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Regaining Quality of Life
Millions of Americans live with neck and back pain, which can affect individual lives to varying degrees. For one Wall Township resident, allowing the pain to control her life was not an option.
Irene Black has always led an active lifestyle, shared with her husband for the past 52 years and filled with such delights as the adventures of traveling and the rewards of gardening. But in 2005, she suddenly found herself struggling with pain so severe that it began to take the pleasure from the very things she enjoyed most.
At age 73, Irene experienced discomfort in her back and hips, which escalated to intense pain. "On a scale of 1 to 10, I was at a 9 or 10 every day," says Irene. Tests showed spinal stenosis, degenerative arthritis, scoliosis, and sciatica. Irene’s doctor referred her to Peter Staats, M.D., one of the country’s leading pain physicians. Former chief of the Pain Medicine Division at Johns Hopkins University, Dr. Staats is now affiliated with Riverview Medical Center.
Understanding the Issue
It was determined that Irene was suffering from a condition known as facet syndrome. The facet joints are bony structures that connect the vertebrae in the spine. If there is stress or damage to these joints, it can lead to such symptoms as headaches, pain in the neck, shoulders, and upper back, or pain in the lower back, buttocks, and back of the thigh.
"Spinal pain is a very complex problem that is a leading cause of pain and disability in the United States. Left undiagnosed and inadequately treated, it can result in the inability to function in life," explains Dr. Staats. "An accurate and specific diagnosis of the problem can lead to the most effective treatment and control the pain. A variety of relatively new minimally invasive treatments can get patients back to a normal life and sometimes avoid the more invasive surgical procedures."
With facet syndrome, problems often develop as part of the aging process or arthritis, as well as from one-time incidents like an auto accident, which can result in severe neck pain. A non-surgical therapy that has seen great success with this condition is radio-frequency ablation of the posterior rami nerves supplying the facet joint. This low-risk procedure requires that a needle enter the back, and then, using X-ray guidance to ensure accuracy, the tip of the needle is placed on the nerve that supplies the joint. A short burst of energy is directed through the tip of the needle, which creates a small lesion on the nerve, thus disrupting the pain. The procedure is completed on an outpatient basis, with patients returning home after just a few hours.
Enjoying Life Again
Irene had lived in Middletown for 24 years up until 2000. Riverview Medical Center served as her family’s hospital on many occasions, and Irene knew she would be in good hands there. "Everyone at Riverview is so pleasant and nice, and I still prefer it even though I moved 30 minutes away."
Irene says the radio-frequency treatment turned things around in her life. "The pain gradually subsided, and I felt better just three or four days after the procedure." With travel plans on the agenda and grandkids to enjoy, Irene is relishing her newfound freedom and is happy to regain her quality of life.
 – Donna Sellmann
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