Franklin Pain and Wellness Center

Veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder are more likely to be prescribed opioid pain killers than other veterans with pain problems and more likely to use the opioids in risky ways, according to a study published by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, also found that veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan who were prescribed opioids for pain – and particularly those with post-traumatic stress disorder — had a higher prevalence of “adverse clinical outcomes,” like overdoses, self-inflicted injuries and injuries caused by accidents or fighting.

The Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense have for years been trying to reduce the use of opioid pain therapy among active duty troops and veterans amid reports of overmedication, addiction, rampant drug abuse and accidental deaths caused by overdoses or toxic mixing of medications.

If you are a veteran or have a loved one who is a veteran, please consider alternatives to opioid therapy, particularly with PTSD patients.

Understanding the potential links between post-traumatic stress disorder and chronic pain is important because both are common among service members. By some estimates, one in five combat veterans report symptoms of PTSD, which can include nightmares, flashbacks, irritability and sleeplessness.

Chronic pain is also prevalent among troops and veterans, even those who have not experienced major battlefield injuries, like the loss of a limb. Lower back, knee, shoulder and other joint pains are common because of the routine physical stresses of the work, including wearing heavy body armor and packs.

More and more veterans with chronic pain problems are willing to try alternative pain therapies. Veterans know other veterans who have had problems and they don’t want to get hooked on narcotics. So there is great openness to treating pain with therapies other than opiates.

Massachusetts Veterans or families of veterans, for more information on management of chronic pain, please contact Franklin Pain and Wellness Center.

Excerpts from International News Network

"Dr. Shwartzman gave me my life back and I am so thankful that Kyphoplasty was available to me. People told me before the Kyphoplasty was done that my skin color was gray because of the pain I was in. Now I have my normal skin color and feel I feel so much better thanks to Dr. Shwartzman and the Kyphoplasty procedures. 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."

Spinal Cord Stimulation is a minimally invasive procedure that controls chronic pain. A pain specialist will most likely first need to do a trial to understand if the Spinal Cord Stimulator is the best solution to manage your specific pain. During the trial, the pain specialist will place one or more leads in the area along the spinal cord. The placement area will depend on where your specific pain is.

The leads will also be connected to a trial generator. The pain specialist will use the trial generator to test your leads and make sure they are in the right place to treat your pain. You will be asked questions like:

• Do you feel a tingling sensation?
• Where do you feel the tingling?
• Does the tingling cover your pain?

By answering these questions, you will help make sure the leads are positioned well. The pain specialist will then show you how to use the trial generator to adjust the strength of the stimulator so you can experiment with what makes you comfortable. You will then be sent home to carry out your trial period with the Spinal Cord Stimulator.

At the end of your trial period, you and your pain specialist will determine if you should have a permanent system and which system would be appropriate for your pain. The pain specialist will consult and collaborate with your primary care physician and any other specialists you are under care of, to ensure that the best treatment plan is being carried out for you.

To schedule your initial evaluation to see if Spinal Cord Stimulation is a good solution for your chronic pain, please call (508) 507-8818 or e-mail us at staff@franklinpaincenter.com.

Cathy T from Attleboro, MA was in pain for five years, which she described to be constant. “I was taking medication every three hours and did not want to be on pain meds anymore” she tells The Franklin Pain and Wellness Center.

Cathy was diagnosed with degenerative disc disease and lumbar facet syndrome. Dr. Boris Shwartzman successfully performed Radiofrequency Neurotomy and was able to increase Cathy’s functional level while decreasing her medication dosage. She is able to continue her full time job and her quality of life has significantly improved.

“I would recommend to everyone to go to this pain center because the people there will care about you. I want to thank all of them for taking care of me” praised Cathy.

Pain after back surgery is quite common.  Patients may experience pain in the area where the surgery was preformed, or sometimes, pain radiates to other areas as well.  This doesn’t necessarily mean that the back surgery was a failure.  Side effects are common with any invasive procedure, so it’s important for the patient to have their expectations aligned with the possible outcomes.

On the positive side, modern medicine has developed ways to deal with theses side affects.  Seeing a pain specialist has helped many people regain their quality of life.  The goal of a pain specialist at The Franklin Pain and Wellness Center is to create an effective treatment plan that will help minimize dependency on narcotics.  The pain specialist can perform a procedure or series of procedures and manage the patient’s medication schedule in such a way that helps the patient relieve pain while taking less medication.

Some quotes from Franklin Pain and Wellness Center Patients exhibit the type of results patients can get when post back surgery pain is relieved.

“I am able to do more.  I am more comfortable and sleep a lot better.”

“I am back to work and have my life back finally”

To find out how a specialist from The Franklin Pain and Wellness Center can help you, please call 508-507-8818 or e-mail us at staff@franklinpaincenter.com.