The physicians of Arizona Pain Specialists have been awarded prestigious honors including "Top Doctor" by Phoenix Magazine, "America's Top Physician" and "Patients' Choice Award".
Pain News
please Visit this page soon for pain management topics including:
- Heath and diet tips
- Exciting pain treatment advancments
- New diagnostic modalites
- New Office and Doctor Locations
- Events and Community groups
- and More!
- Meditation For Chronic Pain
Meditation is known as a period of extremely focused thought that can lead to a possible deep reflection and/or awareness.Most chronic pain patients often feel out of control, and meditation can lend to a state of calm and well-being. By meditating, the body often will perform the completely opposite response to when it is specifically experiencing pain.
When experiencing pain, the heart and respiratory rate may be elevated, the body may perspire, and a sense of panic may be present.
Meditation brings about a focused attention – and often can lower the heart and respiratory rate, and give you an overall state of calm.
-Dr. Tory McJunkin
- Water-cize!
With summer here, more people are hitting the pool for “water-cize,” exercise you can perform in the pool!
There are many effective workouts you can do in the pool, no matter your fitness level. In fact, for those with chronic pain conditions, workouts performed in the pool are highly recommended. Since workouts in the pool are low impact, they are perfect for those with conditions worsened by impact, such as arthritis and fibromyalgia.
Weights for use in the pool can be purchased, or “running” in the pool makes for a great low-impact workout! Don’t forget – you’re not a fish, you can’t hydrate through your skin. Keep drinking water even though you’re in the pool!
-Dr. Jonathan Carlson
- Benefits from Video Games?
It may surprise you, but there is research that shows video games may have a pain relieving effect for those with chronic pain conditions.
By becoming completely immersed in the fun and activity of a video game, studies have shown that many who suffer from chronic pain are, at least temporarily, distracted from their pain. While video games certainly can’t cure pain (yet!), the benefits seem to be some relief from constant, chronic pain.
- Double the Endorphins!
By buddying up and walking, you may be receiving twice the endorphins than by walking alone!
Exercise, no matter how low impact, creates endorphins, the body’s natural pain killer and mood lifter. By going for a daily walk with a family member or friend, you not only gain the benefit of low-impact exercise, but you can create even more endorphins by being in the company of someone else.
-Dr. Patrick Hogan
- Barefoot is In!
Recent studies show that for those suffering from pain due to arthritis in the knees, going barefoot may alleviate some of that pain.
Many stability shoes (often recommended to those with arthritis) have a raised heel. It is this raised heel that may be the cause of more pain in the knees of the arthritic.
I’d recommend you try walking around your home barefoot a little more often – you may find that it helps with that chronic arthritis pain!
-Dr. Jonathan Carlson
- Journaling for the Chronic Pain Patient
Writing can be cathartic, and journaling about your pain can help a chronic pain patient tremendously in many ways.
In the past, if you wanted to journal, you would need to break out the ol’ pen and paper. And while this is still the preferred method for many, the internet offers many tools for those who want to journal and suffer from chronic pain.
One major benefit in journaling chronic pain is the “business” portion of your journal. By keeping track of your highest pain days, the activities you have done that day, how you relieved the pain (at least somewhat), and what your stress level is, you can report these findings back to your doctor, and he may be able to identify triggers for your pain.
In your personal portion of your journal, write down your thoughts, emotions and feelings. By writing it down on paper (or typing it into a computer), chronic pain patients often find they feel better just by getting those thoughts off their minds.
-Dr. Tory McJunkin
- The Building Blocks of Bones
We all know calcium is good for the bones, but do you know the other crucial compound your body needs for healthy bones?
Calcium certainly is important for your body, but it is somewhat ineffective if there is a lack of vitamin D. Working as building blocks, vitamin D and calcium go hand-in-hand. The body needs vitamin D to absorb calcium. Without adequate vitamin D levels in the body, minimal calcium absorption occurs.
Vitamin D can be obtained from fortified foods and drinks, and, in the sunny Arizona climate, just fifteen minutes in the sun per day. Your skin absorbs vitamin D from the sun!
- The Perils of Carbonation
The carbonation found in soda and other bubbly drinks can actually be fairly detrimental.
