Dr. Matthew Barfield to Present Community Talk on Diabetes & Painful Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy

FREE Presentation to Focus on Prescription Treatment Options for Pain Relief

Fairhope, Alabama (September 12, 2011) - For patients suffering from diabetes and diabetic peripheral neuropathy, pain in the extremities can be a daily problem. Burning pain, pins and needles, and shooting pain in the hands and feet can be nearly-debilitating. Unfortunately, many who suffer remain unaware of their options for relief. To address the lack of knowledge of the disease and available treatments, Dr. Matthew Barfield of Comprehensive Pain & Rehabilitation will present "Understanding Diabetes & Painful Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy with a focus on Prescription Treatment Options" on Wednesday, October 12, 11 am – 12 noon at the James P. Nix Center in Fairhope.

Many people with diabetes have signs of neuropathy that a doctor could note but feel no symptoms themselves. "Diabetic peripheral neuropathy can be terribly painful, but sometimes it has no symptoms at all. However, it can progress to be a very serious health threat, so seeking early treatment is critical for more than just symptom relief," explains Dr. Barfield. It is estimated that 60-70% of diabetics in the United States have some form of peripheral neuropathy. (Photo: Dr. Matthew Barfield)

As part of Comprehensive Pain & Rehabilitation's commitment to patient education, the presentation is FREE and open to the public. A delicious lunch and opportunity for door prizes will be provided for all attendees who register ahead of time. RSVP in advance by calling (251) 928-2835 or stop by the Nix Center at 1 Bayou Drive in Fairhope, AL.

Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy

Fact Sheet

· Diabetic neuropathies are nerve disorders caused by many of the abnormalities common to diabetes, such as high blood glucose.

· Neuropathy can affect nerves throughout the body, causing numbness and sometimes pain in the hands, arms, feet, or legs, and problems with the digestive tract, heart, sex organs, and other body systems.

· Diabetes mellitus is a leading cause of peripheral neuropathy in the United States.

· About 60 percent to 70 percent of people with diabetes have mild to severe forms of peripheral neuropathy.

· Symptoms of peripheral neuropathy are diverse and often difficult to control, including:

• numbness or insensitivity to pain or temperature
• a tingling, burning, or prickling sensation
• sharp pains or cramps
• extreme sensitivity to touch, even light touch
• loss of balance and coordination

These symptoms are often worse at night.

· Treatment first involves bringing blood glucose levels within the normal range. Good blood glucose control may help prevent or delay the onset of further problems.

· Foot care is an important part of treatment. People with neuropathy need to inspect their feet daily for any injuries. Untreated injuries increase the risk of infected foot sores and amputation.

· Treatment also includes pain relief and other medications as needed, depending on the type of nerve damage.

· Smoking significantly increases the risk of foot problems and amputation. If you smoke, ask your health care provider for help with quitting.

· Several classes of drugs have been proven helpful to patients suffering from more severe forms of chronic neuropathic pain.

Dr. Hunt Hapworth to Present Community Talk

Patient Tools for Managing the Pain of Fibromyalgia – Prescription Treatment Options, PASCAGOULA, MS (August, 2011)

Dr. Hunt Hapworth of Comprehensive Pain & Rehabilitation (CPR) will provide a community program entitled “Patient Tools for Understanding Fibromyalgia with a Focus on Prescription Treatment Options” at CPR's The Ambulatory Surgery Center in Pascagoula on Thursday, September 1 from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. As part of CPR's commitment to patient education, the presentation is FREE and open to the public.

Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain disorder where widespread pain affects several parts of the body. Symptoms include diffused musculoskeletal pain, interrupted sleep, muscle stiffness and fatigue. Fellowship-trained in pain medicine, Dr. Hapworth treats numerous patients with fibromyalgia in his clinic. “Fibromyalgia is so disruptive to a person's quality of life. It's often called the invisible disease because there is no visible evidence that it exists, so diagnosis is difficult. Patients are often told it's all in their minds,” notes Dr. Hapworth. “In reality, fibromyalgia is very real and very treatable.”

