New Clinical Trial for Neuropathic Pain

By Ted Swing, Ph.D.

Physical trauma often produces immediate pain, but for many injuries this pain recedes as the body heals over time. Some types of trauma can cause damage or irritation of the nerves responsible for sensing pain. This can lead to chronic nerve pain. For example, a person who injures their shoulder might continue to experience pain in that shoulder for months or years after the damage has healed. Some medications have promise for treating such peripheral nerve pain.

Pfizer Pregabalin Trial

A new clinical trial is testing the efficacy of pregabalin (also known as Lyrica®) for treating chronic peripheral nerve pain that was caused by trauma.

Who can take part in this study?

This study will include adults (age 18 or older) who have experienced chronic pain in peripheral nerves for at least six months. Peripheral nerves are those outside of the spine, neck, or head. This pain may be the result of some type of physical trauma, such as a motor vehicle accident, a fall, a sports injury or burn. Patients whose pain resulted from a surgical event, such as a knee/hip replacement or mastectomy, may also be eligible. Patients who suffer from some other medical conditions diabetic peripheral neuropathy or complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) may not be eligible to take part.

What will this study involve?

Patients who are interested in this study and meet some of the basic criteria, including diagnosed peripheral nerve pain caused by trauma or surgery, may complete a screening visit for the study in the clinic. Patients who qualify based on a physical examination, medical history and other relevant criteria may choose to enroll in the study. Patients would return to the clinic and begin taking the study medication. Patients are randomly assigned to receive either pregabalin or placebo with the dosage adjusted to meet the patient’s needs. Patients continue to report their pain level and return to the clinic for follow up assessments several times over the next 16 weeks.

What are the costs and benefits of participating in this study?

Individuals taking part in this study may receive a medication that will alleviate their pain. This medication will be provided by the study’s sponsor at no cost. Additionally, assessments of their health are included as part of the study and may provide useful information. All study visits are provided at no cost and participants will be reimbursed $50 for each study visit for travel and related expenses. In addition, this study may benefit other patients by providing information about effective treatments for chronic nerve pain.

Contact

If you are interested in learning more about this trial, you can speak with your pain management providers or contact me directly at TedS@arizonapain.com.

Ted Swing has more than nine years of research experience and four years of teaching experience in psychology, has published in top psychology and medical journals, and has presented his research at major conferences. He received his Ph.D. in Social Psychology from Iowa State University and has been the Research Director at Arizona Pain since May 2012.

It may seem like a tool from the dark ages, but up until fairly recently, the pager was one of the primary communication tools in a doctor’s arsenal. Whether it was a patient emergency or a problem at the hospital, pagers were the device that every M.D. had on their person at all times. After all, it was just what you did. And it wasn’t that long ago that doctors were found pushing their eight-­‐pound laptops around on rolling carts, or using tablets that required a stylus and a degree in computer engineering just to use. Things have changed a lot in the past decade or so, and between the innovations in the smartphone industry and the development of tablets that consumers have flocked to purchase, it’s inevitable that the medical industry would take notice and make a few changes on their own. So what’s changed so much and how has it helped doctors diagnose your pain more effectively? Let’s take a look and find out.

The Tablet Generation

In the late 1990s, tablet computers were all the rage. These were full personal computers, typically running the Windows operating system, that did everything a laptop or PC could do. The main differences were that a stylus instead of a mouse was used as a primary input device, and there was additional software that enabled handwriting recognition. It was a doctor’s dream tool.

It was everyone’s idea of the perfect computer at the time, but the reality of the situation was a different world. Handwriting recognition was never really perfect, and most doctors’ notoriously poor penmanship didn’t make the process easier. Plus, the tablets were pricey, and eventually poor sales caused them just to disappear from the market. Laptops became the computer of choice for most people in the medical profession, even though they just weren’t as portable or light that everyone wanted.

In 2007, Apple introduced the iPhone, and shortly thereafter there were rumors that they had been shopping around a tablet of some kind, even visiting hospitals in the process. The way the legendary CEO Steve Job s apparently saw it, what would become known as the iPad could revolutionize the way that doctors treat t heir patients. A mobile computer that could access the Internet and handle complex tasks without a stylus could change the healthcare system. Turns out, he was right.

