讀後心得

A 55-year-old female patient experienced discomfort in her shoulders and neck, as well as numbness in her fingers, due to prolonged smartphone use for stock trading. Upon examination, she was found to have mild bone spurs and disc degeneration in her cervical spine. She initially tried traditional painkillers and physical therapy, but the results were limited. Ultimately, she was referred to a pain center for radiofrequency ablation and prolotherapy, leading to significant improvement in her symptoms and quality of life. As smartphone usage increases, chronic shoulder and neck pain has become a common health issue. The pain center focuses on advanced treatments for such symptoms, including radiofrequency ablation, which helps alleviate pain and promote recovery. The medical team developed a personalized treatment plan based on the patient's condition and emphasized the importance of maintaining good posture and engaging in rehabilitative exercises.

A 55-year-old female patient, who has been using her mobile phone for stock trading for a long time, felt extreme discomfort in her shoulders and neck after a busy day in the afternoon. At times, the pain even caused numbness in her fingers depending on her posture, which greatly troubled her life. After visiting the clinic, the doctor informed her that she had mild bone spurs and degenerative disc disease in her cervical spine. Initially, she chose to use traditional pain relievers and physical therapy for neck traction. Although her symptoms improved temporarily, the pain reappeared shortly thereafter, and this condition persisted for several months. Eventually, she went to an orthopedic clinic, where she was referred to a pain center for high-frequency thermal coagulation therapy and regenerative injection treatment after evaluation. After several treatments, her pain significantly diminished, her range of motion was restored, her quality of life improved, and her mood became more positive and cheerful.

With the widespread use of mobile phones, chronic shoulder and neck pain has become a common health problem. Studies have shown that chronic shoulder and neck pain not only affects quality of life but can also lead to depression and decreased mobility. To improve the conditions of these patients, the pain center focuses on using advanced treatment techniques, particularly high-frequency thermal coagulation therapy, which has shown significant efficacy.

The causes of chronic shoulder and neck pain are diverse, needing to confirm whether they are caused by rotator cuff tears, inflammation, or subacromial impingement syndrome, which requires treatment of the shoulder joint. Other possible causes include cervical spine bone spurs, facet joint degeneration, disc degeneration, muscle tension, or poor posture. Working with a lowered head and poor posture can increase the burden on the neck. Before any treatment, it is essential to fully understand the sources of chronic shoulder and neck pain. For chronically inflamed muscles and fascia, regenerative therapy can be considered for adjustment. Degenerative pain in the cervical joints can be blocked through high-frequency thermal coagulation therapy targeting the medial branches of the cervical nerve roots. Although nerve regeneration may occur after some time, it can still effectively reduce the use of pain medications. For structural abnormalities caused by degeneration, such as forward bending deformities, the treatment effect will be relatively limited. If neck pain is accompanied by referred pain to the forearm or even the hand, it may be caused by foraminal stenosis leading to nerve root compression, and foraminal injection should be considered. For more severe nerve root compression, traditional surgical decompression may be required, or minimally invasive surgery using cervical endoscopy can be performed to directly decompress the nerve roots. If neck pain is accompanied by a loss of balance or unsteady gait, timely neurological examination should be conducted rather than just pain treatment.

High-frequency thermal coagulation therapy is a minimally invasive treatment technique that generates heat through high-frequency electric currents, heating the target tissue to a certain temperature. This thermal energy can reduce inflammation, relieve pain, and promote tissue repair. During the treatment process, the doctor places specific electrodes at the pain site and performs precise localization using ultrasound or X-rays, using thin electrodes to deliver thermal energy for coagulation treatment. The advantages of high-frequency thermal coagulation therapy include a short recovery time and fewer side effects.

Orthopedics often helps patients treat various types of chronic pain, including chronic pain in limb joints and the cervical and lumbar spine. With the rapid development of technology and medicine, many minimally invasive and micro-invasive surgical methods, such as endoscopic spine treatment, can be performed through incisions smaller than one centimeter, achieving results equivalent to those of larger incisions ten times larger, while reducing damage to normal structures. However, sometimes patients do not meet the indications for surgery or their physical condition is not suitable for an operation after examination. In such cases, the pain center offers comprehensive pain management programs, comprising a team of experienced interdisciplinary doctors and nursing staff, who develop personalized treatment plans based on the specific conditions of the patients. In addition to high-frequency thermal coagulation therapy, other adjunctive therapies, such as exercise therapy and physical therapy, are provided to enhance the overall rehabilitation of the patients.

Before treatment, the doctor will assess the indications based on the medical history and physical examination of the patient. Additionally, during the treatment period, patients need to cooperate with professional staff's guidance to engage in appropriate care and rehabilitation exercises to achieve optimal results. Maintaining good lifestyle habits is also an essential factor in reducing cervical spine pain. Patients are advised to pay attention to their daily posture, avoid prolonged periods of looking down, regularly perform neck stretching and relaxation exercises, and strengthen the strength and flexibility of the neck muscles.