is created and delivered with precision to target nerves that carry pain impulses. The resulting “lesion”involves a spherical area of tissue destruction at the tip of the RF needle that can include pain-carrying nerves.
Why is this procedure done?
Radiofrequency ablation/lesioning is a procedure used to provide longer term pain relief than that provided by simple injections or nerve blocks. Many patients who are being considered for this procedure have already undergone simple injection techniques like Epidural Steroid Injection, Facet Joint Injection, Sympathetic Nerve Blocks, or other nerve blocks with pain relief that is less prolonged than desired. By selectively destroying nerves that carry pain impulses, the painful structure can be effectively denervated and the pain reduced or eliminated for anywhere from a few months to up to 12 months.
How is this procedure done?
Once a structure has been determined to be a pain generator, its nerve supply is targeted for interruption. A small insulated needle or RF cannula is positioned next to these nerves with fluoroscopic guidance (live video X-Ray). Your doctor knows where to place the RF cannula because he is an expert in anatomy. The shaft of this cannula except for the last 5 to 10 mm is covered with a protective insulation so that the electric current only passes into the surrounding tissues from the very tip of the cannula. When the cannula appears to be in good position, the doctor may perform a test and release a small amount of electric current through the needle tip at two different frequencies. This test helps to confirm that the cannula tip is in close proximity to the target nerve and that it is not near any other nerve. After a successful test confirms good cannula tip position, a local anesthetic is injected to numb the area. The RF generator is then used to heat the cannula tip for up to 90 seconds, and thus the target nerve is destroyed.
What types of conditions will respond to Radiofrequency Lesioning?
There are a multitude of chronic pain conditions that respond well to this treatment. Chronic spinal pain, including spinal arthritis (spondylosis), post-traumatic pain (whiplash), pain after spine surgery, and other spinal pain conditions are those most commonly treated with RFL. Other conditions that are known to respond well to RFL include some neuropathic pain conditions like Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS or RSD), peripheral nerve entrapment syndromes, and other assorted chronic pain conditions. A patient’s candidacy for RFL is usually determined by the performance of a Diagnostic Nerve Block. This procedure will help to confirm whether a patient’s pain improves just for the duration of the local anesthetic (or not). Patients who have little to no pain relief after a diagnostic nerve block are not candidates for a neurodestructive procedure like RF Lesioning.
Does the procedure hurt?
This procedure is no more painful than any other injection procedure that is performed in interventional pain management. Patients are often given mild intravenous sedation during the procedure, but sedation is not absolutely required. Deep sedation is not a safe alternative and is therefore not offered for my RF procedures. It is quite common for neck or back pain to increase for a few days or longer after the RFL procedure before it starts to improve.
What should I do to prepare for my procedure?
On the day of your injection, you should not have anything to eat or drink for at least eight (8) hours before your scheduled procedure. If you are scheduled to receive sedation during the procedure, you must have someone available to drive you home. If you usually take medication for high blood pressure or any kind of heart condition, it is very important that you take this medication at the usual time with a sip of water before your procedure.
If you are taking any type of medication that can thin the blood and cause excessive bleeding, you should discuss with your doctors whether to discontinue this medication prior to the procedure. These anticoagulant meds are usually prescribed to protect a patient against stroke, heart attack, or other vascular occlusion event. Therefore the decision to discontinue one of these medications is not made by the pain management physician but rather by the primary care or specialty physician (cardiologist) who prescribes and manages that medication. Examples of medications that could promote surgical bleeding include Coumadin, Plavix, Aggrenox, Pletal, Ticlid, and Lovenox.
What should I do after my procedure?
Following discharge home, you should plan on simple rest and relaxation. If you have pain at the needle puncture sites, application of an ice pack to this area should be helpful. If you receive intravenous sedation, you should not drive a car until the next day. Patients are generally advised to go home and not return to work after this type of procedure. Some patients do return to work the next day.
Could there be side effects or complications?
BecomePainFree Doctors will discuss these issues with you, and you will be asked to carefully read and sign a consent form before any procedure is performed.
