Title: Utilizing pulsed electromagnetic fi eld (pemf) therapy (diapulse) for drug-free pain management to eliminate reliance on opioids for non-malignant chronic pain

Biography:

Dr. Sharon has completed his DNP from Brandman University, Irvine, California in October 2015. He is board certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center in Adult-Gerontological Primary Care. In 2014, while a nurse practