The holidays are right around the corner. Whether it’s planning a safe family gathering or last-minute holiday shopping, the holidays add extra responsibilities and stress to your already busy schedule. Add in increased time with family members or worries about COVID-19, and you’re most likely feeling more stressed than usual.

Stress and pain, unfortunately, go hand-in-hand for chronic pain sufferers. As stress can exacerbate chronic pain, you may be feeling it more than usual this time of year, with no time to slow down. There may not be a way to totally eliminate stress or pain from your life, but you can take steps to manage it. Here are Redefine Healthcare’s best tips to limit stress-related pain.

Eat Well & Stay Hydrated

While we would never ask you to pass on your sister’s delicious homemade apple pie, you should be conscious of the extra sugar, carbs, and gluten you may be consuming at holiday meals. Enjoy good food and good company, but don’t go overboard; poor nutrition isn’t doing anything for your body, and not to mention, extra weight can put extra strain on your joints.

*Dehydration can also affect bones and joints, resulting in stiffness and soreness. Be sure to drink plenty of water!

Exercise

Exercising may be the last thing you feel like doing when you’re stressed or in pain, but getting some movement in, even something as simple as a walk, can make you feel better. Exercise can both boost your mood and ease some of your pain. “Motion is lotion,” and making a conscious effort to add movement into your day can provide some relief to stiff joints.

Take Time To Rest

When you’re allocating your time and planning out activities, make sure to set aside some for yourself. First and foremost, make sure you’re getting enough sleep. Not only can lack sleep make your stress worse, but it can also make the pain worse too. Your body needs rest to repair itself, and if you aren’t getting enough, you’re doing a disservice to yourself.

Get Help!

If you’re in pain, you should see a specialist. There are a ton of simple, non-surgical options available for pain management. At Redefine Healthcare, we offer chiropractic manipulation, physical therapy, and interventional treatments like corticosteroid injections, nerve blocks, and more. Schedule a consultation with one of our pain management doctors by calling (732) 906-9600 or at https://redefinehealthcare.com/

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Those who experience joint, neck, or back pain throughout the year understand the weather’s impact on pain levels. As the air gets colder, the fluid in your joints moves less freely, making joints stiff and painful. The cold also causes your body to contract, making your muscles more reluctant to stretch.

If you’re feeling the effects of the colder weather this year, see the experts at Redefine Healthcare. Here are 3 pain management techniques we offer that can help relieve some of your pain this winter:

Chiropractic Manipulation

In colder temperatures, your muscles are reluctant to stretch out, preferring instead to draw in in an attempt to stay warm. Rigid and inflexible muscles can lead to a higher likelihood of injury, in addition to existing pain. Our chiropractors can help keep stiffness at bay with regular chiropractic adjustments to keep your muscles and joints loose and flexible.

Physical Therapy

An exercise plan put together by our physical therapists can help you manage pain year-round. Physical therapy is a recommended method for battling stiffness or soreness in the winter for the simple fact that movement creates heat in your body. Jumping rope, stretching, and other simple exercises help to warm up your muscles and keep them from getting too stiff.

Joint Injections

For deeper pain that may not just be a cause of stiff muscles, Redefine Healthcare offers non-surgical treatments for pain management, including steroid injections. Steroid injections are administered by a pain management physician. Depending on the location of your pain, medication, often an anesthetic and anti-inflammatory solution, is injected into a joint or space in order to decrease inflammation and irritation in the targeted area.

At Redefine Healthcare, we aim to provide all the tools you need to manage your pain year-round. If you find yourself suffering more than usual over the colder months, schedule an appointment with one of our pain specialists to learn how we can help by calling (732) 906-9600 or at https://redefinehealthcare.com/

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As the pandemic progresses and COVID-19 continues to have an increased impact on our communities, Redefine Healthcare would like to remind our patients of the steps we’ve taken and continue to take to keep you, our staff, and our community healthy.