The carbonation in bubbly drinks come from phosphoric acid. While the body naturally contains phosphorus, too much can lead to bone loss. In addition, when you’re drinking soda, you often replace water or milk – which is what you should be drinking. Caffeine has also been shown to inhibit calcium absorption, which is what makes bones strong.
Dr. Patrick Hogan
- Inversion Tables
Inversion tables? What exactly is that?
An inversion table is just that – a device that inverts you. As you go about your day, the discs in your spine that act as cushioning between your vertebrae compresses and can become dehydrated. By inverting your body, you give your discs a “break,” essentially. By giving them this break, they have the opportunity to re-hydrate and expand.
In addition, inversion has been found to strengthen ligaments, relieve stress and help with stimulation.
Dr. Jonathan Carlson
- The Pain Show
In our ongoing effort to continue to educate patients, we bring you The Pain Show. A show hosted by myself and my partner, Dr. Paul lynch, The Pain Show is our way of helping patients out in another outlet. We created The Pain Show to bring the latest in pain news, pain management techniques and tips and tricks to use at home to help patients alleviate their pain. We also include step-by-step explanations of procedures you may receive, as well as include live procedure footage.
You can find episodes of The Pain Show by clicking here. We hope you find them educational!
-Dr. Tory McJunkin
- Diskectomy
A procedure to help relieve pain caused by a herniated or bulging disc.
For those with herniated or bulging discs, the pain is often searing and insufferable. However, they don’t have to suffer – there is a minimally-invasive procedure known as a diskectomy that may help.
A herniated or bulging disc is characterized by the fluid from the disc leaking into the space surrounding it. This causes pain as the caustic inner material from the disc irritates the nerves surrounding it.
A diskectomy removes that fluid, thus effectively relieving pain.
Learn more about the diskectomy procedure by clicking here.
- Picture Albums and Endorphins
As a chronic pain patient, you should always be on the lookout for things that make you smile – and create those positive, pain blocking endorphins!
Flip through old albums. Memories of times past can make you smile and perhaps even laugh. Dig deeper – look at old yearbooks! Remember your prom date? Your crazy hair during your senior year? No matter what the pictures are of, just get them out and enjoy!
-Dr. Patrick Hogan
- Find a Community
Did you know Arizona Pain Specialists sponsors a chronic pain support group?
Utilizing Facebook, Arizona Pain Specialists offers you an online chronic pain support group. Working toward 100,000 strong, this group has three main purposes: to give those who suffer from chronic pain a voice; to allow those with chronic pain to give advice to others; and for those in chronic pain to find support from others who explicitly understand what they are going through.
Join us in being 100,000 strong.
-Dr. Tory McJunkin
- What Can A Shark Do For You?
As interventional pain management physicians, we are excited about what sharks contribute to our field.
While it is naturally produced in the body, some do not produce enough of the vitamin known as chondroitin. Part of the building blocks of cartilage (the cushioning between your bones), chondroitin is an important substance for the chronic pain patient.
Luckily, you can take a chondroitin supplement! While originally produced from shark cartilage, chondroitin is now able to be produced in labs. However, we can thank sharks for the advent of this supplement!
-Dr. Jonathan Carlson
- Green Tea?!
This unassuming drink has more benefits than you may know!
Green tea has been shown to not only have excellent antioxidant properties and to be an appetite suppressant, but studies have shown green tea to also have anti-inflammatory properties. Hot or iced, green tea has great benefits for the chronic pain patient!
- Arizona Pain Monthly
Have you read this magazine distributed by Arizona Pain Specialists?
This month’s issue features the inspiring story of Elizabeth Arant, a patient who suffered from chronic, debilitating headaches for years. With the use of a technology called occipital nerve stimulation, she is now pain free and completely functional.
Also included – the reader favorite “Chiro Corner” and recipes for anti-inflammatory foods, the new issue is full of useful information for the chronic pain patient.
-Dr. Jonathan Carlson
- Vertebroplasty
Do you know what a vertebroplasty is?
A compression fracture usually occurs one of two ways. A major trauma such as a vehicle accident or a fall can cause a compression fracture. For those with osteoporosis, depending on the severity, a compression fracture can occur over time, or from something as small as a sneeze.
