Imagine living every day with chronic pain – not being able to work
during the day or sleep at night. Here is the story of one Dubuque woman
who overcame her pain, thanks to a unique approach by doctors at the
University of Iowa:
"
It’s just like an ongoing, ongoing fight to sleep, either pain or
sleep, one or the two," says Sheryl Gotto as she explains the chronic
pain that once ruled her life. Pain in her feet meant sleepless nights
and drowsy days at work. Her physician decided Sheryl needed to see specialists
at University of Iowa Health Care’s Center for Pain Medicine and
Regional Anesthesia.
Using state-of-the art technology, doctors pinpointed the problem. Sheryl
now controls her pain with a sophisticated spinal cord stimulator.
"
If I have any pain I just turn my machine on and turn it off," says
Sheryl. "I do what I’ve got to do. You know, it’s like
I said, between night and day. It’s awesome! It is. It’s
awesome!"
"
I think it was a good application of a product we know how to use, which
has been demonstrated time and time again to work for this type of problem
and getting results from it. So it’s very gratifying to see that," says
Naeem Haider. M.D., Interventional Pain Director.
Sheryl’s success is the result of a unique approach to managing pain.
This new Center for Pain Medicine is the first of its kind in the country
to bring together experts from several specialties – all with one
goal.
"
We’re trying to take advantage of the expertise of the physicians
that work in the center for both chronic pain treatment and acute, post-operative
pain treatment, so that we can provide state-of-the-art care to patients
in a variety of settings," says Richard Rosenquist, M.D., Center
for Pain Medicine Director.
The results are obvious for Sheryl.
"
I sleep at night. That’s the best part!"
University of Iowa Health Care’s new Center for Pain Medicine also
offers alternative treatments, including acupuncture and traditional
east-indian medicine. |
