It may sound odd, but under normal conditions pain is a good thing. When we are young, and exposed to small injuries, we learn that it's not a good idea to grab a cookie right out of the oven. We learn that it's not a good idea to use an old, splintered wooden plank as a slide. This type of pain, while unpleasant and heart-wrenching when it happens to your child, usually goes away quickly and leaves a wiser child behind (and earns them an additional cookie or two). But when pain stays around too long there's no wisdom to be gained, just discomfort and a lowered quality of life. Sources of persistent pain can come from a variety of injuries and disorders (back injuries, degenerative spine conditions, and arthritis are just a few).
Today's medicine allows for a range of procedures to repair damage or block pain. Some of the more interesting ways of blocking pain use electrical signals and radio waves. Radio waves? No, they won't allow you to hear the Broncos' play-by-play on your teeth, but radio waves can cut the pain signal. It may sound strange, but doctors can transmit certain radio frequencies through very small needles to permanently block nerve signals that are causing persistent pain. The needles are placed near an overactive nerve and the radio waves act like a tiny high-tech knife to sever the nerve and block the signal.
If you dislike of needles is greater than the pain, there are other less invasive methods. Some pain can be reduced and managed though the application of very small electrical currents. This method uses small battery-powered patches applied to the skin. When the current is turned on, the nerve cell's signal is disrupted so that it never makes it to your brain. The result, the pain is either greatly reduced or disappears all together. For other people, persistent pain can be managed through more "natural" methods. In situations where muscle tension and inflammation are causing pain; massage, yoga and meditation can have remarkable effects in reducing or eliminating pain all together. How? Well, you'll need to attend a free discussion to learn more.
If you are suffering from persistent pain or if you just want to learn more about the advances in pain management and some of the alternative approaches to pain, please attend a
free discussion hosted by
Atria Inn at Lakewood and
MEMORY BRIDGING. Our speakers will be
Dr. Joseph Fillmore, M.D. and a representative of the
Progressive Health Center. The discussion will be on Thursday, November 1 at 6:30 pm at the Atria Inn at Lakewood, 555 S Pierce St Lakewood, CO 80226. Call (303) 742-4800 to RSVP or to get directions.
About the speakers:
Joseph H. Fillmore, MD specializes in both rehabilitation and pain medicine at CCSI (Colorado Comprehensive Spine Institute) with a strong emphasis in non-operative as well as interventional procedures to treat musculoskeletal and spinal pain conditions. Dr. Fillmore completed his residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the renowned Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago and the Northwestern University Medical School. He is Board Certified in both Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Pain Medicine. Prior to joining CCSI, Dr. Fillmore held dual faculty appointments in the Departments of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Orthopedics at Rush University Medical Center and Rush Medical College.
The Progressive Health Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping individuals through complementary and holistic therapies that integrate with conventional medical treatments. Their experienced therapists collaborate to provide each patient with the best possible care through the careful integration of traditional, complementary and holistic therapies. Their goal is not to replace conventional medicine or treatments, but rather to enhance the overall continuum of care. For more information, please visit
www.progressivehealthcenter.org.
About your hosts:
MEMORY BRIDGING is focused on supporting and improving the quality of life, cognitive function and emotional well-being for individuals and families coping with Alzheimer's, mild stroke and mild traumatic brain injury. MEMORY BRIDGING is a
Denver Business Journal 2007 Champions in Health Care Innovation Finalist. For more information, please visit
www.membridge.com.
Atria communities provide a lifestyle of independence and opportunity, where seniors receive the support they need to live life to the fullest. Atria Inn at Lakewood also has a specialized Life Guidance® neighborhood for people with Alzheimer's disease or other forms of memory impairment. For more information, please visit
www.atriaseniorliving.com.