With the iPad came competition from other manufacturers, including Asus, Samsung and Google. Even Microsoft has entered the fray, and soon the Microsoft Surface will hit the market as well. As a result, doctors now have lots of tablet options to choose from, most of them with similar features.

A recent article in Pain Medicine News discussed the tablet revolution, particularly the transition that happened at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Mass. From that piece: “‘Until recently, tablet computers were too heavy, had too short a battery life, were too expensive or had too poor a user interface to serve as an effective tool,’ said Henry Feldman, M.D., chief information architect for Harvard Medical Faculty Physicians, speaking at the American Medical Informatics Association meeting as part of a panel on the use of tablets in health care.”

Admittedly, the iPad is the front runner in the field, mainly because of its popularity and support from thousands of developers. It’s also durable, fairly inexpensive and easy for any doctor to buy at a local electronics reseller. But there is lots of competition in the works, and soon we’ll see tablets made by other manufacturer  s out in the field. Things will just get better as the competition grows, and doctors will eventually have lots o f options to choose from.

Harnessing the ‘Net

When was the last time you opened up an encyclopedia? How about looking up something in a dictionary? Chances are pretty good that instead you went to M-­‐w.com or Wikipedia to get what you needed, so why wouldn’t a doctor do the same thing?

An article featured on Medpagetoday.com that was produced by MedPage Today and ABC Medical News U nit talked about that very issue, and how it affects doctors specifically. From the article: “‘Early in practice, if I had a clinical question to research, I had to go to the library, pull out multiple years of the Index Medicus, look up the topic, write down the references, go to the stacks and pull the volumes of journals, find the article, read the article, go to the copy machine and make a copy and if I were lucky, I would have my answer in about four hours,’ said John Messmer, M.D., associate professor at the Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey.” Having access to the information you need quickly and easily can be the difference between life and death i n an emergency situation. Combine that with the tablet movement and the ability to access the net from those devices, research couldn’t be any easier.

Living in the Future

We may not be driving flying cars, and no one is going to be riding on a flying hoverboard anytime soon, but we certainly are living in a new age of technology. The devices we use every day are now more powerful than the computers of just ten years ago. Access to information has never been easier. And the medical comm unity has benefitted from all of this. The next time you enter a doctor’s office, take a look around at the technology around you and how your doctor is using it. Who knows, it might just save your life.

By Kevin Whipps

Pain of all kinds is difficult to deal with, but there are some types of pain that are easier to manage than others. With headaches, for example, you know where the problem is and therefore where to focus your attention. But what about the pain that seems to come from everywhere that has no specific location? It’s that type of pain, general pain, that can frustrate and confuse anybody.So what do you do about it? Well, that’s what we’re here to help with. Let’s take a moment to check out some different ways to manage general pain symptoms, and what you can do to cope no matter what the problem. There’s no reason to suffer if you don’t have to.

Cut Out the Stress

Did you know that stress can intensify your pain? Whether you’re under the gun at the office or just have a lot of things on your mind, that can exacerbate your problems. It’s funny the way the body works, but when you’re focusing too much on things that make you nervous, stressed or irritated, your body can turn up the wick on your pain centers or at least make it feel like it’s much worse. That causes you to get stre ssed out further, and therefore, more pain. The cycle continues. The solution? Cut it out. Now it’s obviously an easier thing to say than do, but if you can find a way to mitigate or at least minimize your stress levels, then the pain will work itself out. Is it a permanent solution? No, you still need to get proper treatment for your problem with a pain specialist. But this is at least an option for managing the pain instead of dealing with an overload of pain in general.

Find a Support Group in Your Area

It may feel like you’re living with this pain all by yourself, but the fact is, you’re not. There are many, many others out there who suffer with pain as well, both specific an d general in nature. Wouldn’t it help you out if you talked to someone who could rel ate to your issue?