If you suffer from chronic pain due to a compression fracture, ask your pain physician about a vertebroplasty. A procedure that consists of injecting medical grade cement into the fracture to create an internal cast, a vertebroplasty can cause instant pain relief for the pain patient.
-Dr. Patrick Hogan
- Reconnect With Old Friends
As a chronic pain sufferer, have your old friendships gone by the wayside?
Try reconnecting with old friends. Catch up with them and find out what they have been up to since you last spoke. Tell them positive things about yourself. By smiling, laughing and talking with them, you’ll create some great, feel-good endorphins!
- Healthy Steps
Do you know what a pedometer is?
A pedometer is a device that is used to measure how many steps you take in one day. I want to challenge you to buy a pedometer and wear it – see how many steps you take the first day. Then push yourself a bit – try to take 100 more steps the next day. Chronic pain patients will often find that just a little bit of exercise can have great benefits and go a long way!
- Inflammatory Foods!
Conversely, there are foods that are bad for the body’s inflammatory process.
Any foods of the nightshade family (potatoes, tomatoes, bell peppers) actually increase the body’s inflammatory process. The exception to this rule are sweet potatoes – they are the only potato that is actually an anti-inflammatory!
-Dr. Jonathan Carlson
- Anti Inflammatory Foods!
Did you know that some foods are natural anti-inflammatory agents?
It’s true! The best source for anti-inflammatory properties from food are fish rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. Salmon, tuna and halibut are easy additions to any diet. For chronic pain patients, anti-inflammatory foods can be of great help, as they can reduce the processes that cause painful inflammation in the body.
-Dr. Tory McJunkin
- Sleep and the Chronic Pain Patient
Chronic pain sufferers often find their sleep patterns to be disturbed.
Avoiding prescription sleep aids may be wise for some, as they can cause unwanted side effects.
There are natural remedies that have shown to be useful for those that find their sleep to be interrupted by chronic pain.
5-HTP is a natural supplement and contains tryptophan – yes, that famous chemical found in turkey that makes everyone so drowsy on Thanksgiving! This natural supplement can aid in bringing about restful sleep.
- Fresh Flowers
Fresh flowers can bring a smile!
In the spirit of constantly finding ideas to create those endorphins for chronic pain patients, I want to suggest fresh flowers. Placed in a spot where you can see them throughout your day, flowers can bring a smile!
-Dr. Patrick Hogan
- Acupuncture?
Have you tried acupuncture?
Many are wary to try acupuncture, mainly because they are afraid it may hurt. Rest assured, chronic pain patients who have experienced acupuncture report that they found the treatment to be painless. In fact, if they had their eyes closed when the therapist placed the needles, they weren’t able to correctly say where they were located!
Read more about acupuncture and chronic pain at our ePainBook.
-Dr. Jonathan Carlson
- Get Fancy!
For a chronic pain patient, sometimes the best therapy is creating a major distraction from your pain.
Here’s your challenge – if you usually go out to dinner in shorts and a tank top, get a little fancy! Ladies, do your hair, put on makeup and pick an outfit that makes you feel beautiful; gents, wear nicer pants and a button down shirt. The tie isn’t necessary, but just the little bit of effort can make a world of difference – and possibly take your mind off your pain for the evening.
- Happy Sunday!
Is it time for a day off?
Even though we encourage the chronic pain patient to remain active and busy, sometimes, everyone needs a day off. Enjoying a day of relaxing can add to your well-being. Read a great book, spend time with family and friends, or go for a walk. No matter what you do, just enjoy your day!
Dr. Tory McJunkin
- Take Your Vitamins!
Your mom always said, “take your vitamins!” Turns out, she was right!
Daily supplements are invaluable for a chronic pain patient. Calcium and vitamin D work together as the body’s “building blocks” – without one, the other is ineffective. Calcium can be derived from supplements or food products. Vitamin D is known as the “sunshine vitamin” and it takes just 15 minutes a day in the Arizona sun to get the adequate daily level of vitamin D, however, it can also be found in a supplement.
-Dr. Patrick Hogan
- Bring Back A Favorite Activity
When you’re a chronic pain patient, you’re focused so much on your pain, a lot of your favorite activities may have fallen by the wayside.
