Pain physician
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This comprehensive health policy review of the prescription drug abuse epidemic is based on the written and oral testimony of witnesses at a July 26, 2006 Congressional Hearing, including that of Laxmaiah Manchikanti, MD, the chief executive officer of the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians and additions from review of the literature. Honorable Mark E. Souder, chairman of the Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug Policy, and Human Resources, introduced the issue as follows: "Prescription drug abuse today is second only to marijuana abuse. ⋯ Stephen J. Pasierb presented startling statistics on teen drug abuse and various educational programs to deter abuse. Laxmaiah Manchikanti, MD presented an overview of prescription drug abuse, strategies to prevent drug abuse, including immediate funding and rapid implementation of NASPER, education at all levels and improving relations with the DEA and the provider community.
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Epidural steroid injections are commonly used for the treatment of radicular symptoms associated with symptomatic lumbar intervertebral disc herniations. Transforaminal epidural injections are believed to produce better clinical outcomes than interlaminar epidural injections. ⋯ In the current study, transforaminal epidural steroid injections for the treatment of symptomatic lumbar disc herniation resulted in better short-term pain improvement and fewer long-term surgical interventions than interlaminar epidural steroid injection.