July 2021 - Texas Pain Physicians

Is Therapeutic Nerve Block A Pain Treatment for You? 7 “Need to Knows”

Maybe your pain medication isn’t working anymore. Maybe you got tired of the side effects and stopped taking it. Or maybe you don’t want to take pain meds at all.

Whatever the case, you need pain relief ASAP. A therapeutic nerve block may be the answer.

Here are 7 things to know about therapeutic nerve blocks:

1. What they are.

A pain-relief and healing therapy doctors employ as an alternative to pain medication. Therapeutic nerve blockers provide extended pain relief and assist the body’s healing process by reducing nerve irritation.

2. What areas of the body they can treat:

head: forehead, face, eyelids, scalp, upper jaw
neck (all of the neck)
back: middle back, lower back, upper back, pelvis
arms: shoulders, armpits, arms, elbows, wrists
hands (all of the hands)

3. What types of pain do therapeutic nerve blocks treat?

Arthritis pain or pain from injury:

Steroid injections with local anesthetic into the facet joints or vertebrae to help treat joint pain.

Childbirth, neck, back, or leg pain:

Steroid or other medication and local anesthetic injected into the epidural area are known as ‘epidurals.’ These injections are often used during labor to ease the pain of childbirth. They are also used to treat severe nerve pain in the neck, back, and legs.

For buttocks, lower back, and upper leg pain:

Steroid and local anesthetic injections into the sacroiliac joint, the area between the pelvic bones in the lower back.

For arthritis pain in the shoulder:

Steroid and anesthetic injections in the suprascapular area of the shoulder. They treat arthritis pain in the shoulder that isn’t treatable with direct, in-joint injections.

For chronic headaches:

Steroid and local anesthetic injections into the occipital nerves in the back of the head to relieve headaches and other types of nerve pain.

4. How long they relieve pain.

The pain relief from nerve block injections typically lasts from 1 to 2 weeks.

Doctors may recommend several or more injections when you face an extended recovery time from injury or need to buy time while looking for a permanent pain management solution.

5. What the procedure is like.

Nerve block procedures are performed on an outpatient basis and should take less than 30 minutes.

An anesthetic and anti-inflammatory or steroid are injected near the nerves sending pain signals to the brain.

Pain Management in Texas

At Texas Pain Physicians, our board-certified pain management doctors will address your pain at the source. They will map out a unique pain treatment strategy for you.

Please call us today at (972) 636-5727 or click here to schedule an appointment.

How to Stop Night Cramps in Your Legs

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Being jolted out of a peaceful slumber by the intense pain and discomfort of leg cramps is shocking.

More often than not, leg cramps or muscle spasms hit the calf muscles (calf muscle cramps are sometimes referred to as “charley horses”). But cramps hit the front and back of the thigh muscles, too.

Here’s how to stop, or at least cut down on night leg cramps.

1. Stretch your legs.

Unstretched muscles may be more prone to cramping, especially for people over 50, who report more nighttime leg cramps than younger people. This is likely due to muscles shortening with age.

If you have a few free minutes, loosen up your calf, hamstring, and quad muscles with some stretches during the day or before bed.

2. Be as active as possible.

Underused muscles may be more prone to cramping.

Work, school, and other obligations keep us on tight schedules. But getting in a bit of exercise in your free moments during the week may keep the cramps away.

If you only have time at night, try to do some light exercise just before bed, along with your stretching. Just make sure not to overdo it. Overstimulating muscles causes muscles fatigue, which can cause leg cramps.

3. Stay hydrated and replenish electrolytes.

Experts think dehydration can cause cramps. Try to drink at least eight 8 ounce glasses of water a day.

When you sweat from exercise or any strenuous activity, drink extra water and eat something healthy to replenish electrolytes.

Healthy foods and drinks like bananas, watermelon, milk and yogurt, and coconut water can help restore your electrolyte balance.

Also, try to avoid having too many drinks that contribute to dehydration and electrolyte imbalance, such as coffee and alcoholic beverages.

4. Take a warm shower or apply heat before bed.

Sore, tired leg muscles are more prone to cramping. Taking a warm or hot shower or applying heat to them before bed can loosen and relax muscles and prevent night cramps.

5. Loosen your bedding.

If your sheets are tucked in so that your feet and legs can’t move freely, they are too tight. Loosen your bedding so that you can stretch out and shift comfortably.

6. Wear comfortable or orthopedic shoes.

Go easy on your legs by wearing comfortable shoes or even orthopedic shoes when you can. When your shoes don’t provide arch support, your leg muscles compensate, leading to muscle fatigue and cramps.