Yes, you could talk to a therapist, psychologist or psychotherapist, but if you talk to other people in a support group who share similar problems to your own, you get th e advice of those who have walked in your shoes before. That alone can help you fig ure out how to manage your pain, and when coupled with help from a pain specialist, you’re in good hands all the way around.

Eat the Right Way

If it’s a Tuesday afternoon and you’re feeling like making dinner is a major hassle, yo u might consider stopping at a drive-­‐thru and commiserating with a double cheeseburger, hold the onions. You might want to reconsider that option.

When you’re feeling bad, eating bad just makes the problem worse. As is said way to o often, like a car, the better fuel you put in, the better results you’ll get back. Having that double cheeseburger might make you feel good temporarily, but long term, it’s not a great idea. This applies to alcohol as well, which also can exacerbate your sleep problems. And without a good night’s sleep, you’re also slowing down the body’s natural healing process, and therefore keeping yourself in pain longer. Oh, and smoking? Also not a good idea. Not only are the drawbacks of smoking well documented, bu t it can exacerbate circulatory problems as well and that’s not good for pain, either. Have something healthy instead and fuel your body the right way.

Work It Out

One of the secret pain inhibitors that your body has on tap all the time are endorphins. These are produced by the brain to make you feel better and strengthen your muscles at the same time. So by working out, you’ll not only get in shape, but you’ll also feel good at the same time.

Of course, working out has lots of benefits anyway, most of which you’ve heard ad nauseam. But when it comes to pain, there are some other bonuses. If your pain come s from excessive weight  issues that can arise from back pain and the like  then working out will help keep the pounds down. All that said, make sure to talk to your d octor before starting a workout routine, because you don’t want to do anything that could put you in worse shape than before.

Get Detailed

You’ve probably seen those activity trackers that you can use to count your step s, log your calories and so on, right? Well although they use fancy electronics to get the data for you, they work because people log their information. By simply entering the calories that the person consumes, they learn just how much they’re putting into their body. Sometimes, it’s just about data. And the more you have, the better off you are.

The same thing goes for logging your pain. By writing down when you’re in pain, the duration, where it happens, the environment you’re in when it happens, the food you’ve recently consumed everything related to your current situation you can give your doctor a more accurate picture of your overall condition. This data is what your doctor needs to give you the best diagnosis possible, and every little bit helps. So do your best to log all of your food, information and conditions in a notebook, and that will help your pain specialist get you the help you need.

Distract Yourself

Know what makes pain worse? Sitting there and focusing on that and nothing else. Idle hands are the devil’s workshop, or something like that. Get out there and do som ething that will distract yourself from the pain at hand. Go on a walk to clear your he ad. Play a game with friends or just treat yourself to a massage (which also helps with some forms of pain, FYI). Whatever you do, just make forward progress and keep y our head up. If you can keep busy, do so.

The Final Steps

At the end of the day, the most important thing for you to do is to see a pain specialist as soon as possible. They know what they’re doing, and they can handle both general pain and chronic pain, plus anything else in between. If you’re in pain, they’ve got you covered.

But between now and the time you have your appointment, take some time to follow the steps listed here. Who knows, it just might help you get out of a bind.

South of the Border

This traditional Spanish tortilla recipe takes inspiration from the rustic peasant dish to create an eggy casserole that’s started on the stovetop and finished under the broiler. Roasted red peppers, slices of spicy chorizo sausage and bubbling manchego cheese give this dish all the savory qualities of your favorite pizza without an overload of refined carbohydrates. It’s a convenient and easy weeknight supper and will be just as good if you substitute your favorite cheese or sausage for the Spanish ingredients.