Fibromyalgia is a diagnosis under the arthritis umbrella.  We have invited the Arthritis Foundation Southeast Region to attend our presentation so that attendees will be able to connect with them and their resources. Arthritis Foundation representatives from our area will be available to connect you with Arthritis Foundation programs and educational material related to Fibromyalgia.  

A light dinner will be provided to all registered attendees. Seating for Dr. Hapworth's presentation is limited; reservations can be made by calling 228.938.0700 no later than Tuesday, August 30.

What: Presentation by Dr. Hunt Hapworth of Comprehensive Pain & Rehabilitation entitled:

“Patient Tools for Understanding Fibromyalgia with a Focus on Prescription Treatment Option”

When: Thursday, September 1

6:00 – 7:00 pm

Where: The Ambulatory Surgery Center at Comprehensive Pain & Rehabilitation

4105 Hospital Road, Suite 112

Pascagoula, MS

About Comprehensive Pain & Rehabilitation (CPR)

Comprehensive Pain and Rehabilitation (CPR) is a multi-disciplinary physician practice devoted to the diagnosis and treatment of chronic pain using an integrated program of interventional pain medicine, behavioral medicine and functional rehabilitation.  The overall practice goal is to reduce both pain and its negative impact in order to enable patients to live more productive and satisfying lives. Their clinics are located in both Daphne, AL and Pascagoula, MS.  For more information, call 251.625.2228 or 228.938.0700 or visit www.nopaindr.com.

New Ambulatory Surgery Center Opens

Comprehensive Pain and Rehabilitation Opens cutting edge Ambulatory Surgery Center offering state of the art care to the Southeast Region.

PASCAGOULA, MS (August 1, 2011)

The physicians of Comprehensive Pain and Rehabilitation (CPR) are now seeing patients in the new 16,000 square foot Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) in Pascagoula, MS. The cutting edge facility has been designed exclusively for our patient population and features exam rooms, procedure rooms and a fully equipped operating room staffed with clinicians specifically trained in pain interventions ranging from injections to medical device implantation. The Ambulatory Surgery Center will also house the Algos Research Center including an operating room viewing area for providing continuing education programs to physicians and allied health professionals on all aspects of Pain Mediciane. Programs with local and nationally recognized speakers will be offered in this center, a non-profit 501 (C) 3 dedicated to clinical research, development and neuroscience education.

The Ambulatory Surgery Center is Medicare Certified and accredited by the Accreditations Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAACH), demonstrating a dedication to quality care and the ability to perform at higher standards. Additionally, the Ambulatory Surgery Center is committed to both patients and the Gulf Coast community, providing educational programs, actively measuring quality and patient satisfaction, and participating in “green” initiatives to minimize impact on the local ecosystem.

Clinical services offered at the Ambulatory Surgery Center include spinal cord and peripheral nerve stimulation; diagnostic and therapeutic spine and joint injections; epidural steroid injections; facet joint blocks and radiofrequency neurotomy; diagnostic discography at all levels of the spine; electromyography and nerve conduction studies; intrathecal drug infusion therapy. An extremely important component of our clinical services includes the Pain Behavioral Medicine Service with an onsite Clinical Psychologist for both diagnostic testing and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, individual counseling and Group Therapy.

About Comprehensive Pain and Rehabilitation

Comprehensive Pain and Rehabilitation (CPR) is a multi-disciplinary physician practice devoted to the diagnosis and treatment of chronic pain using an integrated program of interventional pain medicine, behavioral medicine and functional rehabilitation. The overall practice goal is to reduce both pain and its negative impact in order to enable patients to live more productive and satisfying lives. Their clinics are located in Daphne, Al and Pascagoula, MS. For more information, call 251-625-2228 or 228-938-0700 or visit www.nopaindr.com.