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.

One patient had neck pain and stiffness that was diagnosed as facet arthropathy, meaning degeneration of a piece of the bone in the spine that forms a joint with the bone (vertebra) above and below. This is a common diagnosis in pain centers and the treatment sometimes involves the radio frequency disruption of the nerve connected to the facet joint. She had received this treatment and had partial relief of her pain and stiffness.

When she was evaluated with the MPDD it turned out that her pain was coming from a muscle in her shoulder, not even connected to her neck where she was having pain and stiffness, and when this muscle was injected all of the pain and stiffness disappeared. My colleagues were excited to find a possible new approach to evaluate and treat common pain problems such as low back and neck and I look forward to working with them in the future to help our soldiers and their families.
 

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