Did you used to scrapbook? Knit? Go fishing? Try bringing back these activities. Even if you feel some pain when you start them, try to continue. By focusing on your activity and not your pain, you may be able to take your mind off your chronic pain for long enough that you begin to enjoy the activity. And once that happens, you’re not focused on your pain at all!
Dr. Tory McJunkin
- Stretch It Out!
If you have a chronic pain condition like osteoporosis, fibromyalgia or arthritis, a good daily stretch can help!
Studies have shown that stretching and moving muscles surrounding painful joints can not only alleviate current chronic pain, but can also prevent against future pain. By keeping muscles and joints limber, they will stay usable longer. Check out previous issues of Arizona Pain Monthly for some ideas to get you started!
Dr. Patrick Hogan
- Sing Along Challenge!
I am challenging you to sing along!
Singing your favorite song at the top of your lungs – especially if you don’t feel like it – can get your blood moving and those endorphins going! I know that if I’m tired or feeling down, singing a little Bob Marley gets me in a great mood! For a chronic pain patient, taking the focus off your pain and creating endorphins can help greatly. So give it a try!
Dr. Jonathan Carlson
- Positive Thought Challenge
As chronic pain sufferers, trying to come up with positive thoughts can be extremely hard.
It can also be extremely beneficial. By thinking positive, you can take the focus off your pain. So I want to challenge you to come up with three positive thoughts. It can be things you are thankful for, things that make you happy, or just positive thoughts in general. No matter what they are, think positive!
- It's a New Week!
I hope you all had a nice weekend! It’s the start of a new week, and time for a new goal.With the beginning of each week, chronic pain patients can look at it as another fresh start. Sometimes, the previous week doesn’t go as planned – but here’s your chance to start over! So make it a positive week!
Dr. Tory McJunkin
- Play A Game
Remember how much fun Candyland or a game of cards used to be?Play a game! Gather up some friends or your kids and just enjoy the game. It doesn’t matter what it is – card games are easy since all you need is a deck of cards. Board games can be fun too, or work on a puzzle! If you enjoy playing games, you can bring a smile to your face and to those that play the game with you!
-Dr. Jonathan Carlson
- Cook Your Favorite Food
Sometimes, our favorite food can bring up a happy memory for us. By cooking your favorite food, the smell and the motions of cooking it can bring back great memories. Did you always love to bake cookies with your mom? Did your family have pancakes every Saturday morning?
Try making your favorite food and see how you feel – you may just find yourself smiling and creating those good endorphins!
-Dr. Patrick Hogan
- Exercise for the Chronic Pain Patient
Exercise for the chronic pain patient is actually extremely beneficial.
For those suffering from chronic pain, and especially conditions like fibromyalgia and arthritis, gentle exercise can be the absolute best for you.
If joints and muscles are used and moved as much as possible, it keeps them more flexible, and can keep them functioning longer than without any exercise at all.
Recommended exercise for pain patients include water activities, yoga, walking and stationary bicycling. It is important to get into a routine and keep up your routine, even if you are in pain that day. By getting up and getting moving, you can help your body and possibly avoid some stiffness.
Dr. Tory McJunkin
- Have You Ever Tried Chiro?
At Arizona Pain Specialists, we offer full chiropractic care at each office. Chiropractic care is a complementary method that has proven extremely helpful in treating chronic pain. We offer chiropractic manipulations, acupuncture, and the use of other basic chiropractic modalities.
For more about acupuncture, see the latest issue of Arizona Pain Monthly in our regularly featured Chiro Corner column.
- Pets and Pain
In the spirit of continuing to find simple things to make you smile, I wanted to bring up pets.
Pets have been proven to make their owners more relaxed, happy and at peace. In fact, many believe that owning a pet can lengthen the owner’s life.
Dogs especially offer unconditional love – have you ever seen a dog that was unhappy to see you after a long day at work? Cats can be pickier, but studies have shown that cat owners actually have less instances of heart attacks than non-cat owners.
If you have a pet, make sure you let them know they are appreciated!
Dr. Patrick Hogan
- Have an amazing weekend...
This weekend, I want to challenge you to find something that makes you happy.
Yesterday, Dr. McJunkin talked about how a smile can positively affect chronic pain, so I want to challenge you to actively look for something that makes you smile.