Serves 4

Instructions

1. Rub a little olive oil over the peppers and place on a baking sheet under the broiler, close to the heat.
2. Cook, turning every 8 minutes until the skin is blackened and blistered evenly. Do not overcook to the point that the peppers collapse and turn mushy. Alternatively, they can be roasted on a hot grill or held with tongs over the flame of a gas stovetop.
3. Place the roasted peppers in a heatproof bowl and cover with plastic wrap, allowing them to steam until cool enough to handle.
4. Peel off the skins, remove the stems and scrape out the seeds. Chop the roasted peppers into bite-sized pieces and set aside. These can be made ahead and refrigerated overnight before cooking the tortilla.
5. Place the potatoes in a large pot of water and bring to a boil, cooking just until tender. Drain the potatoes and once cool enough to handle, slice into bite-sized pieces. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and set aside.
6. Now make the tortilla. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high in a large, highsided, oven-safe skillet or cast-iron pan. Add the chorizo and cook for 1 minute.
7. Flip the slices and add the saffron, peppers and potatoes. Stir and cook over medium heat for 1 min.
8. Beat the eggs with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pour all over the mixture in the skillet. Gently stir to evenly distribute the ingredients.
9. Turn the heat to medium-low and cook the tortilla for 8 minutes, until the bottom is golden brown and the edges begin to set, pulling away from the sides of the skillet. Cook the tortilla gently to avoid burning the bottom. While the tortilla cooks, turn on the broiler.
10. Following the 8 minutes on the stovetop, sprinkle the cheese over the tortilla and transfer the skillet to the top rack of the oven under the broiler. Allow to cook for 1 to 2 minutes, just until the eggs are puffed up and set. It’s very easy to overcook the tortilla, resulting in a tough, dry texture, so monitor carefully.
    The tortilla is best served warm from the oven with ketchup, but a little slice of leftover tortilla heated briefly in the microwave the next day is a nice treat.

Ingredients

1 tbsp. olive oil, plus a little extra for roasting the peppers
2 red bell peppers
8 oz. boiling potatoes, such as Yukon Gold or new potatoes
4 oz. (1 cup) chorizo, sliced
1 pinch saffron threads
6 large eggs
1 oz. (1/2 cup) grated manchego cheese
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Nutrition Facts Per Serving

(Does not include ketchup)!
Calories – 285
Total Fat – 15.5 g
Saturated Fat – 5 g
Cholesterol – 280 mg
Sodium – 491 mg
Total Carbohydrates – 15.5 g
Dietary Fiber – 3.5 g
Sugars – 4 g
Protein – 20 g

An Inside Look at the Clinical Research Process

By Ted Swing, Ph.D., and Kevin Whipps

As researchers, we are committed to leading the way in pain medicine through clinical trials. But often we’re asked how we do what we do: the process, treatments and conditions, and what those mean for our clients. So what is the clinical research process and how does it work? Let’s find out.

What are clinical trials?

Clinical trials are research studies that gather information and support conclusions about the safety and efficacy of medical treatments. Many types of treatments are studied in clinical trials, including medications, injections, medical devices and surgical procedures. Typically, clinical trials are conducted with new treatments. For example, when a new medical device such as the Bioness StimRouter is developed, its safety and efficacy must be tested in a clinical trial before doctors can order it for their patients. Though treatments in clinical trials are usually not yet approved for widespread use, the clinical trials that test their safety and efficacy must be approved and supervised by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Medical researchers will already have reason to believe that a treatment is effective before it reaches the point of clinical trials in actual patients. For example, they may study the effect of a new drug on individual human cells in the lab before testing it in patients.

Because clinical trials are research studies, often patients get one treatment of two or more possible treatments and may not be told which one they are receiving. This is important because it is often the only way to learn whether a new treatment is more effective than a current treatment. Patients are not told which treatment they are receiving because that could allow their expectations to influence the way they respond, which investigators want to avoid because it could bias the results of the study.

What are the benefits of taking part in clinical research?

The patients who agree to take part in a clinical trial often — though not always — have a medical condition that the clinical trial may treat. By taking part in the trial, participants may receive a treatment that is as effective as, or potentially even more effective than, the best currently available option.

Clinical trials often provide this treatment at no cost to the patient, and in some clinical trials, patients are compensated for their time or travel expenses. Patients may receive additional medical attention during a clinical trial, such as clinic visits and diagnostic tests that could identify medical problems. Patients are also making important contributions to the future of medicine. The great strides made in modern medicine depend on the patients who take part in clinical trials.

What risks and costs are involved in clinical research?