Can this procedure be repeated if my pain returns?
It is possible for the treated nerve(s) to regenerate, which could lead to recurrent pain. However, RF Lesioning is repeatable for nerve regeneration if it worked the first time around.
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Mayo Clinic, Spine Surgeon, Mayo Clinic Back Surgeon, Mayo Clinic Pain, Mayo Clinic Fellowship Trained Surgeon, Mayo Clinic Doctor, Mayo Clinic Back pain
We have two spine surgeons in our group and one on the way from the world famous Mayo Clinic. These Mayo Clinic surgeons are some of the best in the United States of America both of these Mayo Clinic trained doctors work in Texas. Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio we ave you covered with Mayo Clinic trained spine surgeons. Here is the information on these doctors below.Check out our website at https://www.becomepainfree.com/
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Steven J. Cyr, M.D., FAAOS
Mayo Clinic Trained Spine Physician
Steven J. Cyr, M.D., is a Board Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon who received extensive training to specialize in the delicate science of Spine Surgery. Anyone who knows Dr. Cyr well will tell you that he is a man driven for quality and excellence. His high standards can be seen throughout his educational process and career.
He received top honors at Southwest Texas State University by graduating Summa Cum Laude and Valedictorian with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. In addition to rigorous academics, he was also a member of the Bobcat football team during his three years at SWTSU.
Dr. Cyr gained early acceptance into medical school and earned his MD from the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. He then began his service to the United States Air Force with a transitional internship at Wilford Hall Medical Center. He served the air force community as a flight surgeon for two years before beginning residency training in orthopaedic surgery at Wilford Hall.
Following residency, Dr. Cyr was honored to be chosen from among the country’s top residents as the only fellow for the highly competitive and prestigious spine fellowship at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. This training program has ranked number one for orthopaedic and neurosurgical training programs in America for the last 20 years. Mayo combines these two fields, giving their surgeons an understanding of nerve and spine function unparalleled in most other programs.
Upon completion of his fellowship, Dr. Cyr and his family moved back to San Antonio, where he served the military population as the Chief of Air Force Spine Surgery and Spine Surgery Consultant to the Surgeon General of the Air Force. For six years, Dr. Cyr taught future air force orthopaedic surgeons in residency at Wilford Hall and has twice served our war wounded in Iraq at the Air Force Theater Hospital in Balad.
He has brought innovative techniques to the military and was the first to perform the total disc replacement procedure as well as endoscopic spinal surgery. He specializes in complicated spine issues and has gained notoriety for successful repairs of failed surgeries on patients from numerous other states and around the world. Dr. Cyr’s expertise and skills are now available to civilian patients at the Orthopaedic and Spine Institute, where his passion for excellence and quality keep him at the leading edge of spine surgery.
Mayo Clinic Trained Spine Physician
Dr. Venkat Sethuraman M.D.
Mayo Fellowship Trained Board-Certified Spine Surgeon
Minimally Invasive Spine Specialist
Education Undergraduate: Rutgers College, New Brunswick, NJ
Medical: Medical College of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA Training Orthopaedic Surgery
Residency: Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA Spine
Fellowship: Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
Hospital Affiliations Baylor Irving Medical Center Irving Coppell Surgical Center Irving
Offices:
Coppell :
2021 N. MacArthur Blvd 400 West IH 635 Bldg. @, Suite 115
Irving:
Plaza 1, Suite 200
Irving, TX 75061
Irving, TX 75063
Plano:
2301 Marsh Lane,
Plano, TX 75093
Certificates/Diploma’s:
Listing Details
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Physician Specialist Dallas, Physician Specialist Fort Worth, Physician Specialist , Pain Management, Pain Management Doctor Dallas, Pain Management Dr., Pain Management Texas
Pain in acute myocardial infarction (rear) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
BecomePainFree.com is an established Medical Group in Dallas, San Antonio, and Houston TX. specializing in pain management doctors. Our physicians in our group utilize a variety of medically proven techniques and therapies to address the medical concerns of our patients, and assist in pain control and management.
