Pain Management News: New treatment offers relief without medicine
New LUMEDX Chest Pain Management Solution Bridges Cardiology and Emergency Medicine
LUMEDX Corporation, a leading provider of fully integrated, cloud-powered cardiovascular imaging and information systems (CVIS), announced the release of the HealthView Chest Pain Management solution. HealthView Chest Pain Management makes pre-hospital electrocardiographs (ECGs/EKGs) instantaneously available to cardiologists for interpretation–and simultaneous comparison with prior ECGs, laboratory information and other patient data. By integrating current and historical information into a single view, the HealthView Chest Pain Management system bridges cardiac and emergency medicine, and transforms emergency cardiac care.
“Chest pain is the cause of about 12 million ED visits a year in the United States,” said LUMEDX Vice President of Strategic Products Praveen Lobo. “The stakes in chest pain management are very high–high for the hospital and high for the patient. For example, it’s very costly to activate a cath lab when a patient presenting symptoms does not, in fact, need a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Resources are wasted. And of course it’s far more costly–and dangerous–to discharge a patient who needs a PCI. So getting the ECG and other clinical information in front of a cardiologist as soon as possible is crucial for successful outcomes and a successful hospital.”
Designed using American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association acute coronary syndrome (ACS) management guidelines, HealthView Chest Pain enables systematic, organized clinical pathways for STEMI, NSTEMI and low-risk chest pain patients. The institution of systematic clinical pathways resolves key problems in the coordination and delivery of care in this high-risk area of medicine.
The HealthView Chest Pain Management solution:
– Integrates pre-hospital ECGs, lab results and other clinical information into a single dashboard view–accessible anytime, anywhere via Web PC, Mac or iPhone.
– Seamlessly connects the ED with the cardiovascular service line for improved patient care.
– Facilitates timely and fully informed decision-making; helps reduce door-to-balloon times and length of stay.
– Enables systematic, best-practice clinical pathways for STEMI, NSTEMI and low-risk chest pain patients.
– Supports registry participation and QI efforts; allows easy monitoring of AMI Core Measures.
– Minimizes malpractice, RAC audit and other risks; maximizes revenue opportunity.
Newark Chiropractic Center Announces Acupuncture Treatment for Pain Management
Newark Pain and Rehab Center has announced that the chiropractor offers acupuncture for pain management. Acupuncture is a non-invasive, natural treatment used to relieve chronic pain following sports injuries, auto injuries and work injuries. Based on an ancient Chinese healing art, acupuncture uses thin needles to stimulate the nerves, muscles and connective tissues in the body. Scientific studies suggest that this stimulation increase blood flow and prompts the body to release natural painkillers, which may relieve arm pain, neck pain and back pain. Newark Pain and Rehab Center serves the Newark, East Orange, Ironbound and Irvington communities.
Dr. Vincent Saraceno, a chiropractor in Newark, has announced that his practice, Newark Pain and Rehab Center, offers acupuncture as a treatment for arm pain, back pain and other chronic pain conditions.
Medical acupuncture for pain management is based on the traditional Chinese healing art of using thin needles to stimulate pressure points in the body. Western science has adapted this treatment for pain relief and now uses therapy to naturally manage pain, boost immune function and improve wellness.
“Acupuncture is an important complement to chiropractic treatments,” said Dr. Saraceno. “I frequently recommend this care to patients who are struggling with back pain and arm pain following an accident. By targeting pressure points on the body, this treatment naturally relieves pain while promoting internal healing.”
Scientific research suggests that the act of inserting a thin needle into a pressure point stimulates nerves, muscles and connective tissue. This stimulation may increase blood flow and prompt your body to release natural painkillers, including neurotransmitters and hormones. These chemicals are known to dull pain, boost the immune system and regulate the body’s functions.
Dr. Saraceno typically combines treatments with other non-invasive techniques, including adjustment and spinal decompression. This combination of care is part of his ‘whole body’ approach to wellness and the natural management of pain.
“Traditional medical treatments rely on prescription painkillers to cover up pain. While medication can temporarily relieve back pain and arm pain, it cannot correct the underlying problem,” said Dr. Saraceno. “Non-invasive treatments like spinal decompression and physical therapy, in conjunction with acupuncture, can restore alignment to the musculoskeletal system and even prevent future occurrences of sciatica in patients without relying on painkillers or invasive surgery.”
