Medical Reports: Pain Procedure

WSVN -- Thirty-eight-year-old Lissette Castillo got no warning when back pain hit.

Lissette Castillo: "It started off shooting pains, and then later it just developed, got worse, where it was really stabbing pains running down my leg."

An MRI confirmed a herniated disc in her lower back. The pain got so bad she could barely function.

Lissette Castillo: "Even just getting in a car and driving or having someone drive me was nearly impossible."

Pain care specialist Dr. Ira Fox says chronic back pain affects a patient's entire life.

Dr. Ira Fox, Anesthesia Pain Care Consultants: "The pain can be incapacitating. It can affect sleep patterns, personal relationships."

Lissette tried everything from pain meds to physical therapy to an epidural injection, but nothing relieved the pain.

Dr. Ira Fox: "They are not getting the relief they expected from an epidural injection because a scarring has taken place in the area of inflammation."

To get past that scarring, Dr. Fox performed the Racz procedure on Lissette. Under local anesthesia, a catheter is inserted through the tailbone into the spine. Scarring in the area is opened up, allowing the medicine to reach the targeted spot of inflammation.

Dr. Ira Fox: "This will initiate the healing process, and over a period of a few days the patient will notice dramatic pain relief."

The procedure takes about 30 minutes and patients can go home the same day. Dr. Fox says, for many patients, the herniated disc eventually goes back into place, and they can avoid surgery.

Dr. Ira Fox: "You are able to work and move around? Everything is OK now?"

Lissette Castillo: "Yeah, everything is great."

Lissette is now pain-free and back to working full-time. Most importantly, she is able to do what she couldn't for so long, get behind the wheel and drive.

Lissette Castillo: "I haven't even limited the amount of driving that I'm doing. I didn't have to limit that at all."

Patients are given physical therapy exercises to follow at home, and the good news is the Racz procedure is covered by Medicare.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Anesthesia Pain Care Consultants, Inc.
Dr. Ira Fox
7171 North University Drive
Suite 300
Tamarac, FL 33321
Tel: (954) 720-3188