Pain Management at Texas Pain Physicians

Do you or someone you know have nighttime leg cramps? Would you like to schedule an appointment with a top-rated, board-certified pain management specialist? Please get in touch with us today at (972) 636-5727.

7 Ways to Stop and Shorten Sciatica Flare Ups

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The last thing you want is another extended bout of sciatica.

Put these 7 tips to use to cut down on and lessen the severity of flare-ups (in order of easiest to do):

1. Take meds (for fast relief).

If you are suffering a sciatica flare-up, you want immediate relief. These meds can help:

Acetaminophen and NSAIDs: Pain relievers such as Tylenol and Naproxen and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory meds such as ibuprofen and aspirin can provide immediate, short-term relief.
Muscle relaxers: When the underlying cause of your sciatica is muscle spasms, muscle relaxers such as carisoprodol and cyclobenzaprine can provide relief.
Tricyclic antidepressants: Doctors prescribe the anti-depressants amitriptyline and nortriptyline to reduce nerve pain. They are prescribed at lower doses than when used for depression.
Steroids: The oral steroid prednisone provides pain relief by reducing inflammation.

*Please note that all of the above medications have certain side effects. Talk to your doctor before taking them to relieve sciatica.

2. Apply heat and cold.

Applying a cold compress or ice pack to the painful area for 15 to 20 minutes can relieve pain quickly by reducing inflammation.

A heat compress or pack can also relieve pain by increasing circulation and loosening up tight muscles.

3. Don’t sit too much.

Putting pressure on your sciatic nerve for extended periods can lead to sciatic pain. Whether sitting at your desk at work, in a car or plane on a trip, or at a restaurant chatting up friends, remember to get up and walk around for a few minutes now and then.

Also, remember to take your wallet and other objects out of your back pockets when you sit down. They add pressure to the sciatic nerve.

4. Improve your posture.

Poor posture can make sciatic pain worse. When standing and sitting, make sure your back is straight, and your shoulders are back. The idea is to feel tall when standing or sitting.

5. Stretch.

The sciatic nerve runs through your hips, buttocks, and hamstrings. Tight ligaments and muscles in these areas can contribute to sciatic pain.

Stretching these areas keeps the muscles and ligaments loose, which can stop and lessen the pain.

6. Diet and exercise.

Carrying around excess body weight puts added pressure on your sciatic nerve. Dieting can help you shed pounds and maintain a healthy weight.

A non-active lifestyle with a lot of sitting contributes to sciatica. In contrast, an active lifestyle with a lot of movement lessens or even eliminates the pain.

You don’t have to be an Olympic athlete, but incorporating some safe exercise, sports, or outdoor activities into your daily routine can make a big difference.

7. Cut down on stress.

When you are stressed out, your brain supplies less oxygen to your nerves, including the sciatic nerve. Oxygen-starved sciatic nerves are more likely to produce pain.

Visit the Texas Pain Management Specialists

At Texas Pain Physicians, our board-certified pain management doctors know how to manage sciatica. Let us review your unique health situation and develop a pain relief plan that works for you.

Schedule an appointment online today, or give us a call at (972) 636-5727.

5 Ways to Get Rid of Tennis Elbow Pain

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Tennis elbow or elbow tendonitis is an overuse injury caused by repetitive activities, such as:

sports like tennis and racquetball
exercising and weightlifting
hands-on jobs such as carpentry and office jobs that involve typing and talking on the phone
yardwork such as raking and shoveling, and knitting

The main symptom is pain in the bony knob outside your elbow and pain in the upper and lower or forearm. You feel this pain when you use your hands for things like gripping objects and typing.

Here are five easy ways to get some pain relief:

1. Change your routine.

For athletes, this could mean changing up the exercise and or weightlifting routine. Cycle different exercises so that you don’t do the same movement over and over for months.

If a job is causing your tennis elbow, think about how you can change your work area, tools, and habits.

For carpenters, this could mean hiring a helper, using more power tools that don’t require as much hand manipulation, or taking an extra day of rest per week.

For office workers, this could mean trading work tasks and rearranging your work area so that it’s more ergonomic.

2. Get plenty of rest.

Sometimes less is more.

If you are an athlete or play sports often, resting your injured arm is great medicine. Take at least a few days off and allow your elbow tendons to start healing.

Taking time off from work may be harder. For carpenters and other skilled trade workers, this might mean hiring a helper to take some of the physical labor off your plate or taking an extra day off per week.