Dr. Saraceno and the Newark Pain and Rehab Center provides care for the Newark, East Orange, Ironbound and Irvington communities. In addition to acupuncture, services include chiropractic adjustment, spinal decompression, physical therapy and safe manipulation under anesthesia. Dr. Saraceno also provides general wellness counseling and lifestyle advice to his patients.
“My goal is to help every patient live a full, active and healthy life,” said Dr. Saraceno. “I strive to help every patient find meaningful pain relief through natural wellness treatments.”
New treatment offers relief without medicine
The latest in pain management doesn’t come in a pill. And while it uses a needle, that needle is not full of medicine.
Dry needling is a new procedure offered at Redmond Regional Medical Center’s Rehab Center.
Michael Shin, a doctor of physical therapy, first learned of dry needling while he was a student at North Georgia College & State University. In the past two months, he has seen about 100 patients who look to the procedure for pain relief.
Earlier this year, the Georgia Legislature approved the use of dry needling as part of the Georgia Physical Therapy Practice Act under House Bill 145.
Even though it may seem similar to Chinese acupuncture, Shin is quick to point out that it is not related in any way.
“Dry needling is an integrative therapeutic modality for soft tissue dysfunction,” Shin said.
“This treatment technique is used to address painful conditions that are related to small contractures in muscles, called trigger points. Dry needling is a minimally invasive procedure in which a monofilament needle is inserted into the skin and muscle directly at a trigger point,” Shin said.
The procedure works because inserting a needle into a trigger point can cause favorable biomechanical, neurological and mechanical changes.
“These changes help to eliminate the trigger point and any associated pain by decreasing inflammation and modulating response of sensory nerve fibers to pain,” Shin said.
A variety of conditions can be treated with dry needling, Shin said, including lower back and neck pain, shoulder and arm pain (tendonitis, carpal tunnel syndrome and impingement), hip and leg pain (sciatica, muscle strain and calf tightness/spasm), foot (ankle sprain, Achilles tendonitis and plantar fascitis), headache and jaw pain.
Some of the patients referred to him “have chronic pain, and they have tried everything,” Shin said.
After the treatments, most patients feel soreness that can last from a few hours to a few days, and as with all treatments involving a needle, there is a risk for infection.
Shin uses a single-packed disposable and sterile needle during treatment to prevent infection.
DJO Global Launches the Empi Active Knee System to Manage Knee Pain
DJO Global, Inc., (“DJO” or the “Company”) a leading provider of medical device solutions for musculoskeletal health, vascular health and pain management, today announced the launch of the Empi Active(TM) Knee TENS System to treat knee pain, a condition which may affect more than 19 million Americans. Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) uses comfortable electrical stimulation to inhibit pain signals from reaching the brain thus effectively blocking the pain sensation.
The Empi Active Knee, with predetermined electrode placement built into a specialized wrap, delivers a proprietary TENS waveform to the knee to manage acute, chronic and arthritic pain while minimizing interruption of daily activities. The technology delivers a similar physiologic response as pain medication, but without the possible negative side effects from chronic use of medication. Approximately 250 million drug prescriptions for pain medications are written every year in the U.S.
Dr. Melisa Estes, a physiatrist and board certified pain medicine physician, reported, “I find that the Empi Active device can be helpful in decreasing the amount of pain medications that a patient may take. I also find it very useful for patients who have difficulty tolerating usual medications such as muscle relaxants or non steroidal anti-inflammatories.”
“Chronic knee pain from osteoarthritis, tendonitis and other conditions is an obstacle to maintaining healthy and active lifestyles and often leads to prolonged inactivity that can create other, more serious health consequences,” said Mike Mogul, president and chief executive officer of DJO Global. “With our broad portfolio of orthopedic preventative and rehabilitative products, DJO is uniquely positioned to help these patients.”
The Empi Active Knee System follows DJO Global’s success with its 2010 release of Empi Active Back, which uses the same proprietary TENS waveform technology to target back pain. Back pain affects approximately 65 million Americans and is the second most common reason people visit a doctor. Similar to the Empi Active Back, primary care physicians, orthopedic surgeons, pain specialists, rheumatologists and physical therapists can better manage their patients’ knee pain without disrupting their daily activities.