Jonathan Aarons M.D.

Tired of Chronic Pain?

Stem Cells and Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) in the Treatment of Chronic Pain

By Jonathan Aarons MD | Pain Management Comments and tagged , | Published August 18, 2019
STEM CELL AND PRP FOR TREATMENT OF CHRONIC PAIN

Stem cells and Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) are a new and innovative modality for the treatment of chronic pain. A short blog will not do the subject justice. However, I will try to communicate the basics.

Stem cells are the progenitor cell for almost every cell in the body. They are derived from bone marrow and can become almost any cell in the body. They are responsible for everyday tissue remodeling and turnover.

The majority of cells in the blood are red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. Platelet rich plasma (PRP) is plasma with a high concentration of platelets. Although platelets are known for their effect on clotting, they also contain hundreds of proteins called growth factors which aid in healing.

Both stem cells and PRP are used to promote healing. Stem cells are usually taken from an area of high concentration, like your hip bone, and injected into an area where healing is occurring from an injury. PRP is derived from the blood, which is taken from a vein, put through a centrifuge to concentrate the platelets, and injected into the area of pain and injury.

Both stem cells and PRP promote healing. PRP contains many growth factors that can promote healing and decrease pain. Stem cells may have the ability to generate healthy cells to replace diseased cells.

Although this is a new and exciting area, many of these stem cell and PRP therapies are not covered by insurance. Many uses of stem cells are unproven and may be unsafe if used inappropriately. It is important to do your own research before undertaking this therapy.

What kinds of problems can be treated with stem cells and PRP? There are many including back pain, achilles tendon tear, shoulder rotator cuff tear, hip osteoarthritis, sacroiliac disease. It may take 3 weeks to 3 months after this therapy to see the full result. There is research ongoing as to the uses of stem cell and PRP. No guarantee can be given as to how effective this is. As with any procedure, the results are variable and depend on the patient and the severity of injury.

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Pain After Breast Cancer Surgery

By Jonathan Aarons MD | Pain Management Comments and tagged , , | Published August 11, 2019
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Pain After Breast Cancer Surgery

A significant number of women report pain after breast cancer surgery. This pain can be in the area of the breast, chest wall or arm. Risk factors for post surgical pain include younger age, preoperative pain, anxiety, depression and the surgical approach.

The cause of persistent pain after breast cancer surgery can be multi-factorial. Nerve injury can occur during surgery. Phantom breast pain, which is the sensation of residual breast tissue with painful or non-painful symptoms, has been known to be a complication. Injury can occur to the intercostobrachial nerve causing pain along the medial and upper arm. Neuromas can lead to pain along the scar.

Reducing pain after breast cancer surgery can be accomplished. Preoperative nerve blocks can be used to decrease pain both during and before surgery. These nerve blocks may reduce the need for narcotics and thereby decrease post-operative nausea and speed recovery as well.

Furthermore, several other modalities have been used to decrease pain after breast cancer surgery. These include medications such as gabapentin, mexilitene, venlafaxine, EMLA and dexamethasone.

Non-pharmacologic approaches can also be used. These include exercise, physical therapy, TENS, and accupuncture.

In conclusion, pain after breast cancer surgery is an ongoing problem. Several strategies can be used to mitigate this pain. These strategies are particularly important in those patients with higher risk including those with pre-procedural pain. It is likely that a combination of nerve blocks, medications and non-pharmacologic therapies can be useful in decreasing this painful problem.

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Fibromyalgia

By Jonathan Aarons MD | Pain Management Comments | Published August 4, 2019

Fibromyalgia is an abnormal condition causing widespread pain, fatigue, mood disorders and cognitive dysfunction. The pain can be described as stabbing, shooting, and throbbing with muscular aches. Patients with fibromyalgia often have fatigue, difficulty sleeping and sensitivity to touch, light and noise. These patients often have other associated problems such as headaches, irritable bowel, restless leg and temporomadibular joint dysfunction (TMJ).

