Welcome to North Fulton’s Pain and Spine Center. The Pain Center is

here to help all patients and members of the community with treatment

options for many varieties of pain. The Center for Disease Control and

Prevention (CDC) notes that around 85% of people will experience back

pain sometime in their life. This equates to over 100 million Americans

per year! The costs of managing pain are estimated to be $635 billion.

There are many types of treatment options that can be planned for you personally with the help

of our providers. They specialize in pain management to offer you choices that fit into your life style.

Chronic pain management means helping patients improve their quality of life, not necessarily curing

pain forever. We hope that you will take the opportunity to ask questions about pain management

and the services

we use to enhance

your treatment. Our

inter-departmental

(nutrition, physical

therapy, other

physician specialists)

approach has proven

highly successful in

reducing chronic pain.

From left, Michele Chen, NP, Ravi Dammanna, MD, Kenneth Joel, MD and M. Shazad Wada, MD.

welcomeT O O U R F I R S T I S S U E

W I N T E R 2 0 1 4

Jeannette Wetty, MSN, RNDirector, Pain & Spine Center

W W W. N O R T H F U LT O N PA I N A N D S P I N E . C O M

Currently, our office is offering a procedure to improve knee pain. This procedure, called Radiofrequency Genicular Neurotomy (genicular nerve block) allows physicians to block the nerve supply to the painful area or areas in the knee. The knee has multiple nerves (femoral, common peroneal, saphenous, etc.) that help with movement and every day function. Sometimes, these nerves send messages of pain throughout the knee in the form of sharp, shooting and knife-like sensations when they become irritated by things such as inflammation. This procedure is effective for patients who have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis, those who are trying to hold off on knee replacement surgery, and patients who have had knee replacement but are still experiencing pain. Our physicians perform the nerve block under a live x-ray called fluoroscopy. The procedure is a two-step process where a diagnostic is performed first to see if the patient gets any relief from pain and shows improvement of function. If the response is positive, the patient returns later for the full procedure. The genicular nerve block is a safe, minimally invasive, and effective procedure. The patient will leave our office with a bandage on the knee. Patients who elect to have this procedure will need to have a driver present to drive them home. It is important to note that relief of pain may be temporary, giving approximately six months improvement of the level of pain a patient may experience. The nerve block may be repeated if the pain returns.

Knee Pain? We Can Help!

Why am I still in pain if I come to a pain center?

Although there may be many different answers to this question, there are two very important reasons. First, if you are prescribed opiate medications from our practitioners, they must closely monitor and minimize side effects. ALL opiate medications and muscle relaxants can have significant side effects if they are taken or prescribed irresponsibly. The most common side effects are constipation, dry mouth, tiredness, dizziness and difficulty sleeping. Our practitioners prescribe the medications in such a way as to relieve as much pain as possible without causing significant side effects.

Second, it is natural for the body to develop a tolerance to opiate medications. The answer is not to increase the medications because eventually the body will get used to the higher dose. Our physicians try to improve pain through non-opiate methods, such as epidurals or radiofrequency ablations. The goal of pain medication is to reduce pain as much as possible, yet allow you to maintain an active quality of life.

ASK THE EXPERTS COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS FROM OUR PATIENTS

QA

One of the most holistic and simple ways to improve pain is through weight loss. Although the most common reaction to increased pain is to relax, rest, or immobilize the area, this can be very detrimental. Every pound of being overweight is equal to roughly FOUR POUNDS of pressure on the joints and spine . . .

n 25 pounds overweight = 100 pounds of joint pressure

n 50 pounds overweight = 200 pounds of pressure

n 75 pounds overweight = 300 pounds of pressure

n 100 pounds overweight = 400 pounds of pressure

The good news is that exercise can help. In a study performed in 1999, 200 patients performed mild exercises daily for 6 months and reported an average of 23% reduction of pain. We are encouraging all of our patients to try to exercise as a way to holistically improve pain, lose weight and boost well-being. The biggest hurdle that people have when exercising is that it requires consistency. These exercises should be mild, gentle and isometric such as walking, yoga, Tai- Chi or swimming. The goal is to exercise safely and consistently.

Your Weight And Pain

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The Pain & Spine Center Newsletter is published quarterly for providers and patients in the counties served

by North Fulton Hospital.

To subscribe to the digital version of the Pain & Spine Center News, e-mail Kimberly.harrison@tenethealth.com

www.NorthFultonPainandSpine.com

FOR INFORMATION

4500 Hospital Boulevard, Suite. 200 Roswell, Georgia 30076Call (770) 751-2719 Fax (770) 751-2609

Remember to bring your current

bottles to every visit, per DEA mandate.

Flu season is here! Now is the time

to get your flu shots.

Please have a driver after every procedure

for safety reasons.

Our office performs urine drug screens

up to 4 times/year, per DEA regulation.

Call our office at least 24 hours prior to your appointment time to reschedule

if you are unable to keep your appointment.

Please arrive for your appointment at First Floor Registration at your scheduled time.

reminders . . .