Tag: living with chronic pain

Living with chronic pain is overwhelming. We learn quickly to do whatever it takes to avoid pain. Can’t walk more than a few yards? Then only walk a few feet before resting. Can’t bend down to pick something up off the floor? Then leave it or use a device to help. Struggle with stairs? Never use… Continue reading Graded Exposure Therapy

Ever felt an uncontrollable urge to move your legs or arms? Usually the legs, at night, when you’re trying to sleep? Maybe not because of pain, per se, but just an uncomfortable feeling often described as a crawling, pulling, throbbing, aching, itchy feeling deep in the limbs not on the skin, that won’t stop until… Continue reading Restless Leg Syndrome

When all else has failed and chronic pain persists many have turned to a spinal cord stimulator. This is a medical device that has thin wire electrodes attached to a battery pack. The electrodes are placed between the spinal cord and veterbral body where the pain begins. The battery is usually tucked into a skin… Continue reading Spinal Cord Stimulation

Radio frequency ablation (RFA), also called rhizotomy, is a relatively new treatment to control chronic pain. It is a non-surgical procedure that utilizes the thermal energy or heat produced by radio frequency waves to destroy nerve tissue and disrupt the pain signals they send to the brain. The radio frequency is sent through a needle… Continue reading Radio Frequency Ablation

An EMG (electromyogram) is a diagnostic study that helps to assess muscle function. A NCV (nerve conduction velocity) test usually accompanies the EMG in order to assess how well the nerves that control their activity are functioning. An EMG/NCV can be valuable tools in delineating a variety of muscle and/or nerve disorders as well as… Continue reading EMG & NCV Studies