Like all medical treatments, those used in clinical trials may have side effects. These vary in type and severity depending on the specific trial, but should be considered before participating in a study.

The researchers, sponsors and the FDA carefully monitor any adverse events that occur during the course of a clinical trial. Though treatments and follow-up visits are often free in a clinical trial, patients may have to complete diagnostic tests in order to qualify for a clinical trial. The study’s sponsor may not cover the cost of these tests, though insurance will often pay for them.

Participating in a clinical trial also typically requires multiple visits related to the study for screening, treatment and follow-up. These visits may continue for years. Patients should consider their willingness to attend follow-up appointments when enrolling in a study.

How can I find out more about clinical research?

You can learn about clinical trials by contacting the investigators or clinical research coordinators. Another useful resource for identifying and learning about clinical trials is the website Clinicaltrials.gov. This is a website database provided by the U.S. National Institutes of Health of all federally and privately supported clinical trials. This website can be searched for information about clinical trials, including what conditions are being treated, who may take part in the study and where each trial is being conducted.

Ted Swing has more than eight years of research experience and four years of teaching experience in psychology, has published in top psychology and medical journals, and has presented his research at major conferences. He received his Ph.D. in social psychology from Iowa State University and has been the research director at Arizona Pain since May 2012.

Check out these two free upcoming expos.

Chronic Pain Expo

Sept. 7
In honor of September’s status as chronic pain awareness month, Arizona Pain will sponsor a free Chronic Pain Awareness Expo on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2013. Ideal for caregivers and those living with chronic pain, the event will be an opportunity to learn how to cope with pain and improve both physical and mental health. Expect the expo to highlight chronic pain topics, such as alternative therapies, interventional treatments, mental health and cutting-edge studies. And local local health and wellness vendors will be present to provide product samples and vital information on pharmacology, nutrition, rehabilitation, wellness programs, unique therapies, lifestyle products and home care. Representatives from local support groups will also be on hand to talk with expo attendees.

“Arizona Pain wanted to extend additional chronic pain resources to the public, so that perhaps someone out there who is suffering can get help that they never knew existed right here in their local community,” says Kristen Wesley, publicelations representative at Arizona Pain.

The Chronic Pain Awareness Expo will take place at the J.W. Marriott from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For the most up-to-date details, keep checking Arizonapain.com, and the Arizona Pain social media channels on Facebook and Twitter (@Arizonapain). You can also contact Kristenw@arizonapain.com with questions or to RSVP.

Latina Power Expo

Sept. 26-27
The Hispanic Women’s Corporation (HWC) invites you to support the professional leadership empowerment of Latina women, youth and scholars through its Professional, Executive and Youth Leadership Institutes. The HWC hosts the largest gathering of Latinas in the United States, and this is not an event to miss.

The big event kicks off Sept. 26, 2013, and runs through the following day. It’s held at The Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel, conveniently located just north of East Van Buren at 340 N. Third St. More than 3,000 attendees and sponsors from across the country will show up to support the 501 c(3) nonprofit corporation.

The Latina Power Expo will be open to the general public. During the event, the emphasis will be on career resources, a health care fair and going green for environmental sustainability. There will also be demonstrations and a family resources area. Additionally, Arizona Pain’ marketing team member Petra Fimbres will chair the HWC Health and Wellness 2013.

Please come out and support HWC & Arizona Pain in this extraordinary event. For additional information please call 602-954-7995 or visit Hispanicwomen.org.

Did you know?

More than 100 million Americans suffer from chronic pain.

Unrelieved pain can result in decreased ability to function fully, lost income or loss of employment, inability to participate in social and recreational activities.

Pain places tremendous burdens on our country in the form of health care costs, rehabilitation and lost worker productivity, as well as the emotional and financial burdens it places on the patients themselves and their own families.

Pain is a significant public health problem costing society at least $560 billion to $635 billion annually — an amount equal to about $2,000 per person living in the U.S.

