Chronic pain is pain that persists for more than three months, and long beyond the time of normal healing. It can often have a component of inaccurate pain sensation or inaccurate interpretation of the nerve signals by the brain. It ranges from mild to severe and can last months, years or a lifetime—and it can interfere with personal, social and work. But, it doesn’t have to.
We collaborate with each patient to create an individualized chronic musculoskeletal pain treatment plan to bring lasting relief. We also work closely with your referring physician, if desired, including them in the treatment plan and providing information about each session to ensure continuity of care.
At AMMC, Dr. Delzell blends her background in traditional medicine with her advanced training and experience in integrative pain management. This combination provides for a unique understanding and the ability to offer new insights when diagnosing and treating chronic musculoskeletal pain. We know how important it is for you to get expert, compassionate care that looks at you as a whole person.
That’s why we work with you to design a treatment plan based on your individual needs and goals. Each treatment plan is based on your unique story behind your pain. Dr Delzell uses diagnostic ultrasound as a tool to explain the underlying cause of the pain, whether it be an anatomic alteration such as scar, biomechanical imbalance or nerve entrapment, or no anatomic abnormality but a misinterpretation of pain signals by the brain. This approach is helpful to design a treatment plan targeted to the root cause of your pain as well as its contributors to create the most effective therapies possible for you. The initial assessment typically involves two visits, one telehealth visit and one in office visit. The treatment plan then is developed by you and Dr Delzell in collaboration. There are many different therapies and treatment packages that are offered at Advanced MMC that may be suggested to be included in your treatment plan. Additional follow-up appointments are scheduled as needed as we work through your treatment plan together.
When treatment plans are followed, Dr. Delzell has a greater than 80% success rate with long-term relief.
In addition to ultrasound diagnostic and therapeutic solutions, our individualized treatment programs may include:
- Stress management
- Sleep
- Nutrition
- Physical activity
- Supplements
- IR Laser
- Manual Therapy
- Mind-Body Techniques
- Acupressure
We will ensure that every patient is treated with empathy, honesty and respect, and promise to demonstrate the utmost care and consideration for the diverse perspectives each of you brings through our doors.
After reviewing referral paperwork and/or as a result of a pain consult, an injection might be the recommended course of action as part of the treatment plan. If that’s the case, Dr. Delzell uses ultrasound imaging to locate the area of concern, place the needle in the exact location while watching the ultrasound screen (avoiding blood vessels and nerves) and finally confirming completion of the procedure in the proper location. The needles used are the smallest possible to achieve the desired effect and all products used are latex-free. Most procedures last approximately 15 minutes or less.
Dr. Delzell performs a wide variety of ultrasound-guided injections at AMMC, including:
- Joint injections (all joints except spine facet joints)
- Tendon needle fenestrations to treat tendinosis (chronic tendinitis)
- Barbatoge for calcific tendinitis
- Bursal injections
- Tendon sheath injections
- Perineural injections for neuritis
- Nerve hydro dissection for peripheral nerve entrapments
- Needle fenestrations for chronic ligament injuries
- Hydrodissection of soft tissue post-traumatic or post-surgical scar tissue including adherent scar to tendons and retinaculum of the knee and ankle
- Myofascial scar hydrodissection
- Sports hernia nerve entrapment, scar tissue, and/or tendon treatments
- Carpal tunnel injections
- Ganglion cysts aspiration and injections
- Baker’s cyst aspiration and injections
- Piriformis injection.
- Ischiofemoral space injections
- Morton neuroma steroid injection
- Needle fenestration for plantar fascia
- Muscle trigger point injections
- Hydrodissection of adherent scar to tendons
- Tarsal tunnel injections
Injections are often used to temporarily decrease symptoms so that additional treatments, such as manual therapy or physical therapy, will be more comfortable. With the exception of nerve hydrodissections which release the entrapment, the injection usually only provides temporary pain relief for a few months while the additional definitive treatments are being implemented. It is important to follow through with these additional recommended treatments to address the underlying issue and provide long-term success.
You likely have many questions about the benefits of infrared (IR) laser therapy. If you are considering this treatment option for pain or mobility issues, Dr. Patricia Delzell will be more than happy to go over all the benefits you can experience from this state-of-the-art therapeutic approach to relieving pain and healing old injuries. The new (11/2022) CDC recommendations now include low level laser as a treatment option for acute, subacute and chronic pain for various conditions. Allow us to help you discover if IR laser therapy is the right choice for your chronic pain.
AMMC uses SUMMAS IR Laser to treat scar tissue, neuropathy, and pain. Dr. Patricia Delzell’s approach is novel, to say the least, as she starts with scar and pain mapping using ultrasound, which means she isn’t just treating the area from where the pain is radiating but also its underlying pathology.
The treatment needs to be administered multiple times a week for at least 5 weeks. Benefits from the treatment-experienced are cumulative, with most people noticing a difference between the third and fourth treatment sessions.
Dr. Delzell uses the SUMMAS IR Laser to heal mainly soft-tissue scars by stimulating the flow of blood, cell energy production, and oxygen delivery. The approach also helps to re-establish regular sensory transmission via the nerves to decrease the sensation of pain.
AMMC uses SUMMAS IR Laser to treat scar tissue, neuropathy, and pain. Dr. Patricia Delzell’s approach is novel, to say the least, as she starts with scar and pain mapping using ultrasound, which means she isn’t just treating the area from where the pain is radiating but also its underlying pathology.
