Rehabilitation physicians are nerve, muscle, and bone experts who treat injuries or illnesses that
affect how you move. By taking the whole body into account, they are able to accurately pinpoint
problems and enhance performance – without surgery. Consider seeing a rehabilitation physician
if:

• You had an accident or you have an injury or chronic condition that has left you with pain
• or limited function
• You’re contemplating or recovering from surgery
• You have an illness or treatment for an illness that has diminished your energy or ability
• to move easil
• You’re recovering from the effects of a stroke or other problems related to nerve damage
• You have chronic pain from arthritis, a repetitive stress injury, or back problems
• Excess weight makes it difficult to exercise or has caused health problems
• You think you’re too old to exercise
• Life changes such as childbirth or menopause have created new challenges to your physical function

Getting started: A rehabilitation physician will thoroughly assess your condition, needs, and
expectations and rule out any serious medical illnesses to develop a treatment plan. A clear
understanding of your condition and limitations will help you and your rehabilitation physician to
develop a treatment plan suited to your unique needs.

Tailoring your plan: You need the right type of exercise to effectively overcome fitness obstacles.
A runner may have gained weight after being sidelined by a knee injury. A rehabilitation physician
can prescribe tailored, low-impact activities that burn calories without aggravating the injury,
simultaneously prescribing physical therapy and use of a brace to strengthen and support the
knee. Another patient may be suffering from chronic neck pain. The rehabilitation physician might
prescribe medication, stretching, and massage for short-term pain relief, as well as strengthening
exercises to prevent future pain. If surgery is a necessity, rehabilitation physicians work with
patients and their surgeons before and after surgery. By directing your treatment team and
collaborating with other health care professionals, a rehabilitation physician is able to specially
design a treatment program tailored to you.

Understanding and identifying your goals: Do you want to strengthen an injured muscle, find
relief from chronic pain, or walk up the stairs without being winded? A rehabilitation physician
can work with you to determine realistic short- and long-term goals. Along the way, he or she will
help you to find relief from pain, achieve successes in rehabilitation

Physiatrists, or rehabilitation physicians, are medical doctors who are:

• Experts at diagnosing and treating pain
• Restore maximum function lost through injury, illness or disabling conditions
• Treat the whole person, not just the problem area
• Provide non-surgical treatments
• Explain your medical problems and treatment plan
• Work not only on treatment but also prevention

At Independence Back Institute, we treat a wide range of problems from sore shoulders to spinal cord injuries. The goal is to decrease pain and enhance performance without surgery. Our providers accurately pinpoint the source of an ailment and then design a treatment plan that can be carried out by the patients themselves or with the help of other health professionals. (Neurologists, Orthopedic Surgeons, and Physical Therapists) Their broad medical expertise allows them to treat disabling conditions throughout a person’s lifetime.

Source: American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

The stimulator is a wire that goes into the epidural space of the spine. When the lead is on or active, low intensity electrical impulses trigger nerve fibers selectively along the spinal cord. When theses fibers are stimulated, they diminish or block the pain message traveling to the brain. When this happens, the painful sensation is replaced with a soothing tingling sensation.

WECT News featured a story, “It’s the kind of pain that makes you want to scream” by Casey Roman. The story featured a current patient of Dr. Wall’s who has had great success in using a spinal cord stimulator to relieve her chronic back pain.

“The minute he put it in, it was like a miracle!” said Joyce.

“I’ve had patients that we’ve put this in and literally start to cry when they get up because their pain is so much better,” said Dr. Wall.

To read the WECT article visit: http://www.wect.com/story/13705642/the-kind-of-pain-that-makes-you-want-to-scream

To learn more about stimulators: http://www.independenceback.com/FAQs/What-is-Spinal-Cord-Stimulation.aspx or contact our offices at 910-794-8892.

New Hanover Regional Medical Center “Live & Learn” Back Pain Seminar: John Liguori, MD is keynote speaker again.

American Academy of Pain Medicine’s Annual Meeting: Focuses on the emerging issues in pain medicine and the opportunity to network with fellow pain medicine practitioners and world-class pain medicine experts. — Attended by Ben Wall, MD.

Fibromyalgia Support Group: Ken Barrow, PAC speaks on living with and managing Fibromyalgia.

Maintain good neck posture. Adjust the seat of your computer or desk chair so your hips are slightly higher than your knees — your head and neck will naturally follow in the correct position. Traveling in a car, airplane? Place a small pillow or rolled towel between your neck and a headrest to keep the normal curve in your neck

How are you sleeping? Avoid sleeping with too many pillows or falling asleep in front of the television with your head on the arm of a couch.

On the phone a lot? Use a speakerphone or headsets — do not cradle the phone in your neck.

Exercise. Treat your body to a consistent regimen of stretching and strengthening to balance your muscle groups. This protects your neck as well as helping your whole body. Walking at any pace is excellent exercise for your neck. The rotation of the spine provides a great natural workout for the neck muscles.

Dr. Peter Gemelli has had recent success using Qutenza® patches for neuropathic pain. In one case, he treated a workers compensation patient facing surgery. He used one patch on her arm. The patient has had a 60% decrease in pain, has returned to many pre-injury activities, and has had the pending surgery postponed. Dr. Gemelli is the first physician in this area using the patches and has marked success with each case. Qutenza® is an FDA approved capsaicin based medication that is covered by most insurances.

John Liguori, MD, MS, FAAPM&R is one of our providers, but he also the Medical Director of New Hanover Regional Medical Center’s Rehabilitation Hospital. Dr. Liguori is board certified in Pain Management & Rehabilitation and a board examiner for the specialty. He is a member of
the North American Spine Society and is board certified by the American Academy of Pain Management. From seeing patients with chronic pain in our offices, to working with patients that just experienced a traumatic spinal injury at the hospital, Dr. Liguori has the experience and knowledge.

To learn more about upcoming seminars at NHRMC: www.nhrmc.org or 910.343.7000.

As Kenny describes, “The medical experience was very primitive and overwhelming because of the lack of basic diagnostic tools that we take for granted in our country.” The medical teams consisted of one provider, two nurses, a pharmacist, two translators and a Haitian trained physician.

Each day mobile clinics were set up in different locations. Combined, the teams treated a little over 1700 patients that week.

Fortunately, through donations and collections they were able to carry a reasonably large quantity of much needed basic pharmaceuticals. The most commonly treated conditions were anemia, malnutrition, parasitosis, skin infections (including impetigo, scabies, and tinea capitus/corporis), fever related to malaria and typhoid, HTN and DM.

Simultaneously the construction teams built 20 temporary 12 x12 “homes” with a 2×4 frame, tin roof, and plywood cots to sleep between 6-8 Haitians.

For Kenny, “the experience was physically demanding, emotionally heart wrenching, and unexplainably rewarding.”

We would like to take the moment to THANK every one of you that have supported Independence Back Institute throughout this year. It has been our pleasure interacting with all our patients and working with so many wonderful offices and nurses and providers.

From our entire family here at Independence Back Institute, we would like to wish you and your family a very safe & Happy Holiday season! …and a Happy New Year!

We look forward to continuing to work with you and your staff in 2011!