It can be anything, from spending time with family and friends, to having your favorite food, to spending time doing your favorite activity. Just find a reason to smile!
-Dr. Jon Carlson
- Just smile!
The act of a smile may seem simple, but can have gigantic impact.
Smiling can produce an instantaneous uplift in your mental, emotional and physical state.
Smiling releases endorphins, the body’s natural pain defense mechanism.
Smiling has been shown to relieve stress, which is usually a byproduct of chronic pain syndromes.
Most of all, smiling is contagious – when you smile at someone, you often receive a smile in return. Maybe the person you smile at is in pain or having a bad day – and by your simple smile, you may make them feel better.
So just remember – smile!
-Dr. Tory McJunkin
- The Support of Others Can Help With Chronic Pain
Wednesday nights are Support Group Night at the Scottsdale Arizona Pain Specialists location. We meet at 5 p.m. every Wednesday evening, and everyone is welcome!
The support of others can be incredibly beneficial to those who suffer from chronic pain. Knowing that someone else cares and is going through exactly what you are going through creates a sense of community you can’t get anywhere else. To read more about the Pain Support Group at Arizona Pain Specialists, click the link below. We hope to see you there!
- May is "Achievement Through Pain Month!"
One of the most important things a chronic pain patient can do is keep doing activities and things you enjoy. Even when it feels like it’s impossible, you must keep trying, and here’s why. By doing those little activities you like to do, you create a sense of normalcy, which, when repeated, will lead to being happier.
Achievement Through Pain Month is hosted on our Facebook group. We encourage you to choose a goal; no mater how small. Once you have established your goal, let us know how it’s going. It’s that simple!
Even if your goal is to go for 3 half hour walks in one week – that’s a goal! Even if your goal is to write down one positive thought per day – that’s a goal! Choosing and then achieving these goals should make you feel a sense of accomplishment, which can lead to feeling happier and emotional well-being.
-Dr. Tory McJunkin & Dr. Paul lynch
- Kurt Gusinde, Climbs Mount Everest with Help from Arizona Pain Specialists
After two epidural injections at Arizona Pain Specialists, Gusinde experienced exactly what he had been hoping for. “My relief was one hundred percent, it was pretty amazing,” he says.(Phoenix, AZ) – Mountain climber Kurt Gusinde is a world class athlete, on the level with any professional athlete. A climber of Mount McKinley in Alaska and six of the famous “Seven Summits,” Gusinde had plans of leaving to climb Mount Everest when excruciating pain stopped him short. A morning just three months before he was scheduled to leave, Gusinde was experiencing terrible shoulder pain. “The pain was a 10 out of 10. It was excruciating,” Gusinde says. After trying medications among other treatments, the pain was still at top levels. MRIs were performed and were conclusive of shoulder pain being the result of a problem with his neck. Two options were then presented; surgery or epidural steroid injections. “I opted for the epidural,” Gusinde says. “The injections seemed much less invasive than surgery, and I was hopeful they would work.” After receiving two steroid injections at Arizona Pain Specialists, Gusinde experienced one hundred percent relief. “It was pretty amazing…to be honest, it’s amazing that an injection can have that kind of impact.” Gusinde was still wary, however, that his pain may have flared up during his Everest climb. However, he reported great results. “[The shoulder and neck pain] was a non-event the whole climb; it just didn’t bother me at all. And it’s been over a year now, and the injections are still effective.” Today, Gusinde still hikes, bikes and does weight lifting. After experiencing recent pain in his hamstring and calf, he came back to Arizona Pain Specialists. “I found out after MRIs that there is a pinching of a nerve in the lower back. I did the injections again, and am back to one hundred percent,” Gusinde reports. “Arizona Pain Specialists has been great, and I’ve really enjoyed working with them. I was pretty amazed that the injections worked, to be honest, it’s amazing that an injection can have that kind of an impact. But it’s worked for me twice now, and gotten me back to what I want to do,” Gusinde says. To read more about Kurt Gusinde’s expeditions and many successful climbs, see his website at www.summitdream.com For more information about the epidural steroid injections that helped mountain climber Kurt Gusinde, be sure to see our ePainBook at ArizonaPain.com.