The health and safety of our patients and staff has always been our top priority. Our offices are thoroughly cleaned and sanitized as part of our normal protocol. In addition, we disinfect all public areas including waiting rooms, bathrooms, and check in/out areas throughout the day. Upon arrival to the office, all patients will be screened with a temperature and pulse check, and will be required to complete a questionnaire regarding travel, symptoms, etc. All patients and staff are required to wear a mask.

We are following social distancing protocols in waiting rooms, and patients are more than welcome to stay in their cars while they wait and receive a call when the doctor is ready. We are also continuing to offer telemedicine appointments for those in which in-person care is not necessary.

Our staff is provided with comprehensive information about staying healthy, and required to stay home if not feeling well. All of these practices fall under the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Infection (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the New Jersey Department of Health.

As always, we strive to make your visit a comfortable and pleasant experience. Your loyalty is greatly appreciated.

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Redefine Healthcare has advised caution when riding electric scooters, in response to a growing number of e-scooter-related accidents and injuries. Head, face, and other injuries have increased dramatically over the past several years as more people use the popular alternative to gas-powered vehicles. However, helmet laws vary from state to state; in New Jersey, where e-scooters just became legal this year, helmets are required only for users under the age of 17.

Here and elsewhere, taking a tumble on one of these personal transportation devices is pretty standard, and the result is sometimes injury. Some of these injuries are serious. Concussions, bruising or bleeding of the brain, and facial abrasions and cuts are a few of the possibilities. Most injuries occur in men between 19 and 65, but a large percentage occur in children between six and 12, who tend to view e-scooters as toys even though some of them have top speeds of nearly 30 mph.

A recent study revealed essential data about e-scooters, including the fact that a majority of injuries occur when the rider is not wearing a helmet. Within the nearly one million e-scooter trips recorded in the study, there were 20 injuries per 100,000 trips in three months. Of the injuries that occurred, roughly half were head injuries; 15% were traumatic brain injuries. These injuries could most likely have been prevented by wearing a helmet, yet only one out of every 190 riders who sustained an injury was using one.

Researchers concluded that most of the injuries were preventable. We have long known that using a helmet while riding a bicycle reduces the risk of head injuries dramatically. The same is true when it comes to e-scooters. Besides head injuries, there were also bone fractures, injuries to nerves, tendons, and ligaments, severe bleeding, and organ damage. There were no deaths in this particular study, but there have been a few e-scooter-related deaths reported across the country.

The study also noted where people were most likely to become injured. Most of the injuries happened in the street (over half), while about a third of them occurred on the sidewalk. Motor vehicles such as cars were factors in 16% of the injuries, but only 10% of the injuries were the result of the rider being struck by a vehicle. A few of the injured riders hit curbs; a few others hit inanimate objects such as utility hole covers or light posts.

Unsafe usage was a significant factor in many of the incidents. Alcohol was a factor in about a third of the accidents that resulted in injuries. Many admitted they were riding too fast. Alarmingly, nearly 20% said that their accident was the fault of the scooter itself, citing malfunctioning wheels or brakes. Phone use was also an issue, revealing that distraction can also play a role.

In the meantime, you can protect yourself by wearing a helmet every time you ride and not mixing e-scooter use with alcohol use. Avoid distracted driving and take your time, as excess speed is clearly a risk factor.

If you would like more information about e-scooter safety or you have sustained an injury on an e-scooter, contact Redefine Healthcare at (732) 906-9600 to book a consultation or discuss your treatment options.

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The shoulder is an amazing joint with a wide and versatile range of movement. However, because it has so many parts and moves in so many different ways, it can also be a source of instability and even injury in many people. Pain is commonplace, particularly as a result of overuse or a specific injury. Pain may start suddenly or increase gradually over time, depending on its cause.

Treatment options for shoulder pain range from very conservative methods such as rest or physical therapy all the way up to surgical procedures. If you are experiencing shoulder pain, you can schedule an appointment with Redefine Healthcare to determine the cause of the pain and the best treatment plan for your specific injury. Here are four of the most common causes of this type of pain.

