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~ Interview With Dr. Nwachuku ~ Your n this tn eck (Cervical Spine). iving with pain is something that, unfortunately, many of us do on H ealth &W ellness of cho fo a daily basis. It is an invisible, subjective symptom that can lead
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ot taeiw gnipoC ,g.n..ivte il la t’noD interventions are www.relievus.com LsFecTio OhHc What treatment recommended at Relievus oEffRaPdEnDa nce 888-985-2727 (ASAP) ANIGAV for cervicogenic headaches? nhit,teum B ocManual eb therapy (physical, chiropractic, massage) can urce i c i s y h p facilitate healing and return of biomechanical function ay of head/neck structures. Modification of work-out rouTd tsum
tine/home exercise approved by a professional is critical. such as cold/heat, ultrasound, transelectrical el tsum uoModalities Y tiIla-eo r ieB hT nerve stimulation (TENs) may accompany therapy for an effect. dna sorp additive lla Medications used to manage pain are usually multisiht esicrexe modal in nature and may include anti-inflammatories, emmocer reh muscle relaxants, topical patches/creams. Opioid therapy m stneitaisPreserved for severe or chronic intractable pain due to ar siht nI side effects as well as potential addictive qualities. erdna evitca na Injections are an integral part of treatment and na considered if a patient is not responding to the togirnwod dare aforementioned in a timely manner. noc ni stnem isi tneitap A Trigger point injections (TPI) with or without anesthetic/corticosteroid may aid in relief of cervicogenic dtnsaey(ratnem headaches of muscular focus. Percutaneous electrical nerve ro eveileb ot sastimulation (PENs) with TPI may provide further benefit. enrperm etni ot Interventional procedures under fluoroscopic ho p tehptm tsuyrtsguidance ot Adaku include epidural corticosteroid U.cervical Nwachuku, DO, MBA riexhet sdrfao winjections ot for neck pain associated with pain radiating h CertifiedAsPhysical sti ro metsinto ys Board upper extremities. mentionedMedicine above diagnostic tacinummcervical oc medialand branch nerve blocks may provide short Rehabilitation benefit if the facet joints are the source and should c gniylrednterm ralimis u Board Certified Pain Medicine e s’efil yM be followed with therapeutic radiofrequency ablation/ Relievus /Advanced Spine and Pain for longer lasting relief of pain. ,tehrguroehfte,rtrhizotomy ca
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to ma Coping with y eat an Don’t alet... living, etc HOT FLASH choices in t aw Atlantic County Woman recently sat down with Dr. Nwachuku to DEPRESSIO and afforde learn more about this fascinating field of medicine. VAGINAL D But, in reg become the ‘n physicians manner. Trigger point injections with or without What are the most common types of must do an anesthetic/corticosteroid aid with myofascial Take to anxiety and even depression. When pain interferes with daily activities, it can rob a person of an important part of their life.
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pain conditions that you treat?
pain relief. Interventional procedures under You must legals fluoroscopic (X- ray) guidance are our mainstay The reality is Bio-Iden of spine pain treatment, are performed on an all pros and cons outpatient basis, and patients respond well. exercise this righ
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The most common complaint that patients present to the office is spine pain (neck, midback, and lower back). Of all the aforementioned, lower back pain with associated radiation into the lower extremities or what most term “sciatica” is the most common. Patients also present with muscular strains and joint pain.
g eromheadaches training toatrule New College of Osteopathic outYork any primary causes. a smotMedicine (NYCOM); Residency at Nassau
University Medical Center in East Meadow NY; J kraMand Fellowship at Rehab NY in Amherst, NY. She is a member of the American H Association of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) and International Society ofNwachuku, Interventional Spine. She has Adaku U. DO, MBA Board Certified to Physical contributed Oxford Handbrook of Medicine and Rehabilitation PM&R as well as Physical Medicine and Board Certified Pain Medicine Rehabilitation, Pocketpedia. Dr. Nwachuku is Relievus/Advanced Spine and Pain an advocate for proper nutrition and exercise, www.relievus.com and participates in annual medical mission trips to Nigeria. (ASAP) 888-985-2727
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Central Park East 222 New Road, Suite 102 oC ehTLinwood, NJ 08221 506 S. New York Road Galloway, NJ 08205
1125 Atlantic Ave., Suite 106 Atlantic City, NJ 08401 2 Eighth Street Hammonton, NJ 08037
treatments that are on the rise.
In this rapidly an active and int As an Interventional Pain Specialist, the goal and downright s or is to provide cutting edge treatment without ments in conven cutting, in other words, non-operative solutions A patient imba is plac for pain relief. Fluoroscopically (X-Ray) guidedmentary and Alt (estrog injections provide improved accuracy via to believe or trus menop visualization of bony landmarks in order to toas interpret a directly apply medication to the area causing the tosymptom trust the phar discomfort. The injections are performed on antoward theirdriv dru of sex outpatient basis with minimal recovery time. system or its pro Due to this technology, the appropriate patientcommunicate Unbe underlying cond selection and procedure, some patients don’t have similar to My life’s expe to proceed to spine surgery. referred to act, thought, the know the leastpa The most common treatment that is at some and misleading. performed is a lumbar epidural steroid injection
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What are some typical causes of these conditions?
Common musculoskeletal causes are inclusive but not limited to muscular strain, neck/ back injury from trauma such as “whiplash”, herniated disc, neural compromise (“pinched nerve /sciatica”), and degenerative changes due to advancing in age. Most of these elicit an inflammatory response/cycle that perpetuates a patient’s symptoms.
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am el eo htswtoank ***It is important to be evaluated by your primary care completed her medical idaelsim dphysician na Dr. Nwachuku or neurologist initially if you have
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What are some successful methods of treatment?
Depending on the acuity, severity, and cause of the symptoms the treatment may range from conservative to surgical management. At Relievus/ ASAP we focus on non-surgical treatments. It is always best to let nature take its course to allow the body to heal naturally but when that does not occur, patients present to the office with their ailments. Initially I would recommend an antiinflammatory or some sort of multi-modal oral therapy if warranted and able to be tolerated. Manual therapy like physical, chiropractic or massage aids in biomechanical return to function. Injections are an integral part of treatment of spine pain and are considered if a patient is not responding to therapy or medications in a timely
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which is indicated for a patient with lower back pain that radiates into the lower extremities withtoms affec the goal of interrupting the inflammatory cycle in order to promote the healing process. This Mark Jam type of symptom is usually caused by a displaced Horm disc that irritates the spinal nerve that is in close proximity. Previously patients received a series of three injections but due to the advancement of X-ray technology, improved accuracy, proper patient history, and physical exam sometimes only one injection is all that is needed.
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Dorsal column or spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is a pain treatment modality that is predicated to reduce frequency, duration, and intensity with which pain is felt by inhibition of pain pathways in the dorsal horn/spinal cord. The The Count outcomes for this procedure have been studied in those with
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