Make Pain a Thing of the Past – laser spine florida – Physician Partners of America

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What is Facet Joint Disease and How Can a Laser Treat It?

Minimally invasive procedures offer hope for facet arthritis

Facet joint disease is one of the most common back pain problems and is often age-related. It can cause a range of issues from mild discomfort to throbbing pain. For patients who have not achieved results through conservative treatment, minimally invasive laser spine procedures can make a big difference in quality of life.

“The laser is an amazing tool for targeting the nerves that cause pain. It offers great precision and longer lasting results,” says Dr. James St. Louis, director of PPOA’s Minimally Invasive Group.

What are facet joints?

These joints are found on both sides of every vertebra (bone) in the spine. They not only stabilize and hold the spine together; they make it possible for your back to twist. Facets are lined with cartilage that acts as a shock absorber and maintains smooth movement between the vertebrae.

Facet joint disease happens when the joints degenerate to the point where the nerves that exit them are impinged. This can happen by the normal wear and tear as we get older – in short, spine arthritis. These joints can also be damaged through trauma, disease and obesity.

Symptoms of facet arthritis

The condition adds pressure to the nearby nerves and can result in swelling and inflammation. If this occurs in the upper part of the back, it will usually cause pain in the head, neck or shoulders. If it occurs in the mid to lower spine, it can cause radiating pain in the lower back, buttocks or legs. Left to progress, it may cause bone spurs, cysts or thickened ligaments.

This condition goes by different names: facet syndrome, facet arthritis, facet hypertrophy and spinal osteoarthritis. By any name, it should be evaluated and treated if it is causing symptoms. Left to progress, it can cause bone spurs, cysts or thickened ligaments.

Laser spine treatment of facet disease

The laser treats pain-causing nerves with less disturbance to muscle and tissue than other techniques. The result is less trauma to the body and a faster recovery. Our surgeons make a 2-3 mm. incision at the treatment site. A very narrow tube, about the width of a needle, is inserted and guided by live x-ray to the treatment area.  The laser is then threaded through the tube and used to ablate the nerve that is being compressed.

When to seek help for facet syndrome

We should point out that some people with facet joint disease never experience pain; in fact, they are surprised to learn they have this disorder. In others, mild symptoms can be treated with rest, physical therapy, heat therapy and anti-inflammatory medication.

On the other end of the spectrum are people who live with excruciating pain every day. For those whose quality of life is affected, minimally invasive laser spine procedures can in some cases provide instant relief.

A diagnosis from a Physician Partners of America board certified pain management physician or spine specialist can tell you how severe your particular case is and how it should be treated.

For more information about facet joint disease and treatment options, please contact our minimally invasive laser spine specialists at 855-25-LASER.

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PPOA Offers Continued Pain Care for Snowbirds

Outpatient treatment makes vacations more enjoyable for long-term pain patients –

Just because someone is living with long-term pain, it doesn’t mean they have to forego their winter vacation. Insured seasonal visitors to Florida and Texas can get continued pain management care without worry at Physician Partners of America. PPOA accepts out-of-state identification for patients suffering from chronic pain and helps them with tailored treatment plans.

PPOA specialists can make arrangements with the patient’s home-state pain physician to receive the patient’s medical records in advance of a visit. Its partner doctors can perform a variety of cutting-edge interventional treatments.

[Watch Dr. Chad Gorman discuss your options .]

All treatments are minimally invasive and performed outpatient, so most patients can walk out the same day and enjoy their vacation time. They include nerve blocks, radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and trigger point injections. The company also offers neuromodulation and laser spine procedures.

Offering cutting-edge pain care for snowbirds

Based in Florida, a top tourism state, Physician Partners of America has a unique understanding of the so-called snowbird population — another name for long-term winter visitors. The Sunshine State welcomed 118.5 million visitors in 2017 and expects a 6 percent increase this year. Dallas-Fort Worth sees an annual 44 million visitors each year, including nearly 3 million from foreign countries.

PPOA clinics accept any commercially insured patient with a legitimate, commonly recognized form of identification. This includes a driver’s license or identification card issued in any state, in addition to military IDs and U.S. passports.

The company’s 14 pain relief clinics in Florida and nine in Dallas-Fort Worth also accept Medicare and Tricare.

“We don’t like the idea of pain patients miss out on the fun of snowbird life,” says Josh Helms, Chief Operating Officer of Physician Partners of America. “If we can improve their quality of life while they are away from home, we are happy to help.”

About PPOA:

Physician Partners of America (PPOA) is a national healthcare organization focused on strengthening the doctor-patient relationship, improving patient outcomes and leading the fight against the opioid crisis. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Tampa, Fla., PPOA and its affiliates share a common vision of ensuring the wellbeing of patients through interventional and minimally invasive treatments, primary care, orthopedics and laser spine procedures. Its model allows its physician partners to focus on patient care in the face of increasingly complex administrative requirements. For more information about Physician Partners of America, visit www.physicianpartnersofamerica.com.

 

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