You Don't Have to Live With Chronic Pain
Texas offers plenty of opportunities to get out and explore the outdoors, whether you’re into an organized sport or you’re into more solitary pursuits, like hiking or running. If you have chronic pain, though, even a simple activity can be uncomfortable. And over time, your pain can take a significant toll on your life and your enjoyment.
Millions of Americans are affected by chronic pain, according to data from the CDC. As a leading sports medicine specialist in Sugar Land and Houston, Texas, J. Michael Bennett, MD, uses a patient-centered approach to chronic pain treatment, tailoring each care plan to the individual patient’s symptoms, medical history, and lifestyle. Here's how he can help you relieve your pain.
Custom treatment options for chronic pain
Chronic pain affects different people in different ways, depending on the area of the body that’s affected, the person’s health history, lifestyle, and other factors. Dr. Bennett offers several state-of-the-art options for treating chronic pain, which means he’s uniquely positioned to ensure each patient gets the best and most appropriate treatment based on their individual needs and goals.
Tenex Health TX™
Tenex Health TX is an innovative treatment system designed to treat chronic pain due to certain types of tendon injuries. It uses a technique called FAST, which stands for focused aspiration of scar tissue.
Your tendons are fibrous bands of tissue that help your muscles move the way they’re supposed to. If a tendon is injured or damaged, it can develop scar tissue, making it harder for the tendon to move -- the result: pain, soreness, and stiffness, especially during movement.
During a Tenex treatment, Dr. Bennett numbs the treatment site, then inserts a tiny, needle-tipped ultrasound device called the TX MicroTip™. This device emits ultrasound waves to gently break apart scar tissue so it can be aspirated — removed using suction.
Tenex is especially effective at treating pain and inflammation in the:
- Shoulder
- Knee (including runner’s knee and jumper’s knee)
- Elbow (including golfer’s elbow and tennis elbow)
Treatments take about a half-hour, and afterward, a small bandage is applied to the area — no stitches needed.
MLS laser
The MLS laser system uses focused light energy to promote natural healing deep beneath your skin. Two different “types” of light waves — pulsed and continuous — painlessly penetrate your skin to stimulate natural healing responses at the cellular level.
MLS therapy is very versatile, decreasing pain and inflammation associated with:
- Arthritis
- Sprains and strains
- Tendonitis
- Rotator cuff injuries
- Shoulder or neck pain
- Lower back pain, including sciatica
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Plantar fasciitis
- Sports injuries
Treatment typically takes less than 10 minutes, and you’ll probably achieve maximum benefits with a series of about 7-10 treatments.
PRP
PRP stands for platelet-rich plasma, and it’s a therapeutic product derived from your blood. PRP contains a high concentration of proteins called growth factors. When injected into a site of injury or tissue damage, these growth factors go to work stimulating natural healing and repair processes.
PRP can be used to treat many causes of chronic pain and inflammation, including:
- Rotator cuff injuries
- Ankle sprains
- Knee injuries
- Tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow
- Muscle, tendon, and ligament injuries
It can also be used to treat the pain and inflammation associated with arthritis.
Joint surgery
In addition to these more conservative options, Dr. Bennett may suggest surgery to restore damaged tissues using state-of-the-art approaches for faster healing and recovery for severe musculoskeletal problems. In addition to more traditional surgical options, Dr. Bennett uses the innovative REGENETEN® Bioinductive Implant to repair and restore shoulder rotator cuff injuries.
Find relief for your chronic pain
The best way to stop chronic pain is to start treatment as soon as possible. To learn more about these and other pain treatment options that can help you feel better, call the office or use our online form to book an appointment with Dr. Bennett today.