The treatment needs to be administered multiple times a week for at least 5 weeks. Benefits from the treatment-experienced are cumulative, with most people noticing a difference between the third and fourth treatment sessions.
Dr. Delzell uses the SUMMAS IR Laser to heal mainly soft-tissue scars by stimulating the flow of blood, cell energy production, and oxygen delivery. The approach also helps to re-establish regular sensory transmission via the nerves to decrease the sensation of pain.
Laser treatment needs to be delivered directly to the skin. That’s why it is essential to wear light clothing that allows access to the area. Clothes like sweat pants, shorts, and a sports bra or a similar item are suggested. At AMMC, we provide you with a patient gown before the treatment if needed.
Once the laser is turned on, most of our patients report feeling a very soothing and warm sensation. Since this is a high-powered laser, it warms the skin during treatment. After a while, patients feel a reduction in pain, even during the first visit. However, some patients may also feel an increase in pain immediately after treatment has concluded, though they feel much better the next day.
IR Laser Therapy for Painful Neuropathy
Have you been diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy and are considering infrared (IR) laser therapy?
Advanced Musculoskeletal Medicine Consultants offers IR Laser for neuropathy related to diabetes, chemotherapy, physical injury to the nerves, viral infections, and other causes. We use a Class IV infrared laser which offers the highest possible power output for this type of therapy.
This painless, drug-free solution has been proven 90% effective and treats peripheral neuropathy and its symptoms:
- Muscle weakness, numbness, and shooting or stabbing pain generally in the limbs
- Burning, tingling, or loss of sensation in affected areas
- Loss of coordination and balance
We’ve treated patients at different stages of illness, including those with reduced sensations in their lower limbs for over 20 years. Our laser therapy has helped them regain sensation in affected areas while helping improve their balance.
IR laser treatments work at the cellular level to awaken and activate latent nerves so cells start functioning more efficiently by targeting the mitochondria and the ion pump that propagates the electrical impulses down the nerve. IR laser therapy, tailored specifically for neuropathy, generally involves 16 sessions conducted two to three times a week. Each session lasts about 45 minutes. Most patients notice remarkable improvement by the eighth or ninth session and continuous improvement until the final session. The positive effects of these sessions last for years.
AMMC Provides multiple treatment packages, depending on what you need.
| Package 1** | Package 2** | Package 3*** |
|---|---|---|
|
100.00/treatment |
290.00/treatment |
390.00/treatment |
| One area | <= 3 areas/session | Back OR Neck and both extremities for Peripheral Neuropathy (16 sessions) |
**Packages 1 and 2 include ultrasound scar mapping at the initial visit
***Package 3 includes initial, interval and end of treatment neuro exams
Initial treatment packages can be purchased in blocks of 10 or 16 sessions.
Follow up treatment packages can be purchased in blocks of 3, 10 or 16 sessions.
A LA CARTE OR INDIVIDUAL TREATMENTS:
A la carte or individual treatments are not advised as the effect of the laser is cumulative. However, payment can be done at each visit in which case the following costs will be incurred:
One area-110.00/session
< 3 areas-330.00/session
Peripheral Neuropathy-440.00/session
AMMC uses a state-of-the-art laser system by SUMMUS. The Horizon Laser System is a first-of-a-kind complete laser system, which allows therapists to provide effective and affordable laser therapy.
The Horizon Laser has been designed and tested by doctors. It allows doctors to create over 7000 phased protocols, making it easier to reproduce results consistently.
The laser delivers treatment across 4 wavelengths: 650 nm, which helps to accelerate surface healing, 915 nm which enhances oxygen delivery, 810 nm which increases ATP production, and 980 nm which helps improve blood circulation.
The Horizon Laser makes it possible to set up a treatment plan, with the protocol varying as the patient gradually progresses through the plan. In the hands of an expert like Dr. Patricia Delzell, it means effective pain reduction and a reduction in scar tissue.
There are many benefits offered by laser treatment; we’ll go over a couple below:
Accelerated tissue repair and cell growth – The protons from the laser light penetrate through the tissue, which helps to accelerate cellular reproduction and growth. The use of laser light helps to increase the energy available to the cell, which allows the cell to absorb more nutrients faster and then get rid of waste products. The cells in the ligaments, tendons, and muscles heal faster when exposed to the right type and amount of laser light.
Injuries heal faster – The use of laser light helps to stimulate fibroblast development, which are the building blocks of oxygen, but which is needed for a damaged wound to heal. Collagen replaces the old tissue or repairs tissue injuries. That’s how a laser effectively heals wounds, burns, and scars.
Reduced formation of fibrous tissue – Laser light helps to reduce the formation of scar tissue, usually following cuts, burns, surgery, or scratches. If anything, scar tissue is one of the underlying reasons for chronic pain.
The first step to getting treated for chronic pain is to schedule a consultation with the experts at AMMC. The initial consultation is important as it enables the team to understand your condition thoroughly and then prescribe a treatment method accordingly.
Laser treatment can be immensely beneficial for treating many different types of pain. That said, precisely how the treatment should be scheduled and what you can expect will depend on the issue in question. That’s why the best place to start is with a consultation! Call 440-557-5011 AMMC today to schedule your consultation.