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We at the BecomePainFree.com believe that the patient’s comfort is and always should be the number one concern! If you are in pain we will see you today. Our physicians in our group offer comprehensive treatment options, ranging in scope from diagnostic, homeopathic, therapeutic, chiropractic, Pain injections, surgery, neurology, pharmaceuticals and pain pills. We work closely with our patients and take their needs and desires into consideration during the course of evaluation, counseling and treatment services.
Everyone experiences some sort of pain at one point or another during the time of there life. It’s often an indication that something is wrong with your health.
Each individual person is the best judge of his or her own pain. Feelings of pain can range from mild and occasional to severe and constant pains.
What Is Acute Pain or Chronic Pain?
Acute pain normally begins suddenly and is usually sharp in quality. It serves as a warning of disease or a threat to the body system. Acute pain may be caused by many events or circumstances, such as:
- Surgery
- Failed Back Surgery
- Cancer
- Injuries
- Accidents
- Headaches
- Migraines
- Knee Surgery
- Heel Pain
- Foot Pain
- Broken bones
- Dental work
- Burns or cuts
- Labor and childbirth
Acute pain may be mild and last just a moment or so, or it may be severe and last for weeks or months even years. In most cases, acute pain does not last longer than six months and it disappears when the underlying cause of pain has been treated or has healed. Unrelieved acute pain, however, may lead to chronic pain.
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Pain Doctors, Back Pain Doctors, Spine Pain Doctors, Back Pain, Spine Pain, Neck Pain Doctors, Conditions We Treat
Flexion Stressing Posterior Annulus | Diagram of the Spine | Back Pain | Colorado Spine Doctor (Photo credit: neckandback)
- Sciatica
- Low back pain
- Neck pain
- Failed back surgery syndrome
- Herniated discs
- Complex regional pain syndrome
- Painful peripheral neuopathy (from diabetes or other causes)
- Painful nerve injuries
- Painful osteoarthritis
- Fibromyalgia
- Cervical dystonia
- Myofascial pain syndrome
- Spinal cord injury spasticity and pain
- Cancer pain
- Painful herpes zoster (shingles)
- Postherpetic neualgia
- Abdominal Pain
- Chest pain
- Post-mastectomy pain
- Headaches
- Bone pain (Vertebral body compression fractures)
- Pelvic pain/Genital pain
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Spine Pain, Back Pain. Spine Surgery, Back Surgery, Pain, Herniated Disc
Stages of Spinal Disc Herniation (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
A disc herniation is a common cause of neck and low back pain. Terms to describe these disc problems include bulging, ruptured, slipped, or extruded areas. Sometimes a disc herniation occurs spontaneously or incidental to injury, repetitive movements, or degenerative disc disease.
The intervertebral discs serve as your spine’s many shock absorbers. Each disc is composed of a sturdy tire-like annulus fibrosis that encases a gel-like interior called the nucleus pulposus area. Endplates anchor each disc in place between any two vertebral bodies.
Growing older can cause these issues; trauma, injury, smoking, poor diet, being overweight, and wear and tear can alter disc strength, resiliency and structural integrity.
The annulus fibrosis—the protective band of the tissue protecting the nucleus pulposus—cracks, tears, or breaks wide open. This allows some of the gel-like nuclear material to ooze outside the disc space. A bulging disc—the nucleus pulposus remains contained within the disc—may be a precursor to herniation. Escaping disc matter may cause:
Your pain is the foremost symptom of a herniated disc. The disc material, and potential loss of disc height, compresses the spinal nerves, cord and/or canal. Furthermore, within the escaping disc matter is a chemical irritant that causes nerve inflammation and pain. Neck, spine or back pain may spread into your arms or legs and shoot down pain. Cervical radiculopathy and sciatica (lumbar) are examples.