For paid employees, if you visit your doctor and are diagnosed with elbow tendonitis related to work, you should be able to take time off that doesn’t count against your allotted vacation time.

If you can’t take time off, try to rest your injured arm on your off days.

3. Apply a cold compress.

When your tennis elbow starts, apply an ice pack wrapped in cloth or cold compress as soon as possible for 10 to 15 minutes several times a day. Cold compresses reduce inflammation.

4. Elevate your arm.

Raising and resting your elbow at a level above your heart several times a day will reduce inflammation.

5. Wear a brace.

It’s often not practical to miss practices if you are a full-time athlete or miss workdays when you are a full-time employee. But you can wear a counterforce brace as much as possible.

These special braces reduce the pressure on your elbow muscles and tendons. You can find these online, at pharmacy stores, and in grocery stores in the pharmacy sections.

Tennis Elbow Treatment in Houston, Dallas, and Throughout Texas

At Texas Pain Physicians, our number one priority is to improve the quality of life of our patients. We have helped thousands of people get back to what they need and love to do.

We offer quick access to accurate diagnosis and comprehensive treatment. Call us today at (972) 636-5727 to book an appointment.

Planning Some Outdoor Summer Fun? 5 Injury-Related Tips

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According to the CDC, the leading cause of death for people ages 1-44 in the U.S. is unintentional injury.

And during the summer, people of every age group are outdoors and more active.

Here are some tips for preventing and managing common injuries that happen during popular activities.

1. Picnic and Hiking Injuries

Picnicking and hiking are two of the top three favorite summer activities for Americans (according to a 2016 study by the National Recreation and Park Association).

And they account for a significant annual share of visits to the doctor and emergency room for various injuries.

It’s likely someone will suffer an injury like a broken or sprained ankle on a hiking or camping trip. Team sports like dodgeball, volleyball, and softball are popular picnic activities.

Injury Prevention and Management

To reduce the risk of common impact, flesh, and musculoskeletal injuries, use standard safety equipment, observe and enforce safety rules, and warm up with light jogging and stretching beforehand.

On hikes and camping trips far from cars and modern life, pack foldable crutches and walking sticks or canes.

And if there’s extra room, pack a litter or drag. This blanket-like device can be a lifesaver when someone is seriously injured and unable to walk at all.

2. Cycling Injuries

Cyclists, beware.

Traumatic brain injury is a leading cause of death in the United States. Though cycling is popular, helmet laws for cycling are not. And where helmet laws are in effect, many cyclists don’t comply.

Cycling accounts for almost 20% of the sports-related head injuries treated at US hospital emergency rooms in 2018.

The Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute suggests wearing a helmet can reduce the risk of head and neck injury by up to 88%.

Injury Prevention and Management

Concussions can be fatal and have long-term effects, and early evaluation and treatment are critical.

When someone falls from a bike and hits their head, they should seek medical attention as soon as possible. Even when they think they’re ok.

3. Swimming Injuries

Musculoskeletal injuries like swimmer’s shoulder are common in swimming.

Though a much rarer injury than swimmer’s shoulder, diving into the water is one of the leading annual causes of spinal cord injuries.

Injury Prevention

Characterized by inflammation of the shoulder tendons, it develops as swimmers repeatedly raise their arms in a crawl stroke (a stroke people commonly call ‘freestyle’). Varying swimming styles can help prevent swimmer’s shoulder.

To prevent injuries from diving, always supervise children and verify that water depth is a minimum of eight feet.

4. Water Sports Injuries

Riding on boats and jet skis can be thrilling but also dangerous. Common watercraft injuries include:

Brain trauma from oxygen deprivation from being underwater too long and from impact from a collision with another boat or watercraft.

Spinal cord injuries from impact during boat and jet ski collisions and hitting fixed objects.

Spinal compression from absorbing the impact of watercraft bouncing on waves.

Whiplash from impacts during boat accidents.

Injury Prevention To lessen the chances of injury while operating a watercraft, use all required safety gear, including life jackets and helmets, and follow all relevant maritime laws at all times.

5. Playground Injuries

The most common playground injuries include:

concussions
internal organ injuries
broken bones and dislocations
strains and sprains

Falls are the leading cause of playground-related emergency room visits. Children fall when they lose their grips on merry-go-rounds, swings, monkey bars, slides, and seesaws.

Children can also fall when they lose their grip or balance due to loose clothing and clothing with drawstrings.