–From the American Academy of Pain Medicine

By Jess O’Toole

This is a recipe for the heat of summer, when tomatoes hang heavily on the vine and your garden is bursting with fresh herbs. Poached fish may sound fancy, but it’s a foolproof technique for cooking fish by gently simmering it in broth for a few minutes. Any firm white-fleshed fish will do — cod, halibut, monkfish or whatever is freshest at the market. Embrace the lazy summer haze and don’t worry about being too precise. Toss in a handful of herbs, sloppily chop the tomatoes and nonchalantly add the four cloves of garlic. Serve the delicate pieces of fish over a quick cooking grain, such as bulgur or couscous, with generous spoonfuls of the heady broth and garden vegetables.

Serves 4

Directions

Heat the olive oil over medium on the stovetop in a fish poacher or other large pan that has a lid. Smash the garlic cloves with the flat side of your knife and toss them into the warm oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, allowing the garlic to become golden and caramelized (about 5 minutes). Add the leeks and zucchini slices and cook until tender (5 minutes), stirring occasionally. Roughly chop the tomatoes, leaving some of the cherry tomatoes whole for a variety of textures. Add the tomatoes to the pan with a couple pinches of salt and stir to combine all the ingredients. Pour the chicken stock over and the mixture and bring to a simmer. Stir in the saffron and 1 tablespoon of chopped basil leaves. Place the fish on top of the simmering liquid, turn the heat down to low and put the lid on the pot. If the fish is too large to fit in the pot, cut it into manageable pieces. The liquid should gently simmer, not boil. Poach the fish until it flakes easily with a fork and appears opaque throughout, 10 to 15 minutes. Season to taste with sea salt at the end of cooking. To serve, divide the fish into four portions using a spatula. Serve over bulgur wheat or couscous with the vegetables from the pan, a spoonful of the aromatic broth and a few leaves of basil.

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 leek, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
• 1 medium-sized zucchini (weighing about 6 oz.), thinly sliced
• 1 1/4 lbs. very ripe tomatoes, an assortment of cherry tomatoes and heirloom varieties
• 1/2 cup homemade chicken stock (or water)
• A handful of fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 tsp. saffron threads
• 1 large skinless fillet of cod, halibut, monkfish or other firm white-fleshed fish (weighing about 1 to 1 1/3 lbs.), bones removed
• Sea salt

Nutrition Facts Per Serving!

(Calculated using cod as the fish, does not include bulgur wheat or couscous side dish.)

• Calories  244
• Total Fat  12 g
• Saturated Fat 2 g
• Cholesterol 50 mg
• Sodium 144 mg
• Total Carbohydrates 12 g
• Dietary Fiber 1 g
• Sugars  8 g
• Protein  23 g

Spinach and Quinoa Salad with Strawberries and Balsamic Vinaigrette

By Jess O’Toole

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked brown quinoa, cooled to room temperature
3 oz. spinach leaves (or one 5 oz. container packaged spinach leaves)
1 pint fresh strawberries
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
2 tbsp. fresh chopped chives
1/3 cup Marcona almonds
1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. aged balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 oz. soft goat cheese
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Frequently eating quinoa and spinach might help prevent migraine headaches, since both contain high levels of magnesium and vitamin B2 — nutrients that may help chronic headache sufferers find some relief. The quinoa plant is related to spinach, beetroot and chard, and although technically a seed, it can be found in the grain section of your grocery store. Quinoa is quick-cooking and has a delicious nutty flavor and delicate crunch. In this recipe, quinoa adds protein for a bit of heft, while strawberries and balsamic vinegar lend refreshing sweetness to green leafy spinach. If you can’t find Marcona almonds imported from Spain, feel free to substitute regular sliced almonds.

Directions
Serves 4
In a large bowl, toss together quinoa, spinach, strawberries, basil and chives. Make the vinaigrette by pouring balsamic vinegar into a medium bowl with a pinch of sea salt and then gradually whisking in the extra virgin olive oil. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss to evenly coat. Sprinkle almonds and goat cheese over the salad and serve with freshly ground black pepper.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving! Calories! 245
Total Fat! 18 g Saturated Fat! 3 g Cholesterol! 3 mg

Sodium! 80 μγ Total Carbohydrates!19 g Dietary Fiber!4 g Sugars! 5 g Protein! 6 g

We introduce the latest location of Arizona Pain.

