Investigation and treatment of diseases of the brain, spinal cord and spine.
Chronic Pain
Chronic Pain is a debilitating condition that can lead to major, or even catastrophic, changes in a person's life.
The problem often originates from an initial event such as trauma, spasm, surgery, infection, tumor, or degeneration. Even after this event has seemingly resolved or healed, it can continue to cause chronic and persistent pain, profoundly impacting the individual's Quality of Life. When pain persists for an extended period, it can unfavorably develop into a chronic condition, becoming a serious health issue on its own. Over time, the nature of the pain transforms, often becoming a persistent sensation of burning, tightening, or stabbing. While it may initially be confined to a specific area, it can, during paroxysms, extend much further.
Pain serves a vital role in the body as it signals underlying damage, facilitating localization. It can manifest as acute or chronic, always tethered to the initial condition. When its nature and characteristics evolve, pain ceases to solely serve as a warning and detector, taking on additional roles and behaviors. At that point, it's termed neuropathic pain, although colloquially, people often refer to it as chronic pain. However, it's essential to note that, in Medical Terminology, these two terms don't precisely align in meaning.
Irrespective of its initial trigger, neuropathic pain manifests as a distinct ailment, governed by its unique set of rules. Even with definitive treatment targeting the primary cause, it persists as an independent condition, defying complete cure. The three main pillars of treatment are pharmacotherapy, the combination of physiotherapy with other specialized approaches (e.g. occupational therapy, psychological support), and interventional approaches, surgical or non-surgical. Neuropathic pain arises from hyperexcitability within spinal cord circuits, leading to abnormal and diffuse activation of sensory neurons, disproportionate to the anticipated response to a given stimulus.
Mr. Bourlogiannis specializes in addressing neuropathic pain associated with spinal conditions. Drawing on his dual expertise in spine surgery and pain management, Mr. Bourlogiannis offers an objective assessment to determine whether a patient's symptoms warrant structural intervention or fall within the domain of functional disorders, where pain interventions serve as symptomatic treatment.