Mark Bowditch
President, British Orthopaedic Association
Patients suffering from chronic conditions such as back pain and arthritis could benefit from one of the new technologies transforming the management of long-term pain.
With increased waiting times for NHS surgery, helping people manage their pain while waiting for surgery is more important than ever. In some cases, surgical ‘waiting lists’ are now seen as ‘preparation lists’ where patients are being provided with information to prepare for surgery. This includes pain management strategies through ‘waiting well’ initiatives.
Chronic pain management
Chronic pain is one of the most common and debilitating conditions. It can affect patients suffering from conditions such as back pain and arthritis, whether or not they are in line for a surgical procedure.
There are a number of new advancements in pain management that are on the horizon. Outlined here are just a few in the pipeline that are aiming to relieve back and joint pain.
Spinal cord stimulation
Procedures such as spinal cord stimulation involve sending electrical impulses to the spinal cord to alter pain signals before they reach the brain. Recent innovations include high-frequency and burst stimulation, which could offer more effective pain relief.
It is now used for conditions like persistent spine pain, complex regional pain syndrome and diabetic neuropathy. It has shown significant improvements in pain, function and quality of life for patients.
As research and technology continue to
evolve, pain management techniques
are poised to deliver better outcomes.
Nerve blocks using radiofrequency
People who can’t have joint replacements or other major surgery due to health reasons may be managed by nerve blocks using radiofrequency. For example, this includes procedures such as genicular nerve block for knees and suprascapular nerve block for shoulders.
Nerve blocks are a newer approach, which targets specific nerve regions, offering more focused pain relief than spinal cord stimulation. They are used to treat various post-surgical pain syndromes and to treat people who suffer from chronic musculoskeletal (MSK) pain conditions such as chronic low back and pelvic pain and arthritis. They have shown high success rates in improving quality of life and reducing the use of over-the-counter pain relief.
Reducing chronic pain burden
These are just a few of the innovations that not only offer new perspectives on pain physiology but also provide more personalised and effective treatment options. As research and technology continue to evolve, pain management techniques are poised to deliver better outcomes for patients, improving their quality of life and reducing the burden of chronic pain.
More information for patients can be found at boa.ac.uk/patients