- Fighter to Help Spread Word of Revolutionary Approaches to Combat Pain
Jamie Varner, Mixed Martial Arts Champion Speeds Injury Recovery Through Medical Treatments At Arizona Pain Specialists
(Phoenix, AZ) – Arizona Pain Specialists, a group of pain management clinics, has seen marked improvement in another valued patient, Mixed Martial Arts fighter and former Light Weight Champion, Jamie Varner. As a professional cage fighter Varner is often subjected to injuries that limit his ability to effectively perform at a world class caliber.
Varner sustained devastating injuries in his previous fight which many believed would keep him from ever competing again. After being treated at Arizona Pain Specialists, with advanced pain medicine, Varner believes he is ready for his title bout. Varner experienced profound results and has agreed to be a spokesperson for the practice in order to share his experience with others who suffer from chronic pain.
Varner is in final preparation for his upcoming world title defense January 10th. Because of his multiple injuries, he has only trained 16 weeks for this fight. With limited training opportunity, Varner cannot tolerate time away from the gym due to pain and needs to maximize his training before the most important fight of his career.
“At Arizona Pain Specialists I can go in, get the work done and always feel so much better,” said Jamie Varner after a recent visit. “Whenever you’re dealing with a contact sport, you’re always susceptible to injuries…I am fortunate to have found Arizona Pain Specialists to fix me up before I go into this bout. They are the only doctors tough enough to help MMA fighters.”
About Arizona Pain Specialists
Arizona Pain Specialists provides world-class treatment combining innovative interventions with complementary therapies to relieve your pain and improve the quality of your life. With offices in Scottsdale and Glendale, Arizona Pain Specialists is the fastest growing pain management clinic in Arizona. For more information visit their website atwww.ArizonaPain.com or call 480-563-6400. Follow Jamie Varner on his twitter account at www.twitter.com/jamievarner.
For Immediate Release
Contact: Jennifer Walmsley
(480) 620-4329
jenniferw@arizonapain.com - Arizona Pain Specialists’ Charitable Foundation to Host Christmas Party for Refugee Children
(Phoenix, AZ) – Arizona Pain Specialists, a local pain management clinic, will be hosting a Christmas party for refugee children at the Arizona Medical Clinic in Phoenix on Sunday, December 13, 2009 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The event will provide food, games and gifts for an expected 100 refugee adults and 200 children.
Donations of clothing, personal care items, blankets, toys and other much needed items will be accepted at both Arizona Pain Specialists offices through Thursday, December 10, 2009. The Scottsdale Office is located at 9787 N. 91st St., Suite 101, Scottsdale, AZ 85258. The Glendale Office is located at 18555 N. 79th Ave, Suite E101, Glendale, AZ 85308.Many of the children attending the event are refugees from Myanmar (formerly Burma). They fled the country when a military coup threatened not only their families’ livelihood but their lives as well. Now they are living in the US with few ties to our community. The Arizona Pain Foundation is holding this event to bring a little holiday cheer into the lives of these displaced children from half a world away. They would welcome volunteers to help make this day a special one for children who have had very little to smile about in the past few years.
About Arizona Pain Specialists
Arizona Pain Specialists provides world-class treatment combining innovative interventions with complementary therapies to relieve your pain and improve the quality of your life. With offices in Scottsdale and Glendale, Arizona Pain Specialists is the fastest growing pain management clinic in Arizona. For more information visit their website at www.ArizonaPain.com or call 480-563-6400.# # #
For Immediate Release Contact: Paul Lynch, MD, Tory McJunkin, MD
August 6, 2009
480-563-6400 - Arizona Pain Specialists Contend Recent Vertebroplasty Studies are Misleading Studies actually show vertebroplasty effective at reducing pain
(SCOTTSDALE, AZ) – Two studies released today in the New England Journal of Medicine claim to demonstrate that vertebroplasty, a procedure to treat some painful spine fractures, is not effective. This is incorrect. Both studies actually demonstrate a significant improvement in patients’ pain and ability to function normally.
Tory McJunkin, MD, co-founder of Arizona Pain Specialists, recently performed the procedure on his own grandmother, with a life-changing, pain-relieving outcome. “Clinical data,” Dr. McJunkin explains, “shows that this procedure relieves pain and improves patients’ quality of life. I have seen amazing results from vertebroplasty in my practice and for my grandmother.”
