Exploring Spine Pain Management in Oklahoma: Dr. Brandon Claflin

Everyone can anticipate experiencing spine pain at some point in their lives. The spine functions as a support column for the rest of the body. The spine is literally holding us up.  Injury or strain to the spine can cause pain and discomfort. In severe cases, back pain can be incapacitating, resulting in difficulty sleeping, missing work, and the inability to participate in other activities once enjoyed.

Dr. Brandon Claflin of Oklahoma, who is dual-certified in Pain Medicine and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, has been treating spine-related issues for over 11 years.  He offers insights into various aspects of pain management, such as what causes pain and how to treat it so that chronic pain does not interfere with a person's life.

After completing his residency at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, where he focused on musculoskeletal and sports related pain conditions, chronic pain, interventional pain techniques, and conservative treatment of spine pain, he completed a pain medicine fellowship at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center's Department of Anesthesia. Dr. Claflin learned to perform fluoroscopically guided spine injections to diagnose and treat pain, as well as various interventional pain procedures, spinal cord stimulation, and peripheral nerve blocks.

What Is Spine Pain?

Spine pain is typically pain felt in and around the spinal column, which supports you as you sit, stand, and move about. You may feel direct pain in and around your spine, but you may also experience referred pain – pain from an injury or insult related to your back or spine but felt elsewhere in the body, such as a shoulder or your legs. 

Probably one of the most common focuses for spine pain is in the neck and shoulders. Spine pain can also contribute to a stiff neck, dizziness, nausea as well as headaches and sleep-related disturbance.

The Cause Of Pain

Oklahoma’s Dr. Claflin says that numerous factors should be considered when determining the source of someone's pain. His assessment begins with talking with his patients to find out important information about their history of pain.  He asks such questions as: When did your pain begin? Was there an accident or an awkward physical movement right before the pain? Have you engaged in any new activities? Did you have a fall of some kind? Have you felt off-balance? His very thorough assessment is meant to determine potential causes of the onset of pain.

“Then,“ says Dr. Claflin, “we perform a thorough physical exam, paying special attention to the area of pain. We're looking for things like limited range of motion, decreased mobility, and signs of nerve injury.” In order to narrow the potential causes and exact sources of pain, Dr. Claflin does a thorough series of exams. “Typically, imaging studies, X-Rays, MRIs, and lab work, including blood work on patients, are used to evaluate them for other disease processes.” says Dr. Claflin.

Spine pain can have a wide variety of causes. A herniated or bulging disc between vertebrae might put pressure on a nerve; injury or trauma from an accident can injure any one of the nerves in and around your spine. Osteoarthritis and spinal stenosis are also common causes of spine pain. Dr. Claflin’s assessment looks at all of these and more as possible causes of spine pain. 

Treatment For Spine Pain

Treatment for spine pain depends on its source. The most common culprit when it comes to back pain is a herniated disk. This can be treated by removing the disk or by injecting steroids into it to reduce inflammation. Another common cause of back pain is arthritis, which can be treated with medication, physical therapy, or both. If spine pain is caused by cancer, radiation therapy may be recommended.

There is no one “right” treatment for everyone. Treatment options always tend to range from medications to chiropractic care to surgery. Exercise and weight loss can have significant beneficial effects on spinal issues. According to Dr. Claflin of Oklahoma, if a treatment does not work for a patient and the pain does not improve after a period of physical therapy or injections, he will order additional diagnostic tests or consult with other specialists to determine appropriate next steps in the care of your spinal pain. 

In some cases, spine surgery is recommended for a patient beyond their initial treatment. Spine surgery is typically performed to treat conditions that cause intractable pain, numbness, or weakness in the back or neck. Surgery may be a treatment for a specific condition such as ankylosing spondylitis, spinal stenosis, or herniated disc.

Before you undergo spine surgery, Dr. Claflin of Oklahoma recommends getting all of the facts from a comprehensive assessment of your spine’s health and having a detailed conversation with your surgeon. The conversation should ensure that all other treatment avenues have been exhausted and that you fully understand the purpose of the surgery, the risks of complications, the percentage of pain relief the surgery may provide, and that you have all the information you need to make an informed decision. Finally, be sure to determine if the surgery will necessitate a lengthy recovery period and what restrictions might be in place during recovery.

Typical Sources Of Pain Medicine And Prescription Of Spine Management

Spine pain is a common ailment that affects millions of people every year. Pain from spine problems can range from mild discomfort to severe pain that can disrupt your daily life. The most common causes of spine pain include strained muscles, vertebral compression fractures, disc degeneration, arthritis, and slipped or herniated discs. In some cases, the cause of your pain could be related to other conditions such as diabetes, thyroid disease, or kidney failure.

Fortunately, many options are available for the treatment of back pain. According to Dr. Claflin, the first line of treatment for generalized back pain with no specific diagnosis is over-the-counter medications, such as Tylenol, or anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Muscle relaxers or non-narcotics may help with nerve pain, including common treatments for arms or herniated discs. If warranted, more powerful pain relief might be prescribed under extremely close supervision of a doctor. 

Regular exercise to strengthen and stretch muscles around the spine is important, as is proper posture to promote good alignment and reduce stress on the spine. Weight loss for overweight patients can provide greater spinal stability and pain reduction in all joints, not only vertebral joints. Patients with chronic back pain may also benefit from regular visits to a chiropractor, who may be able to improve a patient's range of motion, relieve stress on the spine, and address conditions that may be aggravating patients’ symptoms.

How To Know If Your Spine Specialist Is Good

Spine specialists are doctors who are trained to diagnose and treat conditions that affect the spine. If you have back pain, an injury, or another condition that affects your spine, you might end up seeing a spine doctor in Oklahoma who specializes in this area of medicine. However, there is much more to being a great spine specialist than just training in this field. The ultimate professional also demonstrates other important qualifications.

For spine specialists, board certification in specialties such as Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Pain Medicine, Orthopedic or Neurosurgery are essential to demonstrate expertise in the field.  In addition, a pleasant bedside manner helps doctors provide calming assistance to patients in managing their pain. A willingness and ability to ask the right questions and listen patiently is critical to the diagnostic process. Specialists should also be members of appropriate specialist organizations in their area, such as the American Academy of Pain Medicine or the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians. 

Summary

Spine pain can be a difficult condition to diagnose  and treat, but it is important to be aware of all possibly related symptoms. Spinal pain is a common condition affecting millions of people each year. Most cases of spine and back pain are related to injury or poor posture, but back pain can also be the result of other factors, such as a pinched nerve, a herniated (bulging) disk, a tumor, or a degenerative disc disease. When it is appropriate, consult a medical professional to determine the cause of your pain and receive treatment. A doctor or specialist can help you determine the likely causes of your pain and suggest the best ways to address it.