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Living with pain is not living life to its fullest. The trouble is, sometimes you just don’t know where to turn. Fortunately, metro Detroit-area pain management specialists offer a wide range of treatment options including rehabilitation therapies such as Pilates; spinal manipulation; nonsurgical, drug-free intervention; and minimally invasive procedures. Metro Detroit is also home to outstanding physicians who practice state-of-the-art techniques should surgery be recommended to alleviate pain.
Pain specialists will tell you that you do not have to live with the pain; even chronic pain can be managed and reduced. Although pain cannot be measured by a test, seen on an imaging screen, or located by any instrument, it is real — and the desired outcome is always to provide relief.
With the proper evaluation and treatment, most people find there are ways to minimize their pain and enrich their quality of life.
Crittenton Hospital Medical Center
Q: How can I minimize pain from surgery?
A: With minimally invasive surgery (MIS), small incisions and methods of surgery cause less trauma to tissues and, thus, less pain. MIS also promotes more rapid recovery, lowers complication rates, causes less scarring, and reduces blood loss. Yet the reduction in pain is what many consider the main benefit. Because the procedures are less complex, recovery time is reduced. Dr. Jeffrey H. DeClaire, chief of surgery and orthopedics at Crittenton Hospital, specializes in MIS of the knee in what can best be described as “medicine for movement.”
Dr. DeClaire’s state-of-the-art facility at the Crittenton Hospital Medical Building includes a supervised program which gives patients an opportunity to achieve fitness and increased function. Dr. DeClaire diagnoses, treats, and cares for patients until their knee or joint is in an optimal state of health. He strives to find the least-invasive approach to preserve the normal knee, and works with you to keep recovery as pain-free as possible.
Crittenton Hospital Medical Center
Pilates Fitness & Physical Therapy Center
Q: How can Pilates-based physical therapy help back pain?
A: Patients with pain stemming from excessive movement and degeneration of the intervertebral discs and joints will likely benefit from a Pilates exercise program.
Pilates improves strength, flexibility, and suppleness of the muscles of the hip and shoulder. With supported movement through these joints, there is better alignment and less chance of back pain.
In addition, Pilates teaches awareness of movements and excessive tension that may stress the spine. It also decreases wear and tear resulting from uneven stresses on the intervertebral joints and discs. Pilates helps patients change or modify habits that may be contributing to increased pain.
Pilates-based physical therapy promotes awareness of neutral alignment of the spine, helps strengthen deep postural muscles, and teaches ways to use the body efficiently.
A gentle way to combat back pain, Pilates can be effective in preventing back injury. It may also be used as a fitness routine to maintain progress.
Pilates Fitness & Physical Therapy Center
Dr. James Herman
Q: What is the difference between traction and spinal decompression?
A: Spinal decompression and traction are terms that are often used interchangeably. Traction works by decreasing axial pressure of the spine, but it cannot target specific spinal segments and can cause muscles to tighten or spasm.
Decompression is an advanced form of traction. It targets specific disc levels and is used to treat degenerative disc disease and bulging and herniated discs, which often cause sciatica. Decompression on the DRX 9000 has the ability to distract the spine by overriding the muscle spasm that may occur with ordinary traction.
Dr. James Herman
James Herman, D.C., D.A.B.C.O.
Chiropractic Orthopedics
Address: 6431 Inkster Road, Suite 220, Bloomfield Township, MI 48301
Phone: 248-539-0100
Fax: 248-539-0110
Oakland MRI
Q: What can Oakland MRI do to help me with my pain issue?
A: Oakland MRI is a full-service imaging facility offering the most up-to-date open MRI imaging equipment, along with a digital X-ray suite.
Our radiologists, who specialize in neurology and musculoskeletal systems, locate and describe the problem quickly and accurately so you and your doctor can be confident in the findings of your complex study.