“The conclusion that vertebroplasty does not help back pain is completely wrong,” states Allen Burton, MD, Professor of Anesthesiology at MD Anderson in Houstona foremost expert on vertebroplasty.“If you look closely at the study design, what they are calling a placebo is actually a facet injection.”
“These studies actually show that both treatments are effective,” said Paul Lynch, MD, co-founder of Arizona Pain Specialists. ”The studies did not use a true control group condition, where patients would receive no treatment. The ‘control’ patients actually received a different effective treatment and both groups demonstrated highly clinically significant reductions in pain. This demonstrates that vertebroplasty is an effective procedure, although Facet Injections are also effective.”
Pain is often measured on a 0 to 10 scale, with higher numbers indicating greater pain. The studies demonstrate that patients who received vertebroplasties had reductions in pain of 2.3 and 3.0 points in the two studies, compared to reductions of 1.7 and 2.6 for the facet injection procedure.
“Patients who received the vertebroplasty procedure had greater reductions in pain, although this was not a statistically significant difference.”
Dr. McJunkin points out that, “although not a statistically significant difference, patients who received vertebroplasties had greater reductions in pain.”
Demonstrating a statistically significant difference between groups requires a study to have enough patients to consistently detect an actual difference. Both studies reported that they were unable to enroll enough patients to have reasonable statistical power. One study noted that they needed 250 patients but only enrolled 131. “The trends in the data demonstrate that if the studies had enough patients,” notes Dr. Lynch, “the group receiving vertebroplasties would have had significantly better pain reduction than the other treatment groups.”
Several large studies have examined and concluded the clinical benefit and efficacy of vertebroplasty for painful vertebral compression fractures. In 2006, Spine Journal released a systematic review of all available data showing 87% relief of pain with vertebroplasty. A 2007 study in the American Journal of Neuroradiology concluded that “Percutaneous Vertebroplasty is a safe & effective method to treat vertebral compression fractures. An immediate improvement in pain is expected for most patients, and disability, mobility, and pain medication use are improved during the short- and long-term periods.”
Dr. Lynch agrees with this overall assessment. “Vertebroplasty is only one of several effective treatments, but for some patients it is the best option. These studies, like most studies, have several problems. It would be inappropriate,” he cautions, “for us to conclude that vertebroplasty is ineffective, as some reports have stated.”
Arizona Pain Specialists was co-founded by Dr. Paul lynch and Dr. Tory McJunkin in Scottsdale, AZ. The clinic utilizes a comprehensive model including cutting-edge interventional pain treatments, chiropractic, biofeedback, relaxation therapy and features on-site physio-rehab, an open MRI, procedure center and research department. The clinic’s website, www.ArizonaPain.com hosts an online textbook resource and receives more than 35,000 views a month.
# # #
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jennifer Walmsley
(480) 563-6400
jenniferw@arizonapain.com - College roomates operate fastest growing Pain Clinic in Arizona
(Scottsdale, AZ) – Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane will assist in a ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 23, 2009 to celebrate the addition of an on-site procedure center to the fastest growing pain clinic in the Arizona. Arizona Pain Specialists saw more than 3,000 patients during June utilizing a comprehensive model including interventional pain treatments, chiropractic, biofeedback, relaxation therapy, on-site physio-rehab, open MRI and now a procedure center. Dr. McJunkin explains, “we have provided interventional pain treatment procedures that have helped thousands of patients, but with the addition of the on-site procedure center we have the potential to save patients out of pocket costs in most cases.”
Dr. Lynch tells the story of how he and Dr. McJunkin were freshman in college together and despite studying emergency medicine and psychiatry, their lives changed when Dr. Lynch’s mother-in-law was diagnosed with cancer. When the enthusiastic medical student researched and found ways to treat her cancer pain, he suggested to Dr. McJunkin that they change specialties and open an inter-disciplinary pain clinic. Settling in Scottsdale and opening their doors only twenty months ago, the clinic has experienced 600% growth in the last year. The clinic hosts a website, www.ArizonaPain.com which features an online textbook and gets over 35,000 page views a month.
