Living with Chronic Nerve Pain
"My pain was the first thing on my mind every day. Eventually, it was the only thing on my mind," says Jill Boutin, R.N., of Harrisburg, Pa., who has struggled with chronic neuropathic pain for four years.
People living with chronic neuropathic pain suffer relentless burning, stabbing, shooting and aching, and must put forth an extraordinary amount of effort to get through each day.
"When everything I did was hard for me to do, I began to feel justified in excusing myself from things. I started by opting not to go to social events or see friends, but before I knew it I wasn't doing much of anything at all," says Boutin.
Chronic neuropathic pain is complex and typically associated with a tissue injury. With this type of pain, nerve fibers themselves may be damaged, and due to that damage send incorrect signals to other pain centers. Neuropathic pain tends to respond poorly to traditional pain treatments, and can be one of the most difficult conditions to treat.
"I was having headaches and I was in so much pain that even my hair brushing the top of my ears would cause me to cringe," explains Boutin.
Boutin had sought relief through medication, surgery and any every option she knew of to no avail. She felt defeated at the time of her referral to the Sandra & Malcolm Berman Brain and Spine Institute.
Relief at Last
Boutin made the two-hour drive from Harrisburg to Baltimore to see Kevin E. Crutchfield, M.D., a stroke neurologist whose specialties include concussions, traumatic brain injury and vascular neurology. Dr. Crutchfield was able to identify two previously undiagnosed torn ligaments in Boutin's neck. He then referred her to Edward Soriano, D.O., a board-certified specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation, and a pain management specialist at the LifeBridge Health Center for Pain Treatment and Regenerative Medicine.
Dr. Soriano believed the best course of action to treat Boutin's pain was pulsed radiofrequency neuromodulation (PRF), an innovative treatment for pain that stems from damaged or irritated nerves.
"I was so happy to hear that there was another treatment option available," says Boutin. "I thought that I had tried everything."
The PRF procedure involves the application of a pulsed radiofrequency electrical field that blocks a nerve's ability to transmit pain signals without destroying any tissue. During PRF, a physician uses ultrasound or X-ray guidance to place a needle as close to the damaged nerve or nerves as possible. Once the needle is in the proper position, a specialized probe is placed in the needle, which sends an electrical current to the damaged area.
"PRF is providing many patients significant relief, and for a lot of patients it's the first time in the span of several years where they have found something that makes them feel better," says Dr. Soriano.
After receiving PRF therapy, Boutin has been able to increase her work hours and begin incorporating social activities back into her life.
"PRF worked so well, that I forgot how much I could hurt," says Boutin who says she feels her pain level increase right before she comes back in for a follow-up appointment, but adds that the pain is now manageable.
"Dr. Soriano was realistic with me. He told me that I'd feel better progressively. Right now, I'm going about four months between treatments, but Dr. Soriano anticipates that soon we will be able to go 6 months between appointments," says Boutin.
"Dr. Soriano gave me hope, when I thought no hope was left. He took the time to listen to me and to reassure me. I really couldn't have a better doctor," Boutin adds.