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What does your perfect day feel like? Waking up rested, full of energy, and ready to take on the world? Going about your daily activities with ease? How about feeling strong and invincible on the golf course or on a run? For many people with chronic pain, a perfect day is only a dream.
You might think pain is something we just have to put up with. In truth, whether you have acute pain from an injury or suffer the chronic pain of a degenerative disease, metro Detroit pain management physicians and other medical specialists offer a range of treatment options to reduce pain symptoms and restore function.
A customized program of physical therapy, for example, can help ease the aches, pains, and related fatigue of arthritis. If you’ve been in an accident, a chiropractic alignment of the spine can help you avoid pain issues in years to come. Noninvasive and painless laser therapy can manage or eliminate pain caused by numerous health conditions, with no side effects. And for some patients, medical cannabis therapies provide the relief from chronic pain they need to live a better quality of life.
Talk with your physician to find the most effective treatments for your condition, so your perfect day is pain-free.
Cosmetic Dentistry Institute
Q: How can I get a great new smile without feeling discomfort in the dental chair?
A: If you could fall asleep wrapped in a warm blanket on a Tempur-Pedic cushion and wake up to a younger, healthier, beautiful smile, would you do it? That’s how easy it can be to transform your smile at the award-winning Cosmetic Dentistry Institute.
For people who are apprehensive about going to the dentist, sedation dentistry is a wonderful solution. “You can be completely relaxed and have a series of complex dental problems taken care of in as little as one visit. Sedation is also great if you have pain in areas of your body that make it difficult to sit in a dental chair,” says Dr. Craig Goldin, who has advanced training and certification in IV sedation.
If you’re uncomfortable having your teeth cleaned, be assured that our hygienists are trained in the use of laughing gas and local anesthesia for a relaxed experience. Dr. Craig Goldin is skilled in advanced numbing techniques and dental pain management. He’s also trained to help patients with jaw or TMJ pain, chronic headaches and, of course, tooth pain.
“We offer nothing less than excellence in dentistry,” says Dr. Marcy Goldin, an adjunct clinical lecturer at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry. “Your visit will be efficient and high-tech, as well as comfortable and painless.”
Birmingham Center for Cosmetic Dentistry
Q: I’m afraid to go to the dentist. How can I make sure my visit is comfortable and pain-free?
A: State-of-the-art technology, VIP attention, and a skilled and experienced dental team will help to make your visit a pleasant, pain-free experience. Listening to patients and learning about their past experiences at the dentist allows Dr. Mitchel Milan to properly address their specific concerns and needs.
“Some people may have been mistreated in the past. For others, the dentist may not have properly anesthetized them or given them a gentle injection for numbing,” says Dr. Milan, who is complemented by patients every day for his painless numbing technique.
“The main reasons why people feel pain during a procedure is they didn’t get the proper dose of local anesthetic, it was administered in the wrong location, or the dentist didn’t have the patience to wait long enough for the anesthetic to take effect — timing is important,” he explains.
Dr. Milan is certified in sedation dentistry, although the majority of his patients never require it. “Sedation is a good alternative for people who are 100 percent opposed to other options. I’m fine with that, because otherwise they may not come in for the treatment they need,” Dr. Milan says. “The objective is to give our patients a healthy mouth and to do whatever it takes to make sure they’re anxiety-free and comfortable.”
Pilates Fitness & Physical Therapy Center
Q: How can posture alignment improve my backache?
A: “Poor posture is the primary cause of neck and back problems,” says physical therapist and Pilates instructor Ron Jegadeesh, the owner of Pilates Fitness & Physical Therapy Center.
“If you sit, stand, or walk without proper posture, one muscle group works harder and becomes stronger than another muscle group. The stronger muscle gets tighter and lacks flexibility, while the weaker muscle loses strength.”
Posture alignment is an integral component of every Pilates exercise. In fact, many people achieve far better results with Pilates-based physical therapy than with traditional physical therapy.
“When you do Pilates you have a sense of power, grace, elegance of movement, and self-confidence,” Jegadeesh explains. “The first thing people notice is that their posture and alignment have changed. They feel like they’ve grown an inch taller. As the sessions progress, they notice improved flexibility and strength.” Pilates includes mat work without equipment, and exercises using a reformer to assist and resist movement.
“At each session I also teach exercises the client can do at home or at work,” Jegadeesh adds. “I ask them to make a habit of keeping their body in good alignment as they go about with their daily activities. They learn to sit taller, stand taller, and walk taller.”
Team Rehabilitation Physical Therapy
Q: I have arthritis. How can physical therapy help me?
