Make Pain a Thing of the Past – snowbirds – Physician Partners of America

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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.

 

If you pinch a nerve in your wrist, you could develop carpal tunnel syndrome, a condition that makes your hand or arm feel numb or tingly. This can make your hand feel weak and make it harder to do everyday activities, especially if you have a job that requires a lot of time on the computer.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition that is usually easy to treat. With treatment, you should be able to heal over time and get rid of the numbness and tingling associated with carpal tunnel syndrome.

Simple Strategies for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Relief

Some of the strategies that can relieve your carpal tunnel syndrome pain are simple to begin. As soon as you begin having symptoms, you should start the treatment process right away to keep the condition from worsening.

Here are some simple ways to relieve your carpal tunnel syndrome:

    • Wrist splints– Using a wrist splint can help relieve your pain and keep your condition from worsening. The splint keeps your wrist in a position that relieves the pressure on your nerves. You can even wear it while sleeping so you don’t put unnecessary strain on your wrist while your rest.
  • Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)– Using NSAIDs may help to reduce the swelling and pain related to your carpal tunnel syndrome for short-term relief.

Talk to your doctor to determine the best course of action for your carpal tunnel syndrome, especially if the simple strategies do not provide relief.

Advanced Strategies for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Relief

If the simple strategies for pain relief do not help you feel better, you may need to try a more advanced strategy for your carpal tunnel syndrome. For example, your medical team could inject the injured area with a corticosteroid.

These cortisone shots can help get rid of some of the pressure on the median nerve to help lessen your pain. They can also reduce the inflammation and swelling in your hand or wrist.

If your carpal tunnel syndrome is particularly bad, you may need to get surgery to relieve your pain. Talk to your doctor to see if this is a necessary step for you.

There are two different options for carpal tunnel syndrome surgery: either open surgery or endoscopic surgery.  Either option may take some time to heal, but both can provide relief for your advanced carpal tunnel syndrome.

Tips for Avoiding Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

If possible, you want to try to avoid carpal tunnel syndrome, especially after you work to treat it. Keep your wrist brace and use it when needed. Take breaks from the computer or whatever activity causes the strain on your wrists.

If swelling or pain begins, ice the area to reduce the swelling. Try to keep your wrists straight or keeping a slight bend in them while doing the activity that caused your condition in the first place.
Get your doctor’s advice to keep your carpal tunnel syndrome under control. This condition is easy to treat, but can be a massive inconvenience while it is going on. Take care of yourself and be proactive about keeping carpal tunnel syndrome at bay.