Oakland MRI has a C-arm suite where arthrograms, discograms, and myelograms are performed. These procedures use image-guided injections to determine the cause of ongoing pain. Arthrograms and discograms can pinpoint the cause of joint problems and persistent back pain. Myelograms are used to investigate disorders of the spinal canal, cord, and nerve roots. At Oakland MRI, MRI arthrograms can be performed immediately after the injection is given, whereas other facilities have to mobilize the patient and send them to different locations.
The next time you need excellent and convenient imaging services, remember that you can choose the testing facility. Oakland MRI offers an inviting and comforting atmosphere; quick and easy scheduling; and same-day, next-day, and Saturday appointments for your convenience. Every patient receives a copy of the images on a disc, and the report is faxed the next day to the referring doctor. Choose Oakland MRI and experience the difference!
Oakland MRI
Michigan Head & Neck Institute
Q: Could my headaches be caused by sleep apnea or TMJ?
A: Headaches are a common but sometimes misunderstood symptom of sleep apnea or TMJ (also called TMD). With sleep apnea, irregular breathing prohibits enough oxygen from getting into your body’s cells, making them unhealthy. Frequent headaches result from that depravation and indicate that something more major is wrong with your health.
TMJ, meanwhile, originates either through injury — such as a fall or a sports injury — or even due to a bad bite. It creates misalignment in your jaw, head, and/or neck. That imbalance puts tension on the nearby muscles and, with the constant stress, come headaches. Other symptoms may include pain in the face, eyes, ears, jaw, and neck. Your eyesight may be blurry or your hearing may seem off. If you feel your jaw “catch” when you open your mouth, or if you hear a click, you probably have a TMJ problem.
“This is what I teach the medical residents at St. John and Henry Ford hospitals; and it is what I teach med students at Michigan State Osteopathic College of Medicine,” says Dr. Richard Klein, director of the Michigan Head & Neck Institute.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be headache-free? The Michigan Head & Neck Institute diagnoses TMJ problems and creates solutions for those with sleep apnea and TMJ. Most people experience relief from comfortable and inconspicuous mouthpieces worn at night to open their airwaves or realign their jaw. Medical and physical therapy support are also available on-site for those who need it. Referrals from your physician are welcome, as are your self-referrals.
Michigan Head & Neck Institute
Right at Home of Oakland, Macomb and Eastern Wayne Counties
Q: How is pain management different for the elderly?
A: Elderly people don’t always report pain. Among the reasons for this is a fear of being typecast as feeble and dependent. They also wrongly accept pain as a natural consequence of getting old, instead of a sign that something is wrong. These misperceptions can often result in non-treatment of painful conditions, or noncompliance with their doctor’s prescriptions for pain-relieving drugs. For those elderly who cannot verbally communicate (due to dementia or possibly paralysis), signs of pain to look for include grimaces or flinching, moaning, tears, combativeness, and irritability. Gentle encouragement to seek help or take medicine can make a difference in the quality of life for elderly loved ones.
Right at Home
Birmingham Bloomfield Audiology
Q: Is hearing loss painful?
A: Hearing loss can have both a physical and an emotional impact. A conductive hearing loss, which affects the middle ear, can be painful and requires medical attention. This would be the case in acute conditions such as otitis media (or ear infection), a perforated eardrum, or cholesteatoma (a tumor in the ear). Pain also can result from disorders such as ear inflammation or tinnitus, a condition that causes constant ringing in the ear.
Hearing loss can be emotionally painful if you’re struggling to hear what others say and you withdraw from social contact. Hearing loss has been linked to stress, depression, and loneliness. It can also negatively impact job performance and relationships. There is no need to suffer or ignore a hearing loss. An audiologist can diagnose and treat hearing loss and provide the tools needed to regain the ability to hear what you’ve been missing.
Birmingham Bloomfield Audiology
Pain Clinic of Michigan
Q: How do I choose a pain management physician?
