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.

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.

"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."

Vertebral Compression Fracture Causes

Compression fractures of the back are broken vertebrae, which are the bones of the spine. Compression fractures of the vertebra may be caused by:

Osteoporosis, which is the most common cause. These types of fractures can lead to chronic pain and disability.

Trauma to the back – Injury severe enough to cause a vertebra to break can occur from a fall where you land on your back, feet, or buttocks. It can also be caused by a car accident.

Pathologic fracture this is a fracture caused by a preexisting disease like cancer in the bone. Cancer tumors in the bone can either start in the bone or spine, like multiple myeloma, which start in the spine, or they can travel to the bone from other tumors in the body.

The vertebral fracture may also occur because of a localized infection of the bone. This often occurs in people with diabetes or in those who abuse IV drugs.

Multiple fractures may lead to a hump-like curvature of the spine which is also called kyphosis.

Vertebral Compression Fracture Symptoms

The pain from Vertebral Compression Fracture tends to be in the lower back but may occur in the upper back or neck. Some people may also have hip, abdominal, or thigh pain.

You may experience numbness, tingling, and weakness: Such symptoms could mean compression of the nerves at the point of the fracture.

Most compression fractures occur in older people with osteoporosis. These fractures generally do not cause injury to the spinal cord, but they can cause pain. The condition is usually treated with medicines and calcium supplements to prevent further fractures.

Other than narcotic pain treatment, Vertebral Compression Fractures may be treated with a back braces, but these may further weaken the bones and increase your risk of more fractures. Physical therapy is also used as pain treatment in order to improve your movement and strength around the spine.

The latest advancement in spinal fracture treatment is called Kyphoplasty. This minimally invasive procedure is offered by the specialists at The Franklin Pain and Wellness Center.

A comprehensive examination will be done and some additional lab tests may be performed. This is done in order to establish the most thorough and accurate diagnosis so that a customized program that will target your specific pain can be created.

If you suffer from Vertebral Compression Fractures, contact Franklin Pain and Wellness Center.

No one should live with pain. This holiday season give a gift to yourself, learn how to relieve your pain without narcotics.

Whether you suffer from back pain, cancer pain, or neck pain, a pain specialist can help. Chronic pain is pain that has been going on for 3 to 6 months since it began.

Cancer patients or patients recovering from surgery are often prone to chronic pain. Many feel they need to live with the pain as an alternative to taking narcotic pain medication. This is not the case. The pain specialists at Franklin Pain and Wellness have determined methods and treatments to minimize chronic pain such as lower back; neck; headaches; post herpetic neuralgia (shingles); reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD); maxillofacial pain and other chronic ailments.

Our team of nurses and anesthesiologists are specifically trained in pain management. Working with your physician, we will determine the best course of treatment for you; contact us.