1. Biceps Tendinitis

Biceps tendinitis is a condition that causes inflammation of the upper bicep tendon, a strong, fibrous tissue that attaches muscle to bone. This tendon helps the elbow bend, the forearm turn, and the arm raise overhead. It often becomes irritated with repetitive lifting or routine overhead activities; this irritation may cause shoulder pain, weakness, and other symptoms. If you have biceps tendinitis, you may experience:

– Pain that may feel dull or sharp when moving; pain may continue even when the movement stops
– Pain or burning that may radiate to the upper arm
– Tenderness to the touch
– Trouble sleeping on the affected side
– Difficulty performing daily activities such as getting dressed

Most cases of biceps tendonitis can heal entirely with early detection and treatment. Some patients will respond very well to physical therapy and other conservative treatments; others will require surgery for complete healing.

2. Shoulder Bursitis

Shoulder bursitis involves the inflammation of the bursa in the shoulder. This condition is most common in patients 40 – 60 years of age but may also occur in younger people who engage in sports or other repetitive activities. Specific symptoms that may point to shoulder bursitis include:

– Pain in the upper front part of the shoulder
– Pain when lifting the arm overhead or sleeping on the affected side
– A feeling of tightness
– Swelling and/or redness
– Limited shoulder mobility
– Weakness

Ice, over-the-counter pain medications, steroid injections, and physical therapy are some of the conservative treatments that often resolve shoulder bursitis, although the condition may recur if the repetitive movement that caused it in the first place is continued. In some instances, surgery may be required.

3. Shoulder Tendinitis

Like biceps tendinitis, this type of tendinitis involves inflammation of a tendon but, in this case, it usually occurs in the subacromial space, located on the top of the shoulder. This condition is commonly caused by overuse and repetitive motions, although individuals who experience shoulder tendinitis are typically genetically predisposed. Other things that may increase a person’s risk include participation in sports such as swimming and tennis, falling onto the shoulder, poor posture, heavy lifting, and advancing age. Symptoms that may indicate shoulder tendonitis include:

– Pain when moving
– A feeling of tightness or tenderness in the affected area
– Pain that worsens overnight
– Increasing swelling and weakness as inflammation escalates

If diagnosed and treated early, many patients recover fully and regain normal function. However, severe cases and certain complications can necessitate surgical decompression.

4. Shoulder Subluxation

Shoulder subluxation is a dislocation injury in which the ball of the upper arm bone slips partially out of the glenoid socket (the socket of the scapula, or shoulder blade). The shoulder can dislocate in any of several different directions – forward, backward, or downward. A subluxation is usually caused by a forceful blow or extreme rotation.

Once a shoulder has become dislocated, it may be more prone to subluxations and dislocations in the future. As the most mobile joint in the human body, the shoulder contains a large number of bones, muscles, and ligaments that all must work together to maintain stability. Because of its high mobility, the joint is highly susceptible to this type of injury.

The symptoms of a shoulder subluxation include:

– Visibly deformed shoulder
– Humerus moving in and out of the socket
– Pain and tenderness, especially when moving the shoulder
– Shoulder swelling
– Numbness or tingling along the arm
– Reduced range of motion
– Clicking or popping sensation in the shoulder

Generally, subluxations self-correct when individuals rest the arm and avoid the motions that led to the injury. Ice, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory pain medication, and rest are all indicated as reliable treatment choices. In some cases, physical therapy can help aid in reducing discomfort and speeding recovery time. However, for repetitive subluxation events, or when a medical examination concludes weak ligaments may be the cause, a surgical procedure to correct the issue can be an option. In subluxations with no major tissue or nerve damage, the joint usually recover quickly and without complications. When a patient seeks prompt medical attention, the outlook is good.

If you are experiencing pain or other troublesome symptoms, contact us for a consultation. We can diagnose the issue and recommend an effective treatment plan to get you back to your regular routine as soon as possible.

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August is National Wellness Month, a time to focus on self-care, stress management, and healthy routines. It’s the perfect time to create some new, wholesome habits to look and feel better than ever. When you practice self-care, you naturally feel happier and less stressed. These benefits have another unexpected advantage: pain management and recovery from injuries (such as sports injuries). Stress, poor nutrition, and inadequate rest can all make your pain worse and your recovery longer. Instead, try these four healthy ways to celebrate National Wellness Month and manage your pain and injuries better.