By Kevin Whipps

Arizona Pain has locations across the Valley, but those in the Desert Ridge area just got a more convenient option, with the addition of our new clinic located right off the Loop 101 and Tatum Boulevard in Phoenix. And better yet, it comes with a few familiar faces.

Like other Arizona Pain locations, the Desert Ridge Medical Campus features world-class care performed by the best in the industry. The attending physician on-site is Dr. Jack Anderson, who may look familiar to frequent readers of Arizona Pain Monthly. That’s because Anderson was spotlighted in our Q&A feature back in April.

As a double board certified interventional pain physician and anesthesiologist, Anderson is very qualified to handle any pain issue that comes his way. “Dr. Anderson has been recognized professionally as a thought leader, mentor and compassionate colleague,” says Dr. Tory McJunkin, co-founder of Arizona Pain. “We are confident in his skills of leading our Phoenix pain team and are proud to have him on board.”
Anderson shares the same approach as other Arizona Pain physicians, in that he utilizes a conservative and minimally invasive approach to comprehensive care. He also has a background in emergency medicine and diagnostic radiology, which brings additional depth to his work. Just don’t make any Matrix jokes when you see him — we’re sure he’s heard them all.

The new location is 3,586 square feet and includes seven clinic rooms, plus a large waiting room where patients can either watch TV or thumb through the latest issue of Arizona Pain Monthly. This is a one-stop shop for pain treatment.
“We know chronic pain affects over a million people in Phoenix alone,” says Arizona Pain CEO Joe Carlon. “Our commitment to the patients in this community is to provide the world-class pain care they would want for their own moms and dads, and our newest location in the Desert Ridge area of Phoenix allows us to better deliver that kind of care to patients in their time of need.”
The Desert Ridge Medical Campus is located at 20940 N. Tatum Blvd., Suite B-210, in Phoenix, and is open Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. To make an appointment at any Arizona Pain location, please call 480-563-6400, or visit us on the web at Arizonapain.com.

Positive Energy

By Kevin Whipps

It’s 5 a.m. on a weekday, and a woman is lacing up her shoes to head out for a run. It’s not a jog for her health, it’s not about trying to reach some personal goal. It’s to forget. To try to work out the pain she felt from her recent divorce and sort out her own feelings. She wakes up her daughter and son, they lace up their shoes, and the family goes out running.

The son doesn’t last long. He’s tired, and he doesn’t want to run this one-mile loop for the umpteenth time. But the daughter feels the urge to keep up with her mother, so the two match pace and run the loop again and again. For the little girl, she feels natural. Strong. Good.
This is how an athlete is born.

A Watery Road

Tere Derbez-Zacher is a study in contrasts.
As a child, she learned to love running. As a teenager, she learned how to swim and soon took the world by storm. As the grandchild of two French immigrants in Mexico, Derbez-Zacher grew up speaking Spanish at school and French at home. She is also a Mexican and French citizen.
Now 40, Derbez-Zacher remembers her parents divorcing when she was 5, leaving her and her brother to be raised by their mother and grandparents. The family worked a lot to support the kids, and that meant there was no one to watch Derbez-Zacher and her brother at home. To fill the void, their mother would drop the two off at a private athletic club every day from 4 to 8 p.m., which is where Derbez-Zacher learned to love swimming as well. She showed some proficiency right off the bat, and soon was invited to go to nationals. But as the competition and practice requirements ramped up, the commitments became too much for her mother. “I guess she thought that I was just going to miss school forever,” Derbez-Zacher says. As a result, she stopped swimming and returned her focus to school.

After high school came college and then working toward her graduate degree. As she continued her education, Derbez-Zacher turned back to swimming. “I guess part of it was that I never really completed that cycle,” Derbez-Zacher says. “I like to finish what I start. If I want to get into something, I either do it all the way, or I’d rather not. I’m black and white.”

