Franklin Pain and Wellness Center

Osteoporosis is the most common type of bone disease which affects 1 out of 5 American women over the age of 50 throughout the US. Weakened, highly breakable bones are a sign of osteoporosis. It is a common problem that develops as people live into their 70s and beyond.

Osteoporosis occurs when the body fails to form enough new bone, or when too much calcium and phosphate are reabsorbed back into the body from existing bones. This results in frail and breakable bones even without injury and the condition is extremely painful.

Each year an estimated 1.4 million people worldwide suffer a spinal fracture. Most often these fractures are caused by osteoporosis.

There are really no symptoms of osteoporosis early on, however symptoms occurring late in the disease include bone pain, bone fracture without injury, loss of height, low back pain, neck pain, and stooped posture.

Left untreated, spinal fractures can cause pain and limit one’s ability to perform simple activities, which can lead to a diminished quality of life. Multiple fractures can also result in height loss, a hunched back and other physical problems. Kyphoplasty is a minimally-invasive procedure which treats spinal fractures caused by osteoporosis. It is designed to provide rapid back pain relief and help straighten the spine.

For information on Kyphoplasty procedure, contact The Franklin Pain Center and Wellness Center.

One of the complaints of pain patients is that they are misunderstood. They feel like a burden to their friends and family, or that people don’t believe the pain they are experiencing is real. At the Franklin Pain Center the entire staff is trained and dedicated to pain patients.

Often, pain is hard to describe and can be frustrating. At the Franklin Pain and Wellness Center, the doctors take the time to listen to the patients’ concerns. We also understand how important it is to communicate with other specialists the patient has been seen by, in order to collect a full medical history. This helps with pain diagnosis and treatment planning.

If you feel frustrated about your pain situation, call the specialists at The Franklin Pain and Wellness Center to schedule an evaluation. Call 508-507-8818 or e-mail staff@franklinpaincenter.com.

Would you like to better manage your chronic pain condition, decrease your pain, decrease you doctors' visits, and enjoy life more? Many people who suffer from chronic pain wish others around them understood more what it means to suffer from chronic pain.

Unfortunately, there is a stigma and there are challenges to living with chronic pain, and many studies support that theory.

One study in particular shows that many people who experience chronic pain feel their condition is misunderstood by society and sometimes by healthcare professionals as well.

Chronic pain can be a result of arthritis, cancer, fibromyalgia and multiple sclerosis to other musculoskeletal pain disorders and is a complex condition to treat.
 
Chronic pain suffers say that other people sometimes doubt the reality of their pain.  Many suffers agree that chronic pain is also used as an excuse for people who don't want to work, therefore making their situations less sympathetic.
 
Because chronic pain is an invisible disability, there is a stigma attached to it. Often people don’t understand that others are suffering from pain because it cannot be seen. Chronic pain has a severe impact on quality of life, day-to-day tasks, holding down jobs, or even getting a good night's sleep. For many the struggle of living with chronic pain continues to be unrecognized. Many with chronic pain have a hard time exercising or enjoying leisure activities as well.
 
The survey also revealed that suffers of chronic pain who seek narcotic pain treatment are dissatisfied or somewhat dissatisfied with the treatment they’re receiving.

For a non narcotic treatment plan for chronic pain that is custom designed for you, contact Franklin Pain and Wellness Center and get on with your life.

Excerpts about study from Scoop Health

A recent article in The New York Times titled “Living With Pain That Just Won’t Go Away” states “Pain, especially pain that doesn't quit, changes a person. And rarely for the better. The initial reaction to serious pain is usually fear (what is wrong with me, and is it curable?), but pain that fails to respond to treatment leads to anxiety, depression, anger and irritability.”

Unfortunately, this is often true and as demand for pain management grows, pain specialists like the ones at The Franklin Pain and Wellness Center are constantly updating themselves on the latest technologies and methods to help patients manage their pain. Procedures like Kyphoplasty or Spinal Cord Stimulation are high-tech options that have brought several patients relief.

One patient states “I can’t say enough about the Kyphoplasty procedure and how it helped me, and I can’t thank Dr. Shwartzman enough for his expertise and how much he has helped me”. These types of results are not uncommon at The Franklin Pain and Wellness Center, so if you feel that you or someone you know could benefit from the state-of-the-art care that The Franklin Pain and Wellness Center team can offer, call us at (508) 507-8818 or e-mail us at staff@franklinpaincenter.com to set up your evaluation.

Nearly two decades after federal guidelines called for more aggressive treatment of pain associated with cancer, millions of Americans with the disease still suffer unnecessarily because their pain is not being managed adequately, according to a new study.

The study, led by researchers at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, found that a third of cancer patients and survivors have untreated or undertreated pain, an improvement from 18 years ago but still far short.

The study, which was published this week, is the largest-ever evaluation of the treatment of pain in cancer patients and survivors in an outpatient setting.

The new study did not investigate why cancer patients' pain is still not adequately treated. Common reasons include patients' fear of narcotics and their lack of understanding of non-narcotic pain treatment. Some doctors don't understand the extent of some patients' pain.

The study enrolled more than 3,000 people with invasive breast, prostate, colon and lung cancer and at risk for pain at 38 institutions across the country. They included patients in active treatment and survivors seeing doctors for follow-up appointments. Most were being treated by oncologists, not pain specialists.

The researchers found that significant pain was an issue in two-thirds of patients and that 67% of them were receiving adequate treatment. Twenty percent of those reporting severe pain were not receiving any pain treatment, and 13% were receiving ineffective pain treatment.

The study included patients whose pain was caused by their cancer, by the treatment for their cancer or by illnesses they brought to their cancer care.

