ORLive Presents: Beth Israel Offers Inside Look at Chronic Pain Therapy

Webcast: From Beth Israel Medical Center: February 6, 2008 6:00 PM EST (23:00 UTC)

As more and more Americans are working harder, living longer and looking to remain active, chronic pain has become a main focus in today's world of pain medicine. Premiering on February 6, 2008, Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City will showcase recent advances in chronic-pain therapy and innovations in spinal cord stimulation through a specialized webcast. Spinal cord stimulation uses an implantable device that is surgically placed under the skin to send mild electrical impulses to the spinal cord or to a specific nerve. Patients have the ability to control the stimulation by turning the device on or off, and to modulate pain relief as needed, based on their pain or activity.

In the webcast, individuals will have the unique opportunity of being able to follow a patient through the operative procedure to undergo the benefits of spinal cord stimulation performed by Dr. Robert Sheu, Director of the Pain Division in the Department of Pain Medicine and Palliative Care at Beth Israel Medical Center. "At Beth Israel in New York City, spinal cord stimulation is an amazing asset in trying to provide pain relief to many individuals who have suffered from chronic pain, often for years without relief, giving them new hope and control over their pain," explains Dr. Sheu.

"The webcast shows the impact of treating chronic pain, which is defined as pain occurring for more than six months, which if not addressed can often lead to physical disability, diminished quality of life, depression and anxiety," according to Lara Dhingra, PhD, Clinical Pain Psychologist at Beth Israel, and moderator of the webcast. Chronic pain can be caused by a variety of conditions, injuries and diseases. Patients may experience pain in the neck, back and extremities. First-line therapies for chronic pain may include oral medications, physical rehabilitation, and integrative therapies such as acupuncture and behavior modification. When chronic pain persists, despite aggressive treatments including surgery, spinal cord stimulation may offer hope. All in all, chronic pain affects nearly 25 percent of the US population today.

"The ideal candidate for spinal cord stimulation is someone who suffers from chronic pain who has not responded to primary medications, therapies or surgery," says Dr. Sheu. "Once evaluated by a qualified pain specialist, an appropriate patient can undergo an outpatient 'trial' to experience spinal cord stimulation for themselves and determine if the relief is significant enough to proceed to a longer-lasting treatment."

With spinal cord stimulation, the electrical impulses are delivered through a lead, a specialized, insulated wire that is implanted within the spinal canal. These electrical impulses block the pain signal traveling to the brain, providing lasting pain relief for the patient.

"Our hope in sharing the experiences of patients who have undergone spinal cord stimulation is to let people know about another option for the treatment of chronic pain that can lead to a dramatic improvement in pain control and quality of life," says Dr. Sheu.

The webcast also features interviews with former patients of Dr. Sheu's who now enjoy pain relief with spinal cord stimulation. Viewers may e-mail their questions about the procedure.

Visit: http://www.or-live.com/bethisrael/1867 to learn more about this spine surgery and view a program preview. VNR: http://www.or-live.com/rams/chp-1867-mkw-q.ram. The webcast will also be available for viewing with Spanish subtitles.

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