Treating Chronic Pain After Surgery
The effects of chronic pain following surgery can disrupt every aspect of your life, from physically being unable to perform daily tasks and continuing to work, to keeping you from spending time with your family and enjoying activities you once did. Finding the right treatment and working with a team of pain specialists can make all the difference in the world and restore your ability to enjoy life again. After 10 years of living with chronic hip pain, that’s exactly what Joe Moening experienced when he was treated at Innovative Pain & Spine Specialists in Lincoln, Nebraska.
As a production welder in Beatrice, Nebraska, Joe spent his days standing on concrete flooring at the lawn care manufacturing company where he worked. Over time, standing became more difficult for him to perform his job due to the severe pain that had developed in his left hip.
When he first sought medical advice for his hip pain, Joe was told by one surgeon that he was too young for a hip replacement. He was referred to another surgeon who did some minor arthroscopic repair surgery that, unfortunately, didn’t relieve the pain. In fact, the pain continued to worsen over the next two years. At that point, Joe was recommended to have hip replacement surgery. From the get-go, Joe experienced serious complications from the surgery – his body rejected the new stem which then had to be replaced again. When the stem was replaced, he fractured the femur and more surgery was required. In all, Joe underwent four surgeries in five years. Each time he had surgery, Joe spent months recovering and was unable to work full time which took a toll on him and his family. He continued to have pain following the hip replacement and surgeries after. In addition to the surgeries, Joe was also treated with physical therapy and pain medications. His chronic pain after these surgical procedures had become unbearable.
“I went in for a hip replacement and nine years later I was still dealing with pain.”
Finding the Right Treatment for Chronic Pain
After years of being in physical pain, Joe had all but given up hope of ever feeling healthy again. He felt as though he would have to deal with the chronic pain after these surgical procedures. The effects of his chronic hip pain had touched every aspect of his life – work, family, and his mental well-being. His surgeon had told him there was nothing more that could be done. In tears, Joe told his wife that he felt like his surgeon had given up. But Joe hadn’t given up on himself.
That’s when Joe was referred to Innovative Pain & Spine Specialists in Lincoln. Dr. Kelly Zach, an interventional pain medicine specialist, and his team listened to Joe’s chronic hip pain history, determined the source of his pain, and presented options that would be best for treating it. Joe will be the first to say that his previous experiences had left him skeptical of finding any treatment that would relieve his chronic hip pain but he was willing to place his trust in them.
Because he had already been through various pain treatments prior to being seen by Dr. Zach, it was determined that Joe might be a good candidate for a procedure called Dorsal Root Ganglion (DRG) that is used to treat nerve pain. DRG neurostimulation has been proven effective for treating neuropathic pain of the lower extremities after a surgery like total hip arthroplasty.
Following a brief trial period to determine the effectiveness of the DRG stimulator, it was determined that Joe would greatly benefit from this type of ongoing pain treatment. Today, Joe is experiencing 90% relief from his pain. While he is relearning to walk without a limp, he is excited to be able to enjoy attending activities where he can sit and watch his grandson play football and his granddaughter cheer.
“These guys work together so well and their communication skills are amazing,” Joe noted in reference to the team at Innovative Pain & Spine Specialists. “All of that combined was the reason I am finally living my life again because they were willing to hear what I had to say and I was willing to hear what they had to say. I feel like these guys are like my family now.”
“I am finally living my life again.”
A life without chronic pain is a life being lived. If you’ve been experiencing chronic pain for months or years, the doctors at Innovative Pain & Spine Specialists in Lincoln, Nebraska and in Omaha, Nebraska are here to help you find the right treatment that will get you back to living life again. Don’t settle. You don’t have to live with chronic pain after a surgical procedure. For an evaluation, call us at 402-413-5010.