We all experience some aches and pains from time to time. But 50 million Americans experience chronic pain. How do you know when pain requires medical attention?

What is chronic pain?

“Chronic pain is typically defined as pain that has been present for three months or longer,” says Daniel Verrill, MD, an interventional pain management specialist. “Signs of chronic pain can be associated with lack of function, changes in activity, neurological symptoms including decreased sensation, pins and needs sensation, or weakness. When pain is associated with signs of weakness, fevers, or unexplained weight loss, immediate medical attention should be sought. This could be a sign of a serious underlying condition.”

Dr. Verrill commonly sees patients with pain in the neck, back, lower back, legs, knees, arms, and feet. “My job is to focus on interventions that can help alleviate chronic pain,” says Dr. Verrill. “There is a wide range of pain management options available that don’t involve opioids. Part of what I do is educate patients on their options.”

Finding relief

Dr. Verrill explains that there are multiple minimally invasive interventional strategies he uses to help patients find pain relief. Some of these include:

Epidural steroid injections

One of the most common pain management options is steroid injections. In an epidural steroid injection, the doctor places a needle between the spine bones in the epidural space to inject steroid medications around irritated nerves and disks in the spine. This injection helps to manage pain by reducing inflammation and decreasing abnormal nerve firing.

Radiofrequency ablations

“We can burn the lining of the nerves that carry pain signals from certain joints, including the knee and the joints of the spine, to interrupt the signal from getting to the brain,” Dr. Verrill explains. “This can be done for patients even after knee replacement.”

Neuromodulation

“Neuromodulation allows us to change how the body signals pain,” says. Dr. Verrill. There are different stimulators, such as spinal cord stimulators, DRG stimulators, and peripheral nerve stimulators.

Stimulators involve two steps. “We start with temporary stimulator leads attached to an external battery,” Dr. Verrill says. “After five to seven days, the temporary leads are removed, and the patient and I decide together on whether to pursue a permanent stimulator.” Permanent placement involves a small surgery to insert the leads of the stimulator and a permanent battery.

“There is a lot of customizability with this option,” he says. “We can change the stimulation pattern to change the sensation felt by the patient, which allows us to customize the results for each patient and their unique pain. It can be a great long-term solution for many debilitating pain conditions.”

Dr. Verrill shares that one patient with a DRG stimulator implantation for diabetic neuropathy had a 95% improvement in their pain. “Neuromodulation is best for patients who suffer from nerve pain,” he says. “Good candidates include patients who have pain after spine surgery or chronic nerve pain from peripheral nerves due to diabetes, chemotherapy, or a damaged spine.”

Keep moving

“Pain prevention will vary from person to person, but regular physical activity is really important,” Dr. Verrill says.

Often, people who are in pain will tend to reduce physical activity. “But the more you move, the less you will hurt,” says. Dr. Verrill. He also shares that maintaining a healthy weight is a key factor in pain prevention. For every pound of extra weight, the joints take on five pounds of pressure, so even small weight changes can have a positive impact.

“There are several factors that go into successful pain management,” says Dr. Verrill. “I work closely with patients to help identify their pain, develop a plan, and help them understand what treatments will help them manage pain best.”

Get your life back

To learn more about pain management treatment options, contact the Kettering Health Brain & Spine team at 1-855-786-2649.