Minimally Invasive Procedures Are Freeing Patients FromYears of Chronic Pain
Innovations in pain management are changing the way Magid Al-Kimawi, MD, treats patients with chronic, long-term pain. An interventional pain medicine specialist, Dr. Al-Kimawi uses a plethora of minimally invasive procedures to help patients find relief, even after years of pain. “With advancements in MRIs, imaging
returns. In the meantime, he helps patients maintain a good quality of life. Dr. Al-Kimawi says that he likes that his interventional pain medicine practice, a relatively new medical specialty, requires both clinical and procedural work. “There are many different ways to help
with the pain,” he adds. “The new trend is to minimize medications and try everything else instead.” While most of his patients suffer from chronic back pain, Dr. Al- Kimawi does have patients with athletic injuries, work-related trauma issues and post-surgical pain. “We are trying to help those in pain whether they are old or young,” he states. Dr. Al-Kimawi hopes to use his expertise and passion to better serve the southwest Florida community.
and ultrasounds, we can know more about where the pain is coming from,” explains Dr. Al-Kimawi, who recently joined the NCH Physician Group. “Then, we can put a needle where there is a problem and kill the inflammation in that area.” Other techniques include radiofrequency ablation therapy, where heat or cold is administered to the nerve that is giving off pain signals. Or, spinal cord stimulation for people with back pain, which helps block pain signals traveling through the spine to the brain. He has also seen patients receive relief from stem cell injections and platelet-rich plasma injections. Dr. Al-Kimawi explains that these treatments offer different results to different people, but typically, patients can expect to be pain-free for three to six months, or until the inflammation Magid Al-Kimawi, MD
The office of Dr. Magid Al-Kimawi is located at 1285 Creekside Blvd., suite 102, in North Naples. For more information, or to make an appointment, call 239-624-0960.
LOOK BEFORE YOU LOCK A car can Heat up to 125 Degrees in Minutes! On average, 37 US children die in hot cars every year (approx. 1 every 9 days) and 87 percent of children who have died are age 3 and younger. Car heat stroke is not always understood. The majority of parents would like to believe that they could never forget their child in the backseat of a vehicle. Unfortunately, a change in daily routine, lack of sleep, stress, fatigue and simple distractions are things that can contribute to these tragedies. Children have died in hot cars when the outside temperature was as low as 60 degrees. Cracking the windows does NOT help slow the heating process or decrease the maximum temperature in the car. Heat stroke happens when the body cannot cool itself fast enough and the core temperature rises to dangerous levels. Children’s bodies heat up three to five times faster than adults. “Heat stroke can lead to a number of complications depending on the amount of time the body temperature has been high,” says Dr. Myers, Medical Director of the NCHMacDonald Pediatric Emergency Department. “It is essential that the body temperature is lowered as quickly as possible. If the body temperature is not lowered immediately, heat stroke can lead to swelling of the brain and other vital organs leading to permanent damage.” “We treat heat stroke by lowering the body temperature of the child to the normal temperature. This prevents or reduces damage to vital organs or even death,” she adds.
Dr. Myers shares these simple tips to remind oneself that a child is in the car: Keep your personal items (wallet, purse, cell phone, briefcase) in the backseat with the child. Keep the diaper bag or child belongings in the front seat as a visual clue. Have daycare call you if the child is not dropped off by a certain time each day. Source: CDC KidsandCars.org
Dr. Pia Myers
Safe Kids is urging everyone to ACT: A void heat stroke-related injury and death by never leaving your child alone in a car, not even for a minute. And make sure to keep your car locked when you’re not in it so kids don’t get in on their own. C reate reminders by putting something in the back of your car next to your child such as a briefcase, a purse or a cell phone that is needed at your final destination. This is especially important if you’re not following your normal routine. T ake action. If you see a child alone in a car, call 911. Emergency personnel want you to call. They are trained to respond to these situations. One call could save a life. In the State of Florida, it is against the law to leave your children unattended in a vehicle . Visit NCH Safe & Healthy Children's Coalition at www.safehealthychildren.org for more information.
The NCH MacDonald Pediatric Emergency Department is located at North Naples Hospital, 11190 Health Park Blvd., phone (239) 624-6100.
Made with FlippingBook Learn more on our blog