Introduction Low back pain is an extremely common presenting complaint that occurs in upwards of 80% of the population. Chronic back pain (>12 weeks’ duration) develops in a small percentage of patients. The first step in the treatment of low…
Introduction The taxonomy complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) was introduced in 1993 by the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) to describe the pain syndromes reflex sympathetic dystrophy (type 1) and causalgia (type 2). CRPS is a conglomeration…
Clinical Presentation Craniofacial neuralgias are a common source of chronic pain. They can be primary or secondary to insults such as trauma, surgery, tumors, or infections. Occipital neuralgia was one of the first cranial neuralgias to be routinely treated with…
Introduction Chronic neuropathic pain of the lower extremity caused by sural nerve pathology is a rare reason for patients to seek medical attention. These pathologies have several underlying etiologies, and patients may have symptoms that limit their quality of life…
Introduction Peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) is an effective neuromodulation modality for the treatment of chronic neuropathic pain in the distribution of specific peripheral nerves. Saphenous and genicular nerves play an important role in the treatment algorithm for chronic knee pain.…
Introduction The middle cluneal nerve (MCN) has long been overlooked as a cause of low back pain. As the understanding of the role of the MCN becomes more clear, the range of treatment options, including peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS), has…
Clinical Presentation The superior cluneal nerve (SCN) is a group of nerves that originate from the cutaneous branches of the dorsal rami of T11-L4 ( Fig. 19.1 ). Iwnaga et al.’s cadaveric dissection found that the nerve can arise from…
Introduction With approximately 3,000 reported injuries per year in the United States, median nerve injuries are the primary cause of emergency room visitation for all peripheral nerve injuries. They can occur by multiple mechanisms, including (1) arm, elbow, and wrist…
Introduction Ulnar neuropathy is relatively common and occurs either following an acute trauma or in the setting of a chronic compression of the nerve. In fact, ulnar nerve pathology is the most common reason for hospitalization compared with all other…
Introduction The rapidly expanding field of peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) brings with it a tremendous, but still evolving, potential for treating chronic upper extremity neuropathic pain that is often refractory to standard therapies and results in significant suffering and impaired…