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Introducing The Superion ® Indirect Decompression System (IDS)

Submitted by Rachel Cohen on May 25, 2017

Millions of Americans are affected by chronic back and leg pain every year, often resulting in loss of mobility, lost work, and warranted frustrations. Unfortunately, open back surgery is not feasible for many of these individuals, especially since it can lead to complications such as surgical scars, post-surgical pain, and a lengthy recovery time that requires weeks away from work. Fortunately, there is new a treatment option that provides patients with the possibility of a completely pain-free lifestyle.

Introducing The Superion ® Indirect Decompression System (IDS)

The FDA recently approved a new treatment option for moderate lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS), and it's called the Superion ® Indirect Decompression System (IDS). This minimally invasive...

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Types of Chronic Pain

Submitted by Rachel Cohen on October 30, 2015

30-Second Blog Snapshot:

  • Patients experiencing symptoms such as shooting, burning, or aching pain that lasts more than six weeks may have chronic pain.
  • Although patients may feel relieved to have some kind of diagnosis, the journey is not over; chronic pain can mean a number of different things and manifest in a variety of ways.
  • The pain management specialists at Southwest Spine and Pain Center take the guesswork out of chronic pain and explain the different types of pain patients may be experiencing.

The general definition of chronic pain is pain that can be described as shooting, aching, or burning; pain that does not go away after an illness, injury, or surgical procedure; pain that lasts longer than six...

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FDA Approves New Medication Formulation For Chronic Pain

Submitted by Rachel Cohen on October 28, 2015

30-Second Blog Snapshot:

  • According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a prescription medicine, which has already been approved for pain management, has been approved in a new medication formulation.
  • The product is called Belbuca and it is a buprenorphine buccal film product (dissolvable medication) that provides around-the-clock pain care.
  • The pain management specialists at Southwest Spine and Pain Center talk about this medication for chronic pain.

Medscape, a publication that shares the latest in medical news, released information this week that the FDA is expected to make a new medication available for patients with chronic pain in early...

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Running With Sciatica

Submitted by Rachel Cohen on October 23, 2015

30-Second Blog Snapshot:

  • Sciatica is a chronic pain condition that causes pain, tingling, numbness, or weakness in the lower back, hips, and legs.
  • When it comes to running, sciatica may complicate things by creating even more discomfort or pain if it’s not managed properly.
  • In this blog, the team at Southwest Spine and Pain Center explains ways to deal with sciatica while running.

First, patients should understand running does not cause sciatica. In fact, running can be a form of treatment if it’s performed correctly. It’s also important patients recognize the difference between running pain and sciatic pain. In this blog, the pain management specialists at Southwest Spine and Pain Center provide patients with...

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Are Fibromyalgia And Endometriosis Related?

Submitted by Rachel Cohen on October 21, 2015

30-Second Blog Snapshot:

  • According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), women with endometriosis are more likely to have other chronic conditions such as fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome.
  • That said, many women wonder why these two conditions are related and if there are treatment options that can mitigate the two disorders.
  • In this blog, the pain management specialists at Southwest Spine and Pain Center discuss the relationship between endometriosis and fibromyalgia.

Endometriosis is a complex condition that causes uterine tissue (endometrium) to grow outside the uterus on places like the ovaries, fallopian tubes, bowels, and more. Although the displaced endometrial tissue acts normally during...

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Long-Term Opioid Therapy Often Ineffective, Study Says

Submitted by Rachel Cohen on October 16, 2015

30-Second Blog Snapshot:

  • According to a study published in the Journal of Women’s Health, long-term opioid use is often ineffective for chronic pain patients, especially in women.
  • The study analyzed the effects of opioid therapy on men and women, its level of effectiveness, and whether or not it provided a favorable “global pain status.”
  • The chronic pain management specialists at Southwest Spine and Pain Center discuss results from the study.

Although opioids are an effective tool for pain management, the pain specialists at Southwest Spine and Pain Center advise limiting the use of these substances to ensure safe, controlled pain relief. As a result, the team at Southwest Spine and Pain Center provides...

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What Is Hanna Somatic Education (Hanna Somatics)?

Submitted by Rachel Cohen on October 14, 2015

30-Second Blog Snapshot:

  • Hanna Somatic Education (HSE), also called Hanna Somatics, is a type of mind-body training that encourages physical and mental control over muscles to reduce chronic musculoskeletal pain.
  • In layman’s terms, this technique teaches the brain to re-learn certain muscle movements to relieve muscle tension.
  • The pain management specialists at Southwest Spine and Pain Center explain what Hanna Somatic Education is, and how it may benefit patients with chronic pain.

What Is Hanna Somatic Education (Hanna Somatics)?

Hanna Somatics is a relatively new treatment technique that teaches chronic pain patients to regain complete awareness of...

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Mental Health May Predict Chronic Pain In Adolescents

Submitted by Rachel Cohen on October 9, 2015

30-Second Blog “Snapshot:”

  • According to a study published in The Journal of Pain and Psychiatry Advisor, a behavioral health condition may indicate the possibility of onset chronic pain in adolescents.
  • The study analyzed face-to-face surveys from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A) between February 2001 and January 2004. Participants were between the ages of 13 and 18.
  • In this blog, the pain management and behavioral health experts at Southwest Spine and Pain Center discuss results from the study.

Although previous...

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Radiofrequency Lesioning Procedure

Submitted by Rachel Cohen on October 7, 2015

30-Second Blog “Snapshot:”

  • Patients with chronic nerve pain or a pain condition that resulted from a spinal cord injury may benefit from a minimally invasive, interventional pain treatment called radiofrequency lesioning.
  • Radiofrequency lesioning uses energy to heat and subsequently destroy sensory nerve endings that are transmitting pain signals to the brain.
  • The radiofrequency lesioning experts at Southwest Spine and Pain Center discuss the benefits of this procedure for those with chronic pain.

What is Radiofrequency Lesioning?

In a nutshell, radiofrequency lesioning is a minimally invasive, outpatient procedure that uses radiofrequency energy to destroy damaged nerves or nervous tissue that are...

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Cervical Neck Pain Treatment

Submitted by Rachel Cohen on October 2, 2015

30-Second Blog “Snapshot:” 

  • The cervical spine (neck) is made up of seven essential vertebrae, which not only protect the spinal cord, but they also allow for movement in all directions.
  • Because the cervical spine is a complex structure, it’s increasingly susceptible to trauma from daily activities and varying levels of force.
  • The chronic pain treatment specialists at Southwest Spine and Pain Center discuss what patients can do to manage their cervical neck pain.

There are many lifestyle choices and environmental factors that could lead to the development of cervical neck pain....

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