A: Arthritis is caused by the loss of cartilage in our joints. This places stress on bones and joints, leading to inflammation, pain, bone spurs, and stiffness. In turn, these can cause pain during day-to-day activities and overall reduced activity tolerance.
Physical therapists are specialists in human movement, and arthritis is one of the most common conditions affecting movement. Physical therapy for arthritis begins with a detailed assessment of range of motion, strength, flexibility, and movement patterns. This information, along with the client’s goals, will allow the therapist to develop a customized treatment program.
Treatments usually involve manual therapy techniques and specific therapeutic exercises aimed at strengthening weak muscles and stretching tight muscles. To reduce stress on arthritic joints, movement patterns — such as the way a person gets up from a chair or goes down the stairs — are identified and addressed. Modalities for pain relief, such as heat therapy or electric stimulation, may also be incorporated.
Whether your goal is to golf 18 holes without “paying for it” the next day, or to simply get up from a chair without groaning and creaking, physical therapy may help with the pain of arthritis and allow you to lead a more active life.
Oakland MRI
Q: How can Oakland MRI help with my pain issues?
A: Whether you’re sidelined with an injury or suffering chronic pain, you need the most accurate and timely diagnostics. Oakland MRI’s advanced, high-definition Tesla imagers and digital X-ray technology provide the highest-quality images for diagnosing even the most challenging health conditions. “Open” MRI options cater to patients who are larger-bodied or claustrophobic. The new C-ARM suite offers high-tech imaging for neck, back, and joint pain.
Oakland MRI’s soothing office décor, with privately commissioned paintings and sports mementoes, will help you relax during your visit. “We pride ourselves on providing the best possible experience for our patients,” says Oakland MRI’s CEO, Susan V. Swider. “Each and every patient is given individualized care in a calming environment.”
When you’re in pain, you don’t want to wait for an appointment. Oakland MRI offers quick and easy scheduling, including next-day appointments and extended hours to accommodate busy schedules Oakland MRI’s board-certified radiologists will promptly interpret your test results and provide the highest quality reports.
“It’s your right to choose the diagnostic facility you prefer,” Swider points out. “You deserve an imaging and diagnostic center that will provide you with a comfortable environment, state-of-the-art equipment, and highly trained professionals. Oakland MRI is just the place.”
Elite Podiatry
Q: Can laser treatments help my pain issues?
A: Noninvasive and painless MLS Laser Therapy effectively treats many painful conditions of the feet, ankles, and lower legs, with no side effects. Dr. Alexsey Kheynson, D.P.M., says the FDA-approved cold laser is nothing less than a miracle for reducing inflammation and for rapid relief of pain.
“In the first two or three sessions, people feel amazing relief. The laser can help to speed up the healing of tendon and ligament ruptures. It works phenomenally for people with neurological pain, especially those with diabetic neuropathy.”
At Elite Podiatry, patients are evaluated by a licensed physician, not a tech or laserologist. Call today for your complimentary consultation.
Chiropractic Works PC
Q: What are the possible long-term consequences of auto accidents, and how can chiropractic alignment help me to avoid these problems?
A: When someone is involved in an accident, vertebrae shift out of place — affecting the discs, ligaments, and muscles. This can lead to sprain or strain injuries, or nerves being pinched. Pain may not show up for years after the accident and can come in the form of muscle spasms, tingling and numbness in the lower and upper extremities, arthritis in the joints, and other chronic pain issues.
After an accident, it’s important to have an alignment of the spine to take pressure off the nerves, which will help alleviate pain and prevent chronic pain in the future. While medications may temporarily relieve pain, chiropractic adjustments can correct the problem that causes your pain.
ANA Pain Management PC
Q: What is your approach to pain management?
A: An important first step is to establish a diagnosis based on the patient’s history of pain, a physical exam, and any diagnostic imaging or procedures. I explain to my patients exactly what their diagnosis is and the treatment options available. Care involves a biopsychosocial treatment approach with evidence-based medicine, minimally invasive procedures, physical therapy, nonsurgical treatments, and the safe, conservative use of medications. As a board-certified and fellowship-trained pain physician, I’m concerned about the overuse of medications, especially opioids, when managing pain. My approach is to treat patients as if I were treating members of my own family, providing comprehensive care for the whole person.
Arnold Gross, D.P.M., PC / Eric Foreman, D.P.M.
Q: What are the benefits of laser treatment for toenail infections?
A: In just one 30-minute office procedure, The PinPointe FootLaser can painlessly vaporize unsightly fungus under the nails.