A: Pain management physicians specialize in diagnosing and treating acute and chronic pain, a condition that affects millions of Americans. It is important to find the right doctor — someone who will understand both you and your pain, and will work with you to give you the relief you deserve. Sadly, patients who suffer from chronic pain often do not receive adequate pain treatment. Choosing the appropriate pain management physician can often be a confusing and frustrating process, so here are a few things to consider:
• Make sure that your doctor is board-certified in pain management from an ACGME-accredited fellowship in pain management. Many health professionals profess to be pain management specialists, but only a board-certified pain doctor is truly qualified and experienced enough to help you explore options to treat your pain.
• Consider the approach your pain doctor has to treating pain and ask yourself: Is it aligned to my own values? This is a very subjective question. At our clinic, we believe in taking each patient’s individual needs into account before exploring various pain treatment options. For some, it is as simple as managing medications properly, while for others we explore alternative options that are available from an interventional standpoint. For most, a combination of medical management along with intervention helps to maintain pain levels at a minimum.
• Accessibility. The American health industry is moving toward the increased use of secondary providers such as nurse practitioners and physician assistants, yet patients with pain seem to prefer a certified pain doctor. At our practice, we always make ourselves accessible, first and foremost. Pain is a unique thing to suffer from, and we firmly believe that investing in the relationship with a patient and their family is just as important in treating pain.
Maple Millennium Medical Center & Pain Clinic of Michigan Group
Spine Specialists of Michigan
Q: When should I make an appointment to see Dr. Radden?
A: Patients who complain of back and neck pain and/or discomfort associated with pain radiating into their arm or leg should make an appointment to see Dr. Radden. Severe back and neck pain can be caused by heavy lifting, work injuries, sports injuries, and motor vehicle accidents. Pain can affect a patient’s quality of life. Typically, we associate pain with an injury that will heal over time, but that is not always the case. When pain persists, it is time for a comprehensive evaluation at Spine Specialists of Michigan with Dr. Louis N. Radden, D.O. Dr. Radden is an expert in the diagnosis and treatment of complex back and neck disorders. He will initially work with patients on the latest noninvasive techniques; injection therapy, laser therapy, and physical therapy. Dr. Radden may recommend an MRI to diagnose the pain generator causing the neck and back pain, and might recommend a pain management program. If surgery is indicated, Dr. Radden is a board-certified spine surgeon who specializes in minimally invasive spine surgery.
While Dr. Radden uses state-of-the-art solutions to treat complex conditions and injuries to the spine and musculoskeletal regions, he begins by listening to each patient to understand their symptoms of back and neck pain before making a diagnosis and creating a treatment plan.
Spine Specialists of Michigan
Angelo DiMaggio, P.T., Cert. M.D.T. – American Headache Institute, Head, Neck, & Facial Pain Treatment Center
Q: How is your headache/TMJ pain clinic different from other such clinics and what do your patients like most about your approach?
A: While the American Association of Orthodontics suggests that children be seen by an orthodontist before the age of 7, there are no age restrictions for adults. The only pre-condition is that you haThe biggest difference is that most headache, TMJ, and pain clinics have doctors who primarily dispense medications and/or give injections. We are certified spine physical therapists (physical medicine) who work closely with physicians and dentists who refer their patients for examination and treatment of their cervical spine (neck).
Recent research and our clinical findings are showing that the majority of head, TMJ, and facial pain — including tinnitus, sinusitis, visual disturbances, and unexplainable tooth pain — are, in most cases coming in part or entirely from the neck. We are also different in that we teach our unique cervical treatment procedures nationally to doctors and therapists through hospital-sponsored seminars.
What our patients like most about our approach is how quickly an effective cervical treatment program, which they learn to perform themselves, can decrease or abolish their pain. More than 50 percent of our patients experience complete abolishment of their symptoms in the first one to three visits without manipulation, drugs, or injections.
American Headache Institute
Arnold Gross, D.P.M., PC, Eric Foreman, D.P.M.
