It's called an Integrated Nerve Block. It's two procedures.

I did a search on this forum to see if this has been discussed before and I can't find any thread that has this topic (maybe I'm incorrect) but I thought I would share this info would you all. This sounds VERY PROMISING

Here is a link to one of the websites and there are photos and explanations.

http://www.sewnc.net/est.html

I'm trying to find one in NYC that does this. There is a clinic in Long Island called the Osteo Relief Institute that does this (I found their ad in today's Daily News). Went to their website and they are a pain relieving clinic that does this but we can't get to Long Island.

We can go to NYC and I'm trying to find a place where this might be done. I googled this and can't find any of the NYC hospitals that offer this particular treatment.

Alan has had nerve blocks and epidurals and trigger point injections in the toes and nothing worked.

But this combined two procedure thing, well, it looks hopeful.

What do you all think?

Thanks, Melody

Looks interesting.

I'd ask at RSD too...they get all sorts of "blocks" there.

I'd search further, as the comment ... all neuropathy pain is gone!

I wonder if that is totally "lasting" or only for a while?

Here is another link :

http://www.practicalpainmanagement.c...cal-anesthetic

I called the pain management department of Columbia and asked questions. When I said I'm interested in finding a physician who does integrated nerve blocks aka InB (that was mentioned in the article too), she said "hold on, I'll ask the doctor'. She came back after sometime and said "This is very interesting the doctor wants to get some information on this, he's going to look into this".

She took my name, etc, and said she would get back to me.

So as soon as I hear ANYTHING, you will also.

Melody

Mrs. D. I went to google and typed in Pain Management, Brooklyn, NY and Maimonides Pain Management Department popped up so I gave them a call.

Spoke to one of the staff and I had the other website in front of me that explained the Integrated Nerve Block. I read all the information to her.

She said: "Wow, never heard of this, let me tell the doctor (he was away), she said "Can you give us a call tomorrow?"

So obviously, there is NEWER pain management techniques that even the pain managment guys never heard of??

wow

Melody

Medicine is VERY conservative and will not embrace new ideas.

Since this comes from a podiatrist...it might be unacceptable even. That is why I sent you the other link, that includes spinal pain patients.

It would be wonderful if it worked well, and our PN posters could benefit! Wonderful is an understatement! It would be more like a MIRACLE!

Well, thankfully, as I was reading her the description of the integrated nerve block, I never mentioned that it came from a podiatrist. I just described the procedure. Now, when they go on the internet and they look this up, and the pain management guy says to himself "Oh, a podiatrist invented this, forget it!!", well, if that happens, we are all doomed.

Will update if I hear ANYTHING.

Melody

Maybe if ALL the PN'rs, go to their private pain management guys and say "hey, I just heard of this new pain management technique called an INTEGRATED NERVE BLOCK, can you look into this for me"?

Maybe then?????

Mel

--is the most relevant section from the second article--the section that attempts to explain the mechanisms of action.

There are several mechanisms that explain the mechanism of analgesia:

Under the influence of rapidly alternating polarity electrical signal energy fields, ion movement is enhanced, and this tends to balance high-concentration differences in metabolites; these effects promote pH normalization and reduction in tissue acidosis;

Second messenger formation (cAMP) directs all cell-specific activity toward cell membrane repair, inhibiting arachidonic acid release from insulted membranes and subsequent prostaglandin (pain mediator) cascade;
Specific electric signal energy parameters produce repeated excitation of afferent nerve fibers, affecting neuronal signaling processes in the central nervous system (CNS) and interfering with local pain perception (gate-control theory);

Electric cell signaling assists in cell receptor uptake of β-endorphin, encephalin, and phyllokinin, which modulate or inhibit pain impulses in the CNS; and

The application of higher-dose, higher-frequency EST electric cell signals fall within the absolute refractory period of the cell membrane, inducing a sustained depolarized state across multiple nodes of Ranvier and inhibition (block) of axon information (pain signal) transport.


While reducing acidosis is nothing to be sneezed at, my suspicion is that the most important aspect here is that once the nerves are "primed" by the anesthetic application, the randomly fluctuating signals from the electrical device keep the nerve from re-accomodating to the firing pattern that was producing pain by maintaining the chemical changes in the nerve that the anesthetic started (mostly ion concentrations across the cell membranes). So, in essence, this is boosted, souped up, primed TENS.

The REAL questions are how long the effects last once the electrical stimulator is removed, AND can repeated applications of this produce a 'new" accomodation that would be less painful--a new normal in nerve firing patterns.

Well, SOMEONE has to be a guinea pig here and if we find one that is not too far from our house, I bet you that Alan would try it.

I shall update if I hear or learn anything more.

Glenn, we'll miss you at the meeting this Thursday.

Melody