Douglass Beall, MD, discusses managing discogenic back pain without surgery. Traditionally, patients can use physical therapy and chiropractic interventions to help manage back pain. Surgery can be used to help manage it as well; however, it is expensive and only 50% of patients improve after surgical procedures. Non-invasive methods for managing back pain include nerve ablation, and injections with stem cells, hydrogels, or amino acid peptides. The average procedure time for these non-invasive methods is 5.5 minutes, and studies show that there is significant improvement in pain, function, and quality of life.

Dr. Mayank Gupta presents spinal cord stimulation treatment for chronic abdominal pain (CAP) that originates due to various underlying causes. Dr. Gupta discusses the ongoing challenges for pain management physicians and the health care system. He also mentions that abdominal pain is the top reason for emergency room (ER) visits. He further explains that conventional treatments include neuropathic medication (e.g., Gabapentin, Lyrica), nerve blocks, or opioids that have poor efficacy, harmful complications, or potential dependence (e.g., opioid dependence). Dr. Gupta then focuses on evidence that demonstrates the success of treating CAP with traditional spinal cord stimulation.

Renowned pain expert Dr. Richard Rauck discusses how pain education is changing. He emphasizes the importance of physician training in multiple areas, including neuroradiology and psychiatry, then considers the role of device innovation and drug development in pain management. Dr. Rauck finishes with a discussion of the opioid crisis and the role of physicians in reducing the burden of opioid use in pain management.