Published on Thursday, September 1, 2005

SIMPLE PROCEDURE ALLEVIATES BACK PAIN

By Hannah Draeger Ross
For The Sun News/"Vitality" Health Magazine


'Most of the trouble starts when the patient starts relying on pain medication or other prescriptions or shots", states Dr. Jason Rosenberg, interventional pain management specialist and neurologist in Murrells Inlet .

In an age before television, contact lenses or credit cards, a person with a so-called bad back often endured chronic pain, surgery and traction. Serious disc problems could leave a person in a wheelchair or completely bedridden.

The dawn of the age of magnetic resonance imaging and micro surgical procedures signaled the beginning of the age of pain management.

Space-age titanium instruments were invented to take the place of invasive operations. Medical instrument companies patented devices designed to improve on procedures. Doctors were trained in using the latest approved instruments while they were still in medical school.

The new technological advances are evident on the Grand Strand.

Dr. Jason Rosenberg, interventional pain management specialist and neurologist in Murrells Inlet, has joined other physicians in offering his patients alternative therapy for lumbar injuries and disc degeneration that occur with aging.

"I actually try to find ways to avoid surgery if possible," he said. "I ask my patients to bring in their X-rays, MRI films and reports along with their medications, and then I evaluate their condition. I always start with asking them to provide information on the things they have tried in the past. I let them look at the X-rays with me and try to show them what I see."

"Is it just your leg, or does it go up into your lower back area?" he asks a new patient during an evaluation.

"Most of the trouble starts when the patient starts relying on pain medication or other prescriptions or shots," he said.

Rosenberg tries many therapeutic methods and, if necessary, will refer patients for surgery. But his pattern is always the same: First try the least-invasive approach.

If these steps fail to relieve the patient's pain, he may suggest a Percutaneous Micro Discetomy for the treatment of pain due to contained disc herniations and radical leg pain (sciatica).

A "slipped" or bulging disc may be alleviated using this procedure, which works similar to letting air out of a tire. Less air in a tire equates to less pressure. A precision instrument takes out the material causing the bulge in a disc, and the pressure decreases.

Watching this procedure is similar to watching an episode from a movie about the future, with high-tech lighting and a movable fluoroscope that provides multiple live screen images.

The patient is not under anesthesia; mild sedation and the use of lidocaine numb the targeted area. Numerous images are taken, and the doctor refers to the photos and live screen to perform the procedure.

The entire event is stitchless and leaves the patient with only a tiny puncture mark that requires a Band-Aid. The threat of infection is minimal as there is no open wound.

"How are we doing, Ms. Hinson?" the doctor says. "You might feel a little pressure, but that's all."

Patient Barbara Hinson reassures him that she is fine.

"She lifted something, and her lower back and leg were affected," Rosenberg said as he adjusted the instrument over her back.

Hinson, who was referred by her chiropractor in Conway, had no hesitation in trying out the new method of treatment.

"Nothing worked," she said. "I have been miserable since May. I tried everything. I heard about this and said, 'What do I have to lose but the pain?'"

Rosenberg, who is associated with Waccamaw Community Hospital, has used the Stryker Dekompressoror more than 40 times.

This hand-held instrument penetrates the soft center of the disc and vacuums out the excess material. It resembles a small battery-operated drill and weighs a few ounces.

No surgery is required. After the procedure, the doctor exited the room and lifted his surgical mask to reveal a big smile.

"What did I tell you?" he asked. "It's really amazing."

Once the bulging material was removed, the patient started to feel immediate relief from back and nerve pain.

The entire procedure takes less than 20 minutes.

The patient walked into his office for a check-up the next day and said she was feeling much better already.

A few weeks of light-duty precautions and a simple back brace should complete the entire recovery process. Neck and back exercises will strengthen the weakened area to develop better muscles and prevent further injuries. No medication, no restrictions, no fear of building up scar tissue.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved this type of therapy since the 1960s.

Not everyone is a candidate for a discectomy. Pregnant women cannot have the procedure and patients with certain diseases involving the bladder and liver also are excluded.


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Contact freelance writer HANNAH DRAEGER ROSS
at hannahd@mindspring.com or 450-2690.

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© 2005 The Sun News and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com

Published on Thursday, September 1, 2005