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March/2020
Pain medicine and neuromodulation in Covid-19 pandemic
At time of writing the UK has embarked on “Lockdown by Consent”. Anything other than absolutely urgent interaction is prohibited. As a key worker I can get to work and support my colleagues and participate in direct life saving care. However I have urgent responsibilities to my current and future patients with severe pain. Some patients have implanted intrathecal drug delivery pumps treating severe chronic pain or spasticity which cannot run out and must be filled. Some SCS patients may have poorly controlled pain that needs a simple re-programming of their SCS to restore. Then there are those with acute sciatica who normally would be treated with targeted injection. Finally there are the thousands of patients who need advice on their pain management.
Much of the latter can be done with virtual consultations. I have switched my clinics to facilitate this. Private Medical Insurers have agreed to fund such consultations in the usual way. So please, if you need advice and treatment, make an appointment with my secretary.
Most diagnosis accuracy is achieved through careful questioning. General advice and reassurance can be very helpful. Some prescription recommendations are safely achieved.
Steroid injections are not advised at present as the corticosteroid is an immunosuppressant and may serve to exacerbate Covid-19 infection.
It is not advisable nor in most cases possible to do open procedures such as SCS.
Most private hospitals are either preparing to take the urgent cancer and urgent non-Covid-19 work from the NHS or may even be respiratory support hospitals for Covid-19 patients.
There are websites that can support our chronic pain patients such as
https://www.youtube.com/user/HunterBrainman/videos
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXTg1eVjEp06jyz3mNKRtlA
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8BjHclD7geGhiKixXwdzuw
https://www.paintoolkit.org/resources/for-patients
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For further information or to arrange an appointment, please contact me on +44(0)7798 636 522 or enquire online here.
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