No one knows what actually causes fibromyalgia but a combination of environmental and genetic factors have been proposed. An inflammatory model of disease has been studied. Changes in the central nervous system have been previously documented but their cause is unknown.

The American College of Rheumatology adopted criteria for the diagnosis of fibromyalgia which includes widespread pain for at least 3 months and the presence of pain at 11 of 19 predetermined tender points on the body. Fibromyalgia can also be diagnosed using the Widespread Pain Index (WPI) and Symptom Severity (SS) Scale. It can also be further divided into Type A and Type B using these indices. Treatment of fibromyalgia is multi-modal. Treatment includes psychological and social interventions. Medications for treatment include pregabalin(Lyrica), duloxetine (Cymbalta) and milnacipran(Savella). Each medication has its own mechanism of action and side effect profile.

Other treatments include cognitive behavioral therapy, acupuncture, and biofeedback. Physical deconditioning is a problem and physical therapy is an important component of treatment.

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Pain Management in Burn Patients

By Jonathan Aarons MD | Pain Management Comments and tagged , , | Published July 27, 2019

Burn patients endure some of the most intense pain, not only during injury but in recovery as well. Damage to the receptors for pain in the skin occurs immediately. Nerve endings which are exposed but not injured also cause pain. There is an increased sensitivity to painful stimuli ( hyperalgesia) that occurs. There is also a secondary hyperalgesia in adjacent tissue that is not injured.

There are several types of pain that a burn patient experiences; Background pain which is constant, Procedural pain during operations and debridement, Post-operative pain after procedures. Opioids are the mainstay of pain control. Tolerance to these agents can occur due to prolonged use. Additionally, there is an entity called opioid induced hyperalgesia (OIH) that causes increased pain with increasing doses of narcotics.

Non-opioids such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDS), acetaminophen and gabapentinoids (lyrica and gabapentin) can be used as adjunctive agents. They may decrease the dose of narcotics necessary to provide pain relief, limit tolerance and OIH.

Pain management in burn patients undergoing procedures can involve general anesthesia or other intravenous agents such as ketamine. IV propofol and remifentanil, two potent agents can be used as well. Topical and intravenous lidocaine has been reported to be useful in the treatment of pain in burn patients.

Non-pharmacologic techniques have been used in the management of pain in the burn patient as well. These include hypnosis, cognitive behavioral therapy, and distraction.

Managing the pain in burn patients is a challenging issue. Multi-modal therapy using all the techniques described above may be needed. Each modality has its benefits, side effects and risks. A thorough knowledge of all of these modalities is key to effective treatment.

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The Treatment of Chronic Pain with Acupuncture

By Jonathan Aarons MD | Pain Management Comments | Published July 18, 2019

Acupuncture may be beneficial in the treatment of chronic pain. Acupuncture has been practiced for over 3000 years. The NIH produced a consensus statement in 1977 on acupuncture. It supported its efficacy for the treatment of pain and nausea and vomiting. A later 2012 finding by the NIH supported its use for neck and back pain, osteoarthritis and headache.

In acupuncture, disease is thought to originate from a disturbance in the balance of the flow of energy in the body or qi (pronounced chee). Acupuncture points can be stimulated to correct this imbalance. Needles are inserted along meridians in the body. Techniques include dry needling, electroacupuncture and heat stimulation. Acupuncture has been associated with the release of morphine like substances in the body ( endorphins).

In 2003, the WHO released a statement endorsing acupuncture for 28 conditions for which it has been studied and proven effective. Low back pain, knee osteoarthritis and headache are areas which seem to be helped by acupuncture.

Although usually safe, the treatment of chronic pain with acupuncture may have complications. These include disease transmission through the needle, nerve damage, pneumothorax, organ puncture, bleeding and infection among others.

In conclusion, the treatment of chronic pain with acupuncture is a useful adjunct to current therapy. Choosing a practitioner with adequate credentials, skill level and licensing is critical. Even though acupuncture may be useful in a variety of painful conditions, it is not a substitute for traditional medical evaluation and treatment. The addition of acupuncture for the treatment of chronic pain to any regimen should be discussed with your doctor or specialist.

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