Hands, Feet, & Heart
West Lake Hills Presbyterian Church
2/12/2011 10:30 AM- 12:00 PM
Previous minutes reviewed and corrected
Officers Present-
President: Nancy Herlin
Official Assistant: Peter Herlin
Secretary: Julie Haddix
1.
Welcome and Announcements
Raise Awareness, we need more media
We made brochures
Books
-Numb Toes and Aching Soles
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Peripheral Neuropathy
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You can cope with Peripheral Neuropathy
Please submit your quotes about our organization
We have a booth at the Neuropathy Conference
2.
Pain Management for Neuropathy- Mihnea Dumistrescus M.D.
“
Pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associates with actual or potential tissue damage or described in terms of such damage.” [definition of pain]
Graph: Sensitivity Shift in a Pain State. Further defines pain.
There are several types of pain, nociceptive pain, inflammatory/ joint related pain, neuropathic pain, noninflammatory/ nonneuropathic pain. Neuropathic pain doesn’t need a stimulus
Explains how pain is transmitted, including an explanation of neurotransmitters and modulators, ascending and descending pain pathways, and the brain processes pain in several regions.
Pain sufferers in the US: Pain 26%, Diabetes 7%, Cancer 0.4%, Coronary Heart Disease & Strokes 6%
Chronic pain increases with age
Common Myths about chronic pain- no standard care, everybody gets addicted to pain medication,
Chronic Pain, pain that lasts for more than 6 months
Nocicepetive Pain, burns, scrapes, cuts
Neuropathic Pain, injury or malfunction in peripheral or central nervous system.
Mixed Pain, can include several other types of pain
How is pain measured? Pain Scales & psychological testing
Why is it important to treat pain? Untreated pain can result in many worse and progressive pain as well as new symptoms and damage
Treating pain requires teamwork- Primary Care Physicians, Pain Management Specialists, Psychiatrist, Rehabilitation
Specialists, Physical Therapist, Nurse
Physicians who specialize in pain medicine are small in number and require medical school, residency, and fellowship trained. Fellowship trained and board certified physicians have a better understanding for your pain.
Over the counter drugs is one of the first steps for treating pain
Physical Therapy, Chiropractor, and Modulators
Complementary Medicine, diverse and
Behavioral programs- Psychological counseling and relaxing techniques including cognitive behavioral
Adjuvant medicine- medicine not intended to treat pain, but have been found to help with pain. Antidepressants like
Cymbalta and Savella, which are FDA approved for pain, Anticonvulsants, originally for seizure control but also work for pain, Neurontin is one of the oldest, but takes higher doses and Lyrica, doesn’t require as high of a dose. GABA analogs, muscle relaxant, more GABA less pain. Topical Drugs, lidoderm patches, topical NSAIDs, topical compound creams. Sexy Interventional procedures, precise injections at or near the site of pain, nerve blocks, epidural injections, facet joint injections, sympathetic blocks, intra-discal procedures, radiofrequency treatment. Surgery for pain doesn’t work that well. Long-term oral opioids, 10-15 % of people get addicted. Neuroablation, intrathecal therapy, Neurostimulation/ neuromodulation.
3.
Questions and Answers
Anodine therapy- doesn’t know much about it
Pain from two different sources- start with the dominant pain and do a diagnostic workup to decide what and where the two pains are coming from, then treat seperatley or together
Can you reverse neuropathy? The simple answer is no, though stem cell transplant could work 15 years down the road and are not FDA approved and still experimental

You shouldn’t take requipe if you have Glaucoma? The chance something could happen is very low, balance your risks.
Pain vs discomfort, how do you compare and treat them? Maybe another medication regimen.
4. Next Meeting- March 12 2011
Next meeting we will have Joy Selak Ph.D.