Chronic back pain may bother you from the moment you awake in the morning until you close your eyes to sleep at night. It never lets up and may even interrupt your sleep. Chronic pain changes your life. When other pain treatments have failed to deliver relief, consider an intrathecal pump from pain management New York City for continual pain relief delivered exactly where you need it.
Living with chronic pain can prevent you from getting a job or living a healthy life. An intrathecal pump is a medical device that’s implanted into your body, where it supplies you with small doses of medication over time. The pump delivers pain medication right into the area where you’re hurting. This treatment isn’t usually the first choice for treatment, since an implant requires minimally invasive surgery.
But every year, 74 million Americans complain of chronic pain. The most common complaint heard in medical practices like New York pain center is lower back pain. While conventional back pain injections — like a lumbar epidural steroid injection, spine facet injection or nerve block injection — reduce your chronic pain, sometimes the pain is so intense that an intrathecal pump is the better choice.
Reasons for Choosing the Intrathecal Pump
Sometimes, the pain escalates to other parts of your body, so if you get leg pain, ankle pain or pelvic pain that doesn’t go away in a few days, consult an injury doctor in New York. Tell him about any health issues you have, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease before getting the intrathecal pump. If you experience any heart-related issues or if you are seeing a cardiologist you need to provide the name of the cardiology practice and their contact information.
Who Can Get an Intrathecal Pump
Many chronic pain sufferers can benefit from an intrathecal pump, especially when other treatments have failed to control the pain. But you must qualify for the minimally invasive surgery. If you’re unsure whether a pump is a right decision for your particular case, ask your best pain management specialist NYC.
Because the medications work straightaway on your pain, you need quite a low dose. So even if you’re prone to opioid addiction, you can use an intrathecal pump as you only need one percent of the dose compared to oral medication. The pump works best for people who:
- Have chronic pain and have already tried other back pain treatments
- Have been diagnosed with cancer and your current medication no longer effectively numbs the pain
- Suffer from muscle stiffness and spasticity
How the Intrathecal Pump Works
The intrathecal pump is a small, round metal disc that fits in your abdomen, under your skin. It connects to a tube called a catheter that links the pump to the fluid-filled space that surrounds your spinal cord. The pump sends the medicine through the catheter to the source of your pain. The minimally invasive spine surgery required is safe when performed by NYC pain management doctors from a top pain clinic.
The pump measures the correct dosage every time, and it’s set to work at regular intervals. The device holds between 18 to 20 milliliters of medication, enough to last three to six months. You must refill the pump, but that’s a non-surgical procedure.
The pump has an alarm system to signal when it’s running low or there’s a battery problem. Your pain clinic specialist schedules regular checkups to fill the pump as needed, monitor your dosage and avoid problems. Your doctor checks in with you routinely to make sure you remain comfortable.
Getting an Intrathecal Pump
Depending on the reason for your chronic pain, your pain management doctors in NYC make recommendations for either a morphine pump or a baclofen pump. Cancer patients benefit from having a morphine pump while muscle spasticity has shown improvement with a baclofen pump. You can’t get a pump until your doctor examines you and diagnoses the cause of your chronic pain.
The best pain management doctor in New York does a thorough medical examination before recommending the right intrathecal pump. He has to take certain factors — like your weight and how much medication you need for your pain — into account while considering the intrathecal pump for you.
After Your Surgery
The surgery for the intrathecal pump lasts about an hour. You may feel some discomfort and swelling after the procedure. The best pain management specialist in Midtown Manhattan advises you on your aftercare to make sure your incision heals properly and your pump works as expected.
You have to learn how to take care of your intrathecal pump. Until your incision heals, you have some limitations on what you can and can’t do. After you heal, the pump may need to be adjusted to deliver the correct dosage. Both a morphine pump and a baclofen pump last between five and seven years.
Living with chronic pain limits your quality of life. It’s always on your mind as you go through your day. Why suffer when an intrathecal pump can deliver a constant supply of pain medication right to your spine? Contact Pain Management NYC to see if a pump is the best answer for your pain.
Leon Reyfman, MD, is a top-rated, best-in-class interventional pain management doctor. He is a nationally recognized pain relief specialist and is among the top pain care doctors in New York City and the country. He is an award-winning expert and contributor to prominent media outlets.
Dr. Leon Reyfman has been recognized for his thoughtful, thorough, modern approach to treating chronic pain. He has been named a “top pain management doctor in New York” and one of “America’s Top Doctors™” for advanced sports injury treatments. Among other accolades, he was voted by peers as a “Castle Connolly Top Doctors™” and “New York Super Doctors™”. Dr. Leon Reyfman was a part of the medical team at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.