“Toenail fungus is very common and there has never been a good treatment,” says board-certified podiatrist Dr. Arnold Gross. “Your choice has been topical creams and liquids that rarely work, or a pill that has a long list of possible side effects.”
Dr. Gross and his partner, Dr. Eric Foreman, are the fi rst to offer the state-of-the-art, FDA-cleared PinPointe laser system in Michigan. Within three months of treatment, patients start to see new growth of smooth, clear, fungus-free nails.
Nature’s Alternative — Medical Cannabis Provisioning Center
Q: Is smoking medical cannabis the only option for patients looking to alleviate their chronic pain?
A: At Nature’s Alternative, we offer a wide range of medical cannabis therapies that don’t require smoking. The active components in medical cannabis are also effective when ingested orally, or through the use of a topical oil or cream. We provide a range of ingestible therapies, including encapsulated extracts and infused oils. Individuals who prefer immediate palliative effects can medicate with a vaporizer, allowing them to inhale the essential oils without combusting any plant matter.
Patients who would rather not feel the psychoactive effects of Tetrahydracannabinol (THC) can utilize medical cannabis products higher in Cannabidiol (CBD). Cannabidiol has been shown to be helpful as an anti-inflammatory, and also has given symptom relief for patients with epilepsy without the “high” associated with THC. Beyond a rotating selection of High CBD medical cannabis flower, we also offer many of our ingestible and topical products in varieties high in CBD. In our experience, most patients find the most benefit from a combination of THC and CBD, as well as other cannabinoids, known as the “entourage effect.”
Advanced Implant Dentistry
Q: Will it be painful for me to have a dental implant procedure?
A: Pain is a common concern among patients who are planning to get a dental implant for the first time. You shouldn’t let the fear of anticipating pain deter you from having an implant because, surprisingly, the procedure isn’t painful.
Dental implants are placed in the jawbone. There are no nerve endings in the bone itself, so you don’t feel much discomfort in the area during and after the procedure. Typically we use local anesthesia, and seldom does a patient need to be sedated — but that always remains an option for the patient.
We give the patient a prescription for a strong anti-inflammatory and an antibiotic to be taken before their appointment. This pre-medication protocol works wonderfully to combat any post-op swelling or swelling during the procedure.
We also do a lot of pre-op preparation involving CAT scan and X-ray that precisely measures what we’re going to do. Sometimes we use computer-aided surgical guides or stents for cases that are more complicated. These measures help make the appointment more efficient, more accurate, and quicker, and they reduce the possibility of postoperative pain. Based on follow-up phone calls, we have been pleased to learn that nine out of 10 patients report having little to no discomfort after their implant procedure.
Goodis Endodontic Specialists
Q: My 12 year-old just experienced a sports injury and his tooth was fractured, with the nerve exposed. Why should I see an endodontist?
A: Previously, traditional root canal treatment was the only choice to save a tooth in this situation. However, in children and young adults, the development of the tooth root has not matured and often, due to a compromised development, the injured tooth has to be removed in adulthood.
Today, the endodontist has a game-changer with “stem cell” root canal treatment to save the tooth. By stimulating stem cells located at the ends of the immature tooth roots, we grow a brand new nerve that forms the root of the tooth. Stem cell therapy is done in a single office visit, and it takes anywhere from three to eight weeks for the new nerve to grow. The fractured tooth can be repaired with a filling or a crown. Stem cell root canal therapy is now a mainstream treatment and an amazing advancement for saving children’s teeth for a lifetime.
Michigan Head & Neck Institute
Q: You only treat Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) and TMJ disorders. Why is that?
A: I was in a car accident over two decades ago, and it caused disc herniations and bulges in my lower back and neck. I had to quit general dentistry, and I began studying and treating these two diagnoses exclusively.
The experience was life-changing and, eventually, a wonderfully rewarding situation. Today, I not only help people who have OSA or who might have head, neck, ear, or eye problems caused by TMJ Disorder; I also help young medical residents and medical students by teaching at St. John Hospitals and the MSU Osteopathic Medical School.
If muscles around the eye become tight due to TMJ, the result could be pain behind the eye, blurred vision, double vision, or watering of the eye. The tiny muscles in and around the ear, when tight due to TMJ, can cause ear pain, ear congestion, hearing problems, buzzing or ringing of the ear, and even dizziness. I really enjoy taking people out of pain and giving energy back to their lives.
The oral appliances I make for OSA were approved by the NIH and the FDA in 2006, and only recently became the gold standard for those OSA patients who could not, or would not, use the CPAP mask. It’s gratifying when you know you’re saving a life.