English: CT scan image of lumbar disc herniation (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The accurate diagnosis
Consult an expert, especially if neck or back pain develops suddenly, quickly worsens, or you have a pre-existing spinal disorder. An accurate diagnosis is essential to an effective and successful treatment plan.
Your medical history and physical and neurological examinations are very important the all surgeons and pain doctors. You and your doctor discuss your symptoms, when they developed, and treatments tried etc. The doctor tests your reflexes and evaluates you for muscle weakness, loss of feeling, and signs of neurological injury.
Diagnostic tests may help the doctor confirm which disc (or discs) is damaged. A simple spinal x-ray or C.T. can show collapsed disc space. CT and MRI are sensitive imaging tools that detail bone, disc and nerve structures.
Non-surgical treatment often helps to relieve any pain and symptoms. Your doctor may combine two or more therapies to maximize the success of your treatment.
Non-surgical treatments
- Activity modification
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
- Pain medication (a narcotic, painkiller)
- Muscle relaxing medication
- Spinal injection
- Short-term bracing supports the spine, may help relieve pain
- Physical therapy
- Acupuncture
When your surgeon may discuss surgical treatment
- Spinal instability
- Neurologic dysfunction
- Pain and symptoms are unrelenting
- Non-operative treatment fails and pain persists
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Back Surgery, Spine Surgery, Pain, Lumbar Surgery, Spine Pain, Low Back Surgery, Lower Back (Lumbar) Surgery
Flower Mound Spine Surgeon – Spine Surgery Facts (Photo credit: jackiebese)
Many Low back pain and related symptoms are common but seldom is a lumbar spine surgery necessary. Disorders that cause low back problems include lumbar spinal stenosis, disc herniation, adult degenerative spondylolisthesis, and degenerative. These conditions can cause severe pain and may lead you to think surgery is your only option.
When you might consider surgery?
- Spinal/ Back instability develops.
- Pain and symptoms cannot be non-surgically managed.
- Pain becomes unrelenting for the patient.
- Neurological dysfunction occurs.
- Bowel or bladder dysfunction develops.
Your spine surgeon or neurosurgeon may recommend a minimally invasive spine surgical (MISS) procedure instead of traditional spine surgery. The goals of either MISS or traditional spine surgery include: reduce nerve compression (called a decompression) and stabilize the lumbar spine. During the discussion, you learn if your procedure can be performed as a minimally invasive spine surgery or open approach, and why.
Surgery may include spinal fusion with instrumentation. Spinal fusion utilizes bone graft to stimulate bone growth. Spinal instrumentation involves use of implants including rods, screws, and interbody devices to immediately stabilize the spine. Fusion occurs as the spine heals.
Be assured that your spine surgeon or neurosurgeon will discuss the best option to treat your lumbar conditions. The type of surgical procedure depends on many factors, including your diagnosis and the goals of surgery. Listed below are several types of low back spine surgical procedures:
Before your procedure
Before surgery, you visit your primary care doctor and/or other medical specialists (i.e., heart doctor, endocrinologist) to obtain a general health clearance. This means your doctor has carefully evaluated your health in terms of undergoing surgery. Your assessment may include blood tests, x-rays or other imaging studies, as well as special tests for existing medical problems (i.e., diabetes, osteoporosis).
A Review potential benefits and risks
Sure of course, the potential benefits of the surgery are important to know always, but so are the possible many risks and complications. Your risks and complications may be different from those of another patient because you are unique in your own conditions. Your spine surgeon or neurosurgeon takes that into serious consideration and thoughtfully explains potential risks to you, which may include infection, bleeding, reaction to anesthesia, and nerve damage.
You are moved from the operating room into the recovery area. Here, the many nurses and medical staff closely monitor your vital signs with attention to managing post-operative pain. You should expect some discomfort related to what your procedure was.
Your Post-operative care
Your surgery is over, but now your main recovery starts! If you do not understand your post-surgical instructions or a problem develops, please call us—we are here to help you get to the proper person to help you.
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Become Pain Free, Pain, Back Pain, Spine Pain, Spine Surgery, Chronic Pain 