1. Drink more water

Drinking more water is a highly achievable goal and one that has almost immediate benefits. Water lubricates your joints, something that’s even more important as you age. It also helps transport the nutrients you need for energy and overall health. Plain water is your best bet, but you can also get water from other fluids such as juice and tea. Just be sure not to consume too much sugar – any sodas or other flavored beverages should be sugar-free, as sugary drinks are packed with empty calories, and excess weight can make pain and recovery from any injury worse.

2. Make exercise part of your daily routine

If you’ve been thinking of starting an exercise program, there’s no time like National Wellness Month to make it happen. Exercise helps you maintain a healthy weight and is terrific for your mental health, especially when you exercise outdoors. Furthermore, exercise can help significantly with pain management. Regular exercise improves your pain threshold, reduces mental stress, increases flexibility and strength, and promotes healthy circulation – all aspects that help you manage pain and recover faster from an injury.

3. Practice deep breathing

It’s well-known that stress exacerbates pain. It can also interfere with your breathing, and you may not even realize it. When you’re stressed, you may tend to take shallow breaths or hold your breath, which can increase tension in your body and, in turn, pain. There are many ways to practice deep breathing, such as this one: Breathe in through your nose for a count of four, hold your breath for another count of four, and then exhale through your mouth for a count of eight. You’ll quickly notice that you feel calmer and more relaxed.

4. Try massage

Massage is a fantastic way to pamper yourself, reduce stress, and promote overall physical and mental well-being. Ask your doctor about remedial massage or treat yourself to a luxurious relaxation massage at a local spa. If you can’t or prefer not to have a massage at a spa or in a physical therapist’s office, you can still reap some of the benefits by trying your hand at self-massage. Giving your feet, calves, lower back, or neck a rubdown can refresh and calm you and help reduce your perception of pain.

Incorporating wellness into your daily routine is an excellent way to feel better daily and promote overall health. What better time to start than National Wellness Month?

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Redefine Healthcare offers epidural lysis of adhesions for patients with excess scarring in the epidural space. Lysis of adhesions is also known as the Racz procedure. This procedure helps address scar tissue conditions around the spine. Patients may have scar tissue in the area between the spinal cord and the bones that support and surround it, known as the epidural space.

When foreign matter (including scar tissue) appears in this area, it can lead to problems with normal motor or sensory functions. Scar tissue can also pose a threat to the spinal nerves by physically compressing them or by damaging them chemically by releasing inflammatory molecules in the epidural space. Epidural Lysis of adhesions can reduce these risks by decreasing or eliminating the scar tissue.

Conditions Lysis of Adhesions Can Address

Lysis of adhesions is an increasingly popular option for many patients with chronic pain. In particular, it helps manage the symptoms of failed back surgery syndrome. These symptoms are caused by back surgery complications resulting in excess scar tissue. There are other conditions where lysis of adhesions is used, such as spinal stenosis. In spinal stenosis, the nervous tissue is physically compressed by the scar tissue surrounding it. This condition can result in sensory disorders, loss of motor control, and pain.

Most lysis of adhesions procedures is performed on the lower back. However, it may also be helpful in some cases involving the cervical spine (neck). Cervical issues can cause chronic pain in the upper limbs or neck. Lysis can help restore normal function by removing adhesions. It also relieves pain, soreness, and inflammation for many patients. The results of this procedure typically last up to 12 weeks.

How it’s Performed

Lysis of adhesions is performed by administering medications and other tools that help break up scar tissue in a specific area. Your surgeon injects a local anesthetic to eliminate any pain. Then, they’ll use imaging technology to visualize the scar tissue for accuracy. Or, they may insert a probe with a small camera attached for the same purpose. Once they are confident about the precise location that needs to be treated, they’ll deliver special medication such as saline and hyaluronidase, which cause the adhesions to break up. They may also administer drugs designed to inhibit pain and inflammation, such as steroids.

