I recently had the honor of lecturing and evaluating patients at a pain center at an army hospital. Patients’ complaints were similar to those found at my center. I found with the use of the MPDD in 5 of the 6 patients I saw, that muscles contributed to the pain. I have found that a ketamine preparation applied to the skin over the MPDD identified muscle, can diminish or eliminate the pain and in this way I was able to demonstrate to the patient, and my colleagues at the pain clinic, that these muscles were producing some or all of the pain.

May 6, 2010 - 5:16pm — Posted by Dr. Norman Marcus

I recently treated a 30 year old veteran from Iraq with severe low back and neck pain. He fractured many bones in combat, was in a coma from an IED blast and was told that his injuries, pain and MRI findings could only be addressed with spine surgery. He is one of the many wounded warriors with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) complicating back and neck pain. Musculoskeletal pain is the major reason for soldiers to be unable to perform their duties and low back pain is the most common disabling complaint.

May 3, 2010 - 6:24pm — Posted by Dr. Norman Marcus

A recent article discussed the number of patients with Chronic Low Back Pain (CLBP) who also had Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). This article is an example of the confusion in medicine about both conditions. Believe it or not although the most common diagnosis for low back pain is non-specific low back pain, referring to sprains and strains of muscles and other soft tissue, there is no agreed method to look for and treat muscle generated low back pain. Patients with

April 23, 2010 - 8:57am — Posted by Dr. Norman Marcus