Photo provided by Basem Hamid
Dr. Basem Hamid is at the forefront of modern pain medicine in America and internationally, where his innovative approaches continue to positively impact his and his peers’ patients. The Syrian-born Damascus University School of Medicine graduate and neurology specialist has won multiple high-profile awards for his work and critical pain management-focused research.
The following is a closer look at just a small handful of Dr. Hamid’s most innovative approaches to chronic pain management. That’s as the esteemed neurologist and Damascus University graduate continues to shape the pain management landscape in the U.S. and overseas.
Innovative Approaches to Chronic Pain
Radiofrequency Neurotomy
Cervical Facet Radiofrequency Neurotomy
According to Dr. Hamid, radiofrequency neurotomy procedures have proved massively successful in addressing and treating various forms of neck and back pain in recent years.
Cervical facet radiofrequency neurotomy is a minimally invasive procedure in which physicians use heat from radio waves to treat painful facet joints in a patient’s neck. The procedure is also known as radiofrequency rhizotomy and may be used to treat pain that hasn’t responded to medications or physical therapy.
Radiofrequency Neurotomy of the Lumbar Facets
Radiofrequency neurotomy of the lumbar facets uses the same technology to address painful facet joints in the lower back. Similarly minimally invasive, the procedure has proved equally effective in addressing chronic pain that has been unresponsive to physical therapy and medication in the past.
Nerve Blocking and Analysis
Medial Branch and Stellate Ganglion Blocks
Pain specialists like Dr. Basem Hamid can use medial branch analysis and blocks to identify and treat painful facet joints. The facet joints are those between the vertebrae in the spine, allowing it to bend, flex, and twist. These facets are a frequent source of chronic pain.
Meanwhile, stellate ganglion blocks allow doctors to analyze and treat the stellate ganglion nerve in a similar fashion. A stellate ganglion nerve block is an injection that numbs branches of nerves in a patient’s neck. Both treatments work by helping doctors locate, correctly identify, and treat numerous problems linked to the joints and nerves in the back and neck.
Impact on Patient Treatment
Dr. Basem Hamid first entered pain medicine in 2002. He has since recalled finding his early foray into the field both challenging and rewarding. This combination of challenges and rewards would ultimately inspire the Syrian-born doctor to forge ahead in a field where he would later become renowned, including in the U.S., his native Syria, and elsewhere worldwide.
In the years since then, he has massively improved the quality of life of countless patients experiencing severe pain during cancer and other treatments. The doctor, researcher, and neurology specialist established his private practice at Innova Pain Center, based in Houston, Texas, in 2008.
The private practice, led by director and founder Dr. Hamid, is now a leader in advanced techniques for managing pain related to cancer, nerve damage, and other medical conditions.