The study shows how complicated pain management and pain management education can be in cancer patients. For an evaluation and a customized, non narcotic pain treatment plan, contact Franklin Pain Wellness Center.

Leg pain is a common complaint. The goal of the pain specialist is to pinpoint the source of the leg pain and then determine the best treatment plan for that leg pain. At the Franklin Pain and Wellness Center, a pain specialist will first do a full examination and review of your medical history. If needed, the pain specialist will collaborate with other physicians to obtain as much information about your specific case as possible.

Followed by the initial evaluation and diagnosis, the pain specialist will recommend a procedure. A common procedure for leg pain is Spinal Cord Stimulation. Spinal Cord Stimulation uses a small implanted device to generate tiny electrical pulses that replace the feeling of pain with a tingling or massaging sensation. Spinal cord stimulation is a widely accepted medical treatment. It is an FDA-approved therapy for treatment of chronic pain of the trunk and limbs (back, legs and arms). Many major health insurance plans, Medicare and worker's compensation programs provide benefits and coverage for Spinal Cord Stimulation therapy.

If you feel that you may be a candidate for spinal cord stimulation, call the Franklin Pain and Wellness Center at 508-507-8818 or e-mail staff@franklinpaincenter.com to schedule your evaluation.

Millions of people suffer from chronic pain on a daily basis. Chronic pain can be extremely disruptive and destructive. An estimated 26 million Americans between the ages of 20-64 suffer from frequent back pain which is the leading cause of disability in Americans under the age of 45.
 
Pain is the second leading cause of medically related work absenteeism in the US, resulting in more than 50 million lost workdays each year and billions of dollars. According to a chronic pain survey, almost half of those surveyed felt they had little or no control over their pain. Six out of ten patients said they experience pain one or more times daily. Chronic pain sufferers report that the pain severely affects their quality of life and overall health.

The Cost of Pain

The annual cost of chronic pain in the United States can be pricey. An estimated $100 billion is spent due to healthcare expenses, lost income, and lost productivity. Costs associated with lower back pain are an estimated $85.9 billion. The total cost of arthritis is estimated at $128 billion. Undertreated pain raises the cost of healthcare because it extends hospital stays, increases emergency room visits, and results in unexpected doctor visits.

Pain Treatment

Pain treatment is very difficult and in many cases patients are left undertreated. Pain treatment depends on the person and the severity of his or her pain, as well as his or her overall health. In order for pain specialists to give the correct treatment they must identify the pain location so they know what kind of pain they are treating. At Franklin Pain and Wellness Center we give the most thorough and accurate diagnosis so that a customized program that will target your specific pain can be created.  Some pain therapies include physical therapy, injection therapy, and minimally invasive stimulation therapy.

To create your own customized pain treatment plan, contact us.

News4Jax

Pain is the number one reason people seek medical care according to the American Pain Society. As more and more Americans seek pain management services, it is no surprise that quality pain specialists are in high demand.

Currently, very little pain management education is provided in medical schools. According to a Johns Hopkins University study published in The Journal of Pain, out of 117 medical schools that participated in the study, a majority of these schools are teaching one or more core topics in pain, but many schools are not reporting any pain teaching and most others devote less than five hours to pain education. Further, the authors found that cancer pain, pediatric pain and geriatric pain are essentially unaddressed by the vast majority of medical schools.

What does this mean for pain management? Pain patients must seek out professionals who specialize in pain. The specialists at The Franklin Pain and Wellness Center have undergone additional education, post medical school, in order to focus on chronic pain management. Additionally, the specialists at The Franklin Pain and Wellness Center continue to take continuing education courses to stay on top of the evolving techniques and procedures in the pain management industry.

If you suffer from chronic pain and are seeking pain management treatment, call The Franklin Pain and Wellness Center at (508) 507-8818 to schedule your evaluation or e-mail staff@franklinpaincenter.com.

Fibromyalgia is a painful disease which not only causes widespread pain throughout your entire body; it also causes moodiness and fatigue. The moodiness and fatigue are most likely a result of the constant pain. With Fibromyalgia it is very difficult to operate on a personal level with day to day activities; the pain is too uncomfortable or you may just be too exhausted to try to “put your best foot forward”.

The pain and exhaustion from Fibromyalgia can often last for months. No one is exactly sure what causes fibromyalgia, but the typical Fibromyalgia symptoms is pain in the muscles and joints at the slightest touch.

Women are much more likely to develop fibromyalgia than are men. Because Fibromyalgia has been linked to fatigue, sleep problems, headaches, depression and anxiety, when mothers and wives suffer from this disease, entire families suffer.

Symptoms sometimes begin after a physical trauma, surgery, infection or significant psychological stress. In other cases, symptoms gradually accumulate over time with no single triggering event.

While there is no cure for fibromyalgia, symptoms can be controlled. Exercise, relaxation and stress-reduction measures can help. There are various procedures that the pain specialists at Franklin Pain and Wellness Center can perform to ease the pain associated with fibromyalgia. Contact us to discuss your personal customized treatment plan.

Minimally Invasive pain procedures can be a great alternative to surgery. Surgery usually involves a long recovery period, medications and possible side effects. Procedures done by the specialists at The Franklin Pain and Wellness Center are minimally invasive and aimed at minimizing dependency on pain medications.

The successful outcome of a pain management procedure is to restore enough mobility so that the patient can become more active and build up strength to maintain a painless condition. If this result is achieved, the patient becomes less dependent on medications and hopefully healthier overall.

If you suffer from chronic pain, call the Franklin Pain Center at 508-507-8818 and schedule an evaluation today. Or e-mail at staff@franklinpaincenter.com.