Southwest Florida's Health and Wellness Magazine Health and Wellness Articles
Nicolas Perez, M.D. – Korunda Pain Management Center
August is National Relaxation Month, but that can be difficult to do when you’re faced with daily lingering pain. One of the most widespread forms of chronic pain is low back pain.
Osteoarthritis is one of the most common causes of low back pain. As the spinal joints and discs break down, bony spurs may form. This can cause pressure on the nerves of the spine. Nerve pain will cause numbness, weakness, tingling in the arms, neck, and legs.
Adding relaxation techniques to ward off chronic lower back pain such as deep breathing exercises, guided imagery, or other activities as simple as taking a long warm bath, or getting a gentle massage may help lessen your pain and improve your overall emotional wellbeing.
When exercise, physical therapy, anti-inflammatories, pain medications, and other alternative treatments nosedive, patients should know that a minimally invasive procedure is commonly used to reduce back pain effectively.
Unlike traditional back surgery, which can be intimidating for many patients, a minimally invasive procedure using light sedation and local anesthesia called lumbar radiofrequency ablation is the answer that many individuals are waiting for to alleviate their back pain.
The nerve endings in our bodies are directly sensitized by neurotransmitters in the brain. This is how they communicate with us, letting us know that something is awry in our bodies. With lumbar radiofrequency ablation, the nerves from the painful spinal joints are treated with a low-level of localized heat, causing the nerve to stop sending pain signals to our brain through an interruption in the nerve conduction.
This procedure is completely safe and effective. It has been used for many years with long-lasting results for people suffering from back pain.
During the procedure, the patient will lie on their stomach, and the neck or spinal area will be treated with a pre-procedural antiseptic. The entire process is performed and monitored under fluoroscopy, which is a moving X-ray that is visible to the surgeon on a digital screen. The nerve endings from the painful joint are located through a probe that is inserted through a tiny needle into the spinal area. Once the nerve(s) are determined, a small-ablated lesion is created through the controlled heating of the probe through medium-frequency alternating current. This will reduce the pain signals to the brain, allowing the patient to be essentially pain-free. The entire procedure takes approximately 30-45 minutes, and patients can resume normal activities within a short period of time.
Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) can treat other areas in the body as well. It is commonly used for headaches, facial pain, complex regional pain syndrome, peripheral neuropathies, trigeminal neuralgia, disc denervation, stroke, neck pain, and knee pain.
Once your lower back pain has lessened, you will have time to relax and enjoy life pain-free once again.
Korunda Pain Management Center is a state of the art facility that specializes in the treatment of acute and chronic pain management. They provide the utmost quality care for their patients and provide for their pain management needs.
Nicolas Perez, M.D.
Dr. Perez uses a holistic and comprehensive approach to diagnose and treat painful conditions. With his background in physical medicine and rehabilitation, he performs a detailed physical exam and image review to get to the root of the issue. His treatment goal is to reduce pain and help his patients achieve maximal restoration of their functional status.
Utilizing ultrasound or fluoroscopic guidance, Dr. Perez treats a broad spectrum of pain syndromes including but not limited to neck and back pain, sciatica, herniated discs, arthritis, sacroiliac pain, joint pain, myofascial pain, neuropathy, complex regional pain syndrome, cancer-related pain, migraines, and spasticity. Dr. Perez has a strong focus on sports and musculoskeletal injuries.
Commonly performed procedures include epidural steroid injections, facet joint blocks, radiofrequency ablation, joint injections (shoulder, hip, knee, etc.), peripheral nerve blocks, spinal cord stimulation, trigger point injections, regenerative medicine, and many more.
At Korunda Pain Management Center, Their goal is to strive to deliver the highest quality of comprehensive care for those who are suffering from acute and chronic pain. They have many alternatives to help you with your personalized pain management needs. Please visit their website at www.korundapmc.com or call them at (239) 591-2803.
Korunda Pain
Management Center
239-591-2803
14131 Metropolis Ave. Ste 103
Ft. Myers, FL 33912
NAPLES
4513 Executive Drive
Naples, FL 34119
BONITA SPRINGS
26741 Dublin Woods Circle
Bonita Springs, FL 34135