Possible Risks

This is a safe and effective procedure. However, as with any treatment, there are risks. Most of the risks associated with this procedure are related to the placement of the needle and catheter. Other potential complications include temporary discomfort at the injection site or temporary headaches. These risks are small, and the benefits of the procedure will, in most cases, far outweigh them. Be sure to ask your doctor any questions you may have before undergoing this or any procedure.

If you would like more information about epidural lysis of adhesions, please call Redefine Healthcare at (732) 313-2610 or contact them here.

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Redefine Healthcare has announced that it will now offer kyphoplasty treatment at New Jersey locations in Union, Paterson, Edison, and Clifton. Kyphoplasty is a minimally-invasive surgical procedure to treat compression fractures of the vertebrae. These types of fractures occur most often in people with osteoporosis in the thoracic region of the spine, although they may also occur in the lumbar spine.

The goal of this treatment is to reduce discomfort by restoring bone height, stabilizing the vertebra, and reversing spinal deformities that cause pain. As Redefine Healthcare professionals explain, kyphoplasty is most effective when performed within eight weeks of the onset of the fracture. When treatment is delayed, the fracture may begin to heal, and regaining bone height will become impossible. A consultation with your physician is the best way to determine if this procedure is right for you and when it should be performed.

During the procedure, the patient will lie face-down on the operating table. The surgeon will make a tiny incision (about half an inch) over the affected area. Then, the surgeon will use X-ray guidance to insert a thin tube through the incision and into the fractured vertebra. He or she will then drill a small hole through the outer part of the bone and into its center, which is softer. This hole provides a pathway through which the surgeon inserts a special balloon, which is inflated once inside the vertebra, creating an open cavity inside the bone and restoring height to the vertebra by pushing apart its collapsed caps. When this process is complete, the surgeon will deflate and remove the balloon. Finally, the surgeon injects special bone cement into the cavity to ensure that it maintains its shape. This cement hardens quickly, and the incision closes.

The entire process may need to be repeated on the other side of the vertebra to ensure stability and complete recovery. Kyphoplasty may be performed using local or general anesthesia.

As Redefine Healthcare professionals confirm, this procedure is often ideal for patients who are too frail or elderly or whose bones are too weak to tolerate traditional open spinal surgery. It is also helpful for patients with vertebral compressions due to tumors, compression fractures due to osteoporosis, or osteoporosis caused by metabolic disorders or long-term steroid use.

Kyphoplasty can usually be completed on an outpatient basis, allowing patients to return home on the same day. Most patients report highly favorable outcomes with kyphoplasty, including significant and sustained pain relief, improved mobility, less difficulty performing daily activities, and significantly improved quality of life. The Redefine Healthcare staff reminds patients that as with all surgical procedures, it does present some risks, although these are unlikely, and rates of complications for this procedure are very low.

If you would like more information about kyphoplasty, please call Redefine Healthcare at (732) 906-9600. You can schedule a consultation to discuss treatment options and learn whether kyphoplasty may be right for you.

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Scoliosis is a curvature of the spine that typically occurs just before puberty during a growth spurt. The cause of scoliosis is usually unknown. While most cases are mild, scoliosis can be disabling in some people. June is Scoliosis Awareness Month, a great time for education about early detection of this prevalent disease through a campaign that unites patients, families, doctors, and institutions affected by scoliosis.

At Redefine Healthcare, we’d like to highlight some of the services that we provide to help people with scoliosis. Here are four pain management treatments that improve comfort and quality of life for those afflicted with scoliosis.

Nerve Blocks

Nerve blocks are medications injected onto or near nerves; these medications may be steroids, local anesthetics, or narcotics. There are many different types of nerve blocks including facet joint blocks, medial blocks, peripheral nerve blocks, selective nerve root blocks, sympathetic nerve blocks, epidural steroid injections, sacroiliac joint injections, and radiofrequency nerve ablation. Ablation is similar to a nerve block or joint injection, except that in ablation, your care provider will use two needles–one in each nerve of the facet joint. We can help you determine which type of nerve block may work best for your condition and tailor a treatment plan just for you.

