Category: DRUGS

#Spoonie, Back Pain, Backcare, CHRONIC PAIN, DRUGS, Failed Back Surgery Syndrome, FIBROMYALGIA, HEALTH, low back pain, pain, pain concern, pain relief

CAN SPINAL CORD STIMULATORS HELP YOU TAKE FEWER PAINKILLERS?…

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The use of electrical stimulation to relieve pain began in ancient times with the placement of torpedo fish directly onto painful body parts. Since then, the application of electrical stimulation to the body for pain relief has become much better and more sophisticated.

An article on the  Neuromodulation website explained the Spinal Cord Stimulator, is a tiny battery-powered transmitter similar to a pacemaker which is fitted for chronic pain is now stopping patients from needing as many painkillers.

Researchers at Jefferson University in the US, monitored 5,000 people with chronic pain and found that one year after having the spine implant fitted, 93% of patients were on lower daily doses of painkilling drugs.

Spinal Cord Stimulators is a type of neurostimulation therapy proven to be effective for many chronic pain sufferers. Recommended by doctors for over 40 years to manage chronic pain in the back, arms and legs, SCS helps mask pain by blocking or changing pain signals before they reach the brain. In spinal cord stimulation, a tiny programmable generator and electrical leads are implanted beneath the skin. Small electrical currents are applied to the areas of the spinal cord involved in pain. For reasons that are not completely understood, these electrical impulses interfere with the transmission of pain signals to the brain and relieve pain without causing the side effects that medications can cause.

A pleasant tingling sensation is substituted for the pain and blocks the brain’s ability to sense pain in the stimulated areas. This is similar to the relief felt by rubbing an area after getting an injury. The electrical impulses can be targeted to specific locations and, as pain changes or improves, stimulation can be adjusted as necessary.

Spine Universe wrote that in 1989, spinal cord stimulation (SCS) was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a treatment for chronic pain. Since that time, SCS has become a standard of care for patients with neuropathic chronic back and limb pain (nerve injury with abnormal nerve function producing pain). New technology has allowed for the development of neurostimulators that can allow patients with chronic back pain to reduce or eliminate their need for pain medications and return to comfortable, productive lives.

To make sure the patient will benefit from SCS, a temporary system is implanted and tried for a few days or a week. For the SCS trial, leads are placed beneath the skin and attached to a small generator the patient carries. The generator is similar to a pager or cell phone. If the SCS trial is successful, a complete permanent system with a generator is implanted at another time. The leads for the permanent system can be inserted the same way as in the trial. A small generator is surgically implanted beneath the skin in the upper buttock or abdomen. The wires are then connected, and the entire system is implanted beneath the skin. Nothing is visible on the body.

Nice wrote that a rechargeable spinal stimulator costs in the region of £13,000 – £22,000 so it has to work for you if you are self funding or even if you are insured. Non rechargeable ones are considerably cheaper and start from around £8,000 – £14,000.

Spine Health wrote about the disadvantages and risks of having a stimulator with the potential risks which is  mainly related to the surgical procedures required for a trial period or long-term therapy. One extensive study in the medical literature found 38% of the research participants had device-related problems. The most common complications were unintended movement (also called migration) of the leads, failed connections in leads, and breakage of leads. However serious injuries are rare. 

Advances in SCS technology have allowed people with chronic spine-related pain to reduce or eliminate their need for pain medications and return to comfortable, productive lives. To better understand what you need to know before undergoing SCS, SpineUniverse spoke with Jason M. Highsmith, MD.

Source: Jefferson University, Spine Universe, Neuromodulation,  Nice , Spine Health

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WEGO HEALTH AWARDS – BACK PAIN BLOG HAS A NOMINATION…

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Wego Health Awards...

WEGO Health is a mission-driven company connecting healthcare with the experience, skills, and insights of Patient Leaders.

They are the world’s largest network of over 100k Patient Leaders, working across virtually all health conditions and topics. Their network collaborates with pharmaceutical and life sciences companies, agencies, consultancies, startups, and all types of organizations across healthcare.

WEGO Health offers enterprise and on-demand solutions that allow organizations to leverage the patient experience and expertise in the design, development and promotion of their products and services.

Nominate the exceptional patient advocates, influencers, and experts who make a difference in the lives of patients and caregivers. They say it is an honour just to be nominated, but they think the honour is all in the nominating itself!

After being nominated, connect with others in their Patient Leader Network:

  • Nominate another Patient Leader
  • Share your nomination with your network and urge them to nominate
  • During the endorsements period, endorse the Patient Leaders you’d like to see recognized

Join them and help celebrate the inspiring and impactful nominees. Feel good while honoring these Patient Leaders and then join in on the festivities.

I feel honoured to be nominated for Best in Blog Show.

If you know someone who deserves any of the awards at WEGO Health then pop down to their website and nominate someone and make their day. If you think I am worthy of this award I would be delighted if you could endorse me. Just click on this Wego Health link and click on the thumbs-up sign. Thanks very much

 

#backpainblog, #BACKPAINBLOGUK, backpainbloguk, back pain, chronic pain, fibromyalgia, health, chromic pain, reviews, #fibro-flare, #fibromyalgia, #pain, Back Pain, DRUGS, HEALTH, Medication, Medications

4 DRUGS THAT MIGHT BE EFFECTIVE AS A FIBROMYALGIA TREATMENT…

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According to a recent article in Pro Health there are four drugs that might be effective as a Fibromyalgia treatment. Although these four drugs are not knew ones they could still help with Fibromyalgia. These drugs will likely never be the subject of big clinical trials because there’s little profit to be made given their age. However, that doesn’t mean they aren’t effective.

1. Ketamine –

A growing number of pain clinics are now offering ketamine infusions for chronic conditions like fibromyalgia, but do they actually work? Early research suggests they may – at least temporarily.

In a small Swedish study, 11 fibromyalgia patients were randomly selected to receive either a low-dose ketamine infusion or a placebo infusion. Eight of those patients experienced at least 50% less pain using ketamine.

Web MD say Ketamine it could also be one of the biggest breakthroughs in treating severe depression in years.

How can one drug hold such promise and peril? The answer lies in how it affects your brain.

Ketamine works like a flash mob, temporarily taking over a certain chemical “receptor.” In some cases and with expert medical care, that can be a good thing. But cross that line, and it’s big trouble.

2. Memantime–

Sometimes the brain fog caused by fibromyalgia literally can feel like early-stage dementia so it isn’t surprising that an Alzheimer’s drug might be helpful in treating fibro.

Memantine is frequently used for moderate-to-severe Alzheimer’s disease, but two small Spanish studies have shown it may benefit those with fibromyalgia, too. In 2014, researchers from the University of Zarogoza reported memantine significantly reduced fibromyalgia pain when administered to 63 patients at a dosage of 20 mg per day.

3. Metformin–

The subgroup of patients who had undergone pharmacological treatment of [insulin resistance] with metformin, in combination with the [standard treatment], experienced a dramatic decrease in pain scores,” reads the study. “Response to metformin plus [standard treatment] was followed by complete resolution of pain in eight of 16 patients who had been treated with metformin, a degree of improvement never observed before in such a large proportion of fibromyalgia patients subjected to any available treatment.

4. Naltrexone ( low dose) –

Low-dose naltrexone (LDN) is the dark horse of the fibromyalgia community. Very few patients and doctors know about it, and yet I frequently hear from persons with fibromyalgia who say LDN has changed their lives for the better.

An opioid receptor antagonist, naltrexone has been used to treat alcohol and drug dependence since the 1980s at full doses of 50 mg or higher.