The competitive spirit was still very much alive in Derbez-Zacher at age 24, but her coach at the time told her she was too old and he wasn’t going to waste his time training her. Initially, she was devastated by his hurtful words, but soon changed her mind. “No one can tell me what I can or cannot do. I am the only one that determines how far I can go,” she explains. At the time she thought, “Maybe I will never be the next big swimmer, but I at least have to try.”

She found a new coach, a man who was around her age and believed, as she did, that she could be a professional swimmer. Her goal was to become a champion someday,
and the two focused intensely on her process. “Within eight months I was a national champion, and then two years after that I was a world champion,” Derbez-Zacher says. As she stood there, holding her medal in Morocco in 1998, she knew that it was just the beginning.
Soon the sponsorships started coming in, and she joined the Mexican national team for a spell. She even qualified for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. But she was going through a rough patch in her life, and decided she needed a fresh start. She walked away from swimming, moved to Mexico City and became a news anchor for a national network.

That’s right, Derbez-Zacher was now on TV, interviewing famous celebrities and reading the day’s events. “It was fun, but I was not happy,” she says. “I like to know that I am making a difference in the world.” Being a talking head on the tube wasn’t cutting it for her, so she had to make a shift. Keep on moving forward.
She moved to America and took a job at the Mexican consulate. But she ended up leaving for political reasons, much to her dismay. “I think that when a door closes, it’s that something better is coming up for you. You’ve just got to be open to receive it — to get it,” she says.
While in the States and going to school, she decided to use her teaching background to volunteer at a local swimming school. There she met Kevin, a swimming instructor, and it wasn’t long before the two were married and had a beautiful daughter together. Things happen for a reason.

Running in Circles

One day Derbez-Zacher received a phone call from a friend. He was training for a marathon and wanted her to come out and practice with him. How long a run? 16 miles. No sweat.
At that point, Derbez-Zacher wasn’t running professionally, and didn’t really think about it much. But 16 miles — no biggie, right? “I say, ‘OK,’ because I think in kilometers. I’m like, ‘Sure, I’ll run with you. Why not?’” she says and laughs. But her competitive spirit kept pushing her forward; she would never show defeat. After a few more runs, her friend tried to prod her into running marathons, but Derbez-Zacher turned him down. Then he asked, “What about a triathlon?” Suddenly, she perked up. Swimming and running together? Perfect. What could go wrong?

“I started training [for the Olympic games], and I didn’t like it,” she says. “I hated swimming, because the swimming was long-distance and I was a sprinter. Biking was OK, but the swimming was open-water. When it came time to run, that was the only part that I really enjoyed.” The plan to do triathlons was scrapped, and Derbez-Zacher decided she was going to just run and train for the Olympics as a marathon runner. Soon she was running all the time, competing in marathons across the country. “The thing with training is that it’s better to undertrain a little than overtrain a little,” she explains. The problem was, in her joy of rediscovering her love of running, Derbez- Zacher was overtraining. And soon that nagging pain in her leg became something she just couldn’t ignore. It was time to get help.
Derbez-Zacher went through several different doctors. Some of them thought she might have a stress fracture in her leg, but nothing they tried could produce results. Ultimately,
she ended up at Arizona Pain in Scottsdale. At first, she was skeptical: Could this pain doctor really help her solve her problem?
After her visit, Derbez-Zacher found out she had a bulging disc, putting her L4 and L5 vertebrae out of alignment. In turn, that was placing pressure on the nerve that ran into her leg. But after a few shots and a visit with the chiropractor, Dr. Moore, she was sorted out and good to go. Three weeks after that initial visit, she was on the road again.

The Finish Line

Today, Derbez-Zacher is training to run in the 2016 Olympic games. She’s already pre- qualified for the Mexican team, but is also training for the U.S. Olympic Trials. She’s working as a teacher again off and on, and having fun with her daughter and husband. She’s also very, very busy.
But every day she wakes up, laces her shoes and goes for a run. She’s not running to forget, or to improve her health, but to meet a personal goal. She wants to become a world champion again — this time in a completely different sport, competing against people close to half her age. It’s an uphill battle, but with every step forward on the pavement, she gets that much closer to her goal. She feels natural. Strong. Good. This is how an athlete lives.