Spinal Cord Stimulation

A newer treatment is available for people dealing with pain from damaged spinal nerves. Spinal cord stimulation involves placing electrical wires along the back of the spinal cord. These wires are connected to a small stimulator box, which is placed under the skin and controlled via a handheld remote control. When activated, the stimulator delivers mild electrical impulses near the spine. Similar to a pacemaker, this device works by interrupting pain signals traveling between the spinal cord and the brain.

Medications

There are many different medications to help relieve the pain stemming from scoliosis. A wide variety of drugs on the market right now can significantly reduce pain, from nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (such as ibuprofen and naproxen) to opioids (such as oxycodone and morphine) and nerve pain agents (such as gabapentin and pregabalin).

When they are prescribed by a doctor and used only as directed, medications can go a long way toward relieving a patient’s pain short term. However, that doesn’t mean that controlling pain with medication is a simple matter: many of these drugs can be addictive and may become less effective at fighting pain over time.

Surgery

When less-invasive methods of pain relief have been ineffective, surgery may be an option. Surgery is usually recommended when pain is severe and cannot be managed with other treatments or when the spinal cord or nerve roots have become irritated and surgery is essential to prevent the loss of bodily functions. Your doctor can recommend procedures such as decompression surgery or decompression with fusion to help relieve symptoms and improve your quality of life.

If you have scoliosis and want to explore your pain relief options, don’t hesitate to contact us for a consultation.

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Redefine Healthcare is pleased to announce that they will now offer same-day interventional spine procedures at their four NJ locations. These procedures include:

Radiofrequency Ablation

Radiofrequency ablation is a pain-relief procedure involving an electrical current that heats a targeted area of nerve tissue to decrease pain signals from that area. Pain relief from this procedure typically lasts anywhere from six to 12 months. Occasionally, a patient will experience pain relief that lasts for years. Conditions radiofrequency ablation can help include chronic neck or lower back pain as well as joint pain caused by arthritis. Good candidates for this procedure are at least 18 years of age and have been experiencing chronic lower back or neck pain for at least three to six months.

Sympathetic Blocks

Sympathetic blocks work by diagnosing and treating pain caused by the sympathetic nerves. These nerves (part of the sympathetic nervous system) are located on both sides of the spinal column and help control the organs by regulating heart rate, blood flow, and other basic functions. They can also carry pain signals from the peripheral tissues. Symptoms of problems with the sympathetic nerves include pain, swelling, sweating, and changes in color. Sympathetic blocks, as the name suggests, blocks these pain signals and help the patient feel better.

Medial Branch Blocks

The medial branch nerves feed out from the spine’s facet joints and deliver pain signals to the brain. Medial branch blocks are procedures in which an anesthetic is injected to a targeted location in a facet joint. Some patients experience immediate pain relief; when this happens, it can be determined that the facet joint was the source of the pain, making this a diagnostic procedure as well. This procedure is often used with success after the patient has already tried other facet joint injections.

Spinal Cord Stimulator

A spinal cord stimulator is a device that the physician implants in the back to relieve chronic pain. This device sends electrical pulses that interfere with the existing pain-producing nerve impulses. Spinal cord stimulators are often used to treat pain associated with sciatica, herniated discs, spinal stenosis, failed back surgery syndrome, and degenerative disc disease. Your physician may perform a trial procedure to monitor the outcome for a few days to ensure success before recommending a permanent neuro-stimulator.

Epidural Lysis Of Adhesions

Epidural Lysis of adhesions is a procedure used to remove scar tissue in the epidural area. This area is a thin space between the protective layers around the spinal cord and the spinal column inside. The epidural space is padded by fat tissue, blood vessels, and nerve roots and runs the whole length of the spine. Scar tissue and adhesions can cause pain by restricting the natural movement of the local nerves. During this procedure, a mixture of local anesthetics and steroids is injected into the area to reduce inflammation and provide significant pain relief.

If you think these procedures may be right for you, or you’re experiencing chronic back pain, contact Redefine Healthcare today for an appointment.

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