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July 27, 2010
Latest News
As Published in Orlando Medical News, July 2010.
There are countless treatments for pain-relief, but in the world of chronic back pain there’s an option that’s both low cost for patients and highly effective for pain relief: spinal cord stimulation (SCS). Patients can rest easy knowing that G. Grady McBride, M.D. and the Orlando Orthopaedic Center (OOC) team have the skill, experience and technology to offer this unique therapy in addition to a multitude of other patient-focused treatments.
McBride is one of the three trained spine and neck specialists of the Spine Center at OOC. The specialized center offers the most recent technology available, including minimally invasive surgical techniques. Surgery is only one of many options.
A native of Oklahoma City, McBride earned both his B.S. degree in engineering physics and his M.D. degree from the University of Oklahoma. He completed his residency in orthopaedic surgery at the University of Utah Affiliated Hospitals, and later studied biomedical engineering at the University of Utah, Department of Chemical Engineering and Material Sciences. He has completed advanced fellowship training in conditions affecting the cervical and lumbar spine as well as minimal invasive techniques.
“By combining the top-level resources at OOC with my background in engineering and surgery, we've been able to implement world-class treatment back pain in a truly state-of-the-art environment,” says McBride.
“Neuropathic pain happens in the body because nerves become damaged or injured and they stop working properly,” says McBride. “They send the wrong signal to the brain. For example, nerves might tell the brain that the foot is experiencing burning pain even when it isn’t stepping on something hot.
SCS works to alleviate the problem.”SCS is an FDA-approved therapy that will treat the chronic pain of the arms, legs and trunk of the body. For this particular treatment, patients will have a small device placed in their body – a system that looks and acts much like a pacemaker. Sometimes they are even referred to as “pacemakers for pain.” The device relieves SCS discomfort by generating mild electrical pulses and sending them to the spinal cord. These electrical impulses are used to block pain from being perceived in the brain.
With in-house physical therapy, the spine and neck specialists at OOC are able to monitor their patient’s condition throughout the post-operative rehabilitation process – allowing for some of the most complete and comprehensive spine care in Central Florida.
“Patients will gradually return to the activities of daily living,” says McBride. “That’s what we hope for with this treatment. At the end of the procedure, we want the patients to be able to get back to their normal daily routines.” In fact, most patients are surprised at the results. “They tell me all the time how they used to take everyday tasks for granted, so it’s nice to hear they appreciate them following treatment.” |