Conquer Headaches With An Occipital Nerve Block Procedure

Chronic headaches and occipital neuralgia can be draining conditions.They can strike and disturb a person while he or she is going about the usual daily routine. They can disrupt sleep and make a person irritable.The discomfort can sometimes be difficult to endure. Having an occipital nerve block procedure for this kind of headache can bring relief.

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An occipital nerve block is usually done with steroids and anesthetics by injecting the greater and lower occipital nerve. This commonly outpatient procedure requires a patient to be awake. Because it requires an injection, the patient may feel pain at the back of the head where it is administered. For many, this is the only side effect of the procedure. The purpose of this procedure is to block the pain signal or to reduce the inflammation in the occipital nerves.

Depending on the case, some patients require several procedures before they can experience relief from chronic headaches. The first time usually confirms that the pain is indeed coming from the targeted part, and the succeeding ones help manage the pain. Most doctors don’t recommend getting more than three injections in less than a six-month period because the procedure employs steroids and anesthetics which could be harmful when frequently administered.

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The effects of this treatment can last between a week’s time to a few months. To prevent complications, patients must guarantee that they are not allergic to the medication. The safest way is to employ the supervision of a pain management specialist for the procedure.

A pain management physician, Dr. Melanie Novak, M.D. employs a multidisciplinary approach to treating acute pain using injection treatments, medications, physical therapy, and behavior therapy. More articles on pain management can be accessed on this page.

Understanding Pain Among Elderly Patients

Most people accept the fact that with aging comes aches, pains, and other health woes. What is unfortunate however is the reality that many senior folks “are often either untreated or undertreated for pain” as Thomas A. Cavalieri, D.O., pointed out in this article. Dr. Cavalieri noted that there is a host of barriers to effective pain management among the elderly, including proper assessment of pain by physicians.

It is common for many older folks just to dismiss any discomfort as a normal part of aging. It is, after all, what they have learned through the years and most probably saw in their parents. Such mindset, however, can exacerbate their pain, leading to more health woes in the long run.

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What many healthcare providers champion these days is a better understanding of the onset of pain among the elderly. For instance, the prevalence of persistent pain among geriatric patients increases with age. Chronic geriatric pain is defined as “an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage.” And about 50 percent of older adults at home and up to 80 percent of geriatric patients in healthcare facilities are suffering from chronic pain, severely impacting their quality of life.

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With a better understanding of the occurrence of pain among older adults plus a thorough assessment of all syndromes and the patient’s medical history, healthcare providers can craft a more effective pain management and treatment plan for the elderly.

Dr. Melanie Novak, M.D., uses a multidisciplinary approach in the treatment of chronic pain. Visit this website for more on Dr. Novak’s practice.

Still Hurts: Headaches After Traumatic Brain Injury

Almost everyone has had a headache. Young or old, no one is spared from that notorious head pain or pressure.

And while a good night’s rest or a hearty meal can banish a headache, there is a type of head pain that persists. People who sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI) report of headaches after treatment. And while post-TBI headaches are expected, research on their frequency or progression and impact on daily living is scarce.

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A recent study by Dr. Sylvia M. Lucas of the University of Washington Medical Center hopes to shed light on post-traumatic headache. Findings show that among the 316 patients with prior moderate to severe TBI, “38 percent reported new or worse headache, with 37 percent reporting the same at three months, 33 percent at six months, 34 percent at 12 months, and 35 percent at 60 months.”

Migraine-like pain is how 59 percent of the patients described their post-TBI headache. And as researchers followed up with respondents over a period of five years, they found that the average head pain remained high. Patients also reported that their post-injury headache affected their overall well-being. Mean Head Impact Test-6 scores of respondents, in fact, ranged from 57. 1 at three months to 56.5 at 60 months. As for the frequency of their headaches, 50 percent of the respondents reported daily or weekly head pain three months after their injury. The percentage of respondents, though, who still experienced a regular headache 60 months after their injury, dropped to 36 percent.

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While some people may treat these post-TBI headaches as an ill effect of their injury, it is still best to consult with their physician if the pain lingers and worsens over time.

More discussions on headache and its many forms can be accessed on this Dr. Melanie Novak, M.D. blog.

Exposing the Connection Between Chronic Pain and Insomnia

There is an intrinsic and deeply rooted connection between chronic pain and sleep. The latest health surveys estimate that around 20 percent of Americans suffer from chronic pain while 36 percent have had acute pain within the week. Combined, the figures comprise more than half of the adult population of America. Of this percentage, almost all of the participants reported having sleep disturbances or varying degrees of insomnia.

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This is worrisome for many health professionals. Pain management reposes on the management of stress and poor health conditions. Lack of sleep – or the absence of restful sleep – is linked to an increase in stress and poor health. Those who cannot sleep typically have weaker immune systems, making pain treatment more difficult. Another medical study suggests that, on average, patients with chronic pain have a 42-minute sleep debt and acute pain sufferers have a 14-minute sleep debt.

Lack of sleep has a domino effect on the pain cycle. Patients afflicted with acute or chronic pain are likely to have sleep problem, which would affect their daily functioning. The resulting debilitation further increases stress and risk of engaging in risky behaviors such as drinking or smoking. The effects of these behaviors further hinder treatment until pain becomes unmanageable.

Specialists recommend patients to immediately consult them during the early stages of pain and sleep disturbance. This makes treatment easier, with chances of recovery increasing over the short term.

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Have a happy and productive pain-free life with the assistance of Dr. Melanie Novak, a leading pain management specialist. To learn more about pain management findings, like this Facebook page.