Q: Is there a safe and effective treatment to get rid of toenail fungus and the pain associated with it?
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. “Until now, your choices have 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 first doctors in Michigan to offer the state-of-the-art, FDA-cleared PinPointe laser system. The procedure has no complications, and within three months of treatment, patients start to see new growth of smooth, clear, fungus-free nails.
Arnold Gross, DPM, PC, Eric Foreman, DPM
Michigan Head & Spine Institute
Q: What does a physiatrist do to relieve neck and back pain?
A: The physiatrists at the Michigan Head & Spine Institute (MHSI) specialize in the nonsurgical evaluation and management of back and neck pain. Their goal is to improve a patient’s functional skills and, thus, their quality of life. Central to this is the elimination of pain, as well as minimizing the use of medications. Physiatrists also diagnose various neuromuscular disorders with electrodiagnostics, which provide information on how the nervous system functions.
Using conservative, nonsurgical tools and minimally invasive treatments, pain management, and exercise-based rehabilitation therapy, physiatrists treat various musculoskeletal (muscles and bones) and neurological (nervous system) disorders, including arthritis, back pain, work- and sports-related injuries, brain or spinal cord injuries, post-stroke treatment, and brain and spine injuries. They also work with amputees, addressing their specific challenges and helping them to function better in everyday activities.
MHSI is one of the largest neurosurgery/physiatry medical practices in the country, with 10 locations in southeast Michigan. If you’re seeking conservative and minimally invasive techniques to relieve pain, you owe it to yourself to make an appointment with a physiatrist, or physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) specialist. While the American Medical Association has recognized physiatrists since 1946, their role is often misunderstood — except by those who have benefited from their expertise. At MHSI, the physiatrists make every effort to find a solution to your pain that considers your lifestyle, your level of activity, and your desired quality of life.
Michigan Head & Spine Institute
Robert P. Farhat, D.O.; Natalia V. Glisky, M.D.; Sophia Grias-Radwanski, M.D.; Ingrid Chua-Manalo, M.D.; John M. Marshall, M.D.; Henry C. Tong, M.D., M.S.; and Sultan D. Zaidan, M.D.
Main Address: 29275 Northwestern Hwy., Suite 100, Southfield, MI 48034
Additional Locations: 44200 Woodward Ave., Suite 112, Pontiac, MI 48341
46325 W. 12 Mile Rd., Suite 100, Novi, MI 48377
43475 Dalcoma Dr., Suite 150, Clinton Twp., 48038
3577 West 13 Mile Rd., Suite 206, Royal Oak, MI 48073
6200 Haggerty, Suite 200, Canton, MI 48187
32500 23 Mile Rd., New Baltimore, MI 48047
Phone: 877-784-3667
Fax: 248-869-3968
Website: www.MHSI.us
Hospital Affiliations: Beaumont Health System, St. Joseph Mercy-Oakland, St. John Providence Health System, McLaren Macomb
Michigan Spine Institute
Q: Is there a minimally invasive surgery to alleviate backpain?
A: When back pain disrupts your everyday life, it’s generally best to start with conservative pain management options, as surgery may not be necessary.
Physical therapy, epidural injections, and healthy lifestyle changes — including weight reduction, smoking cessation, and a proper diet — may help to reduce or eliminate your pain.
When conservative pain management techniques are not effective and you’re considering surgery, an innovative outpatient procedure called AxialLIF spinal fusion offers excellent results. Board-certified neurosurgeon Dr. Steven Rapp performs this surgery through a mere one-inch incision in the patient’s lower back.
“There is virtually no blood loss. This approach produces less discomfort and faster healing, as there is much less cutting through muscle and tissue,” Dr. Rapp explains.
“I believe it’s a safer procedure than traditional surgery, as there is less exposure and anesthesia time.
With AxialLIF spinal fusion, patients are up and walking the same day and many return to work in two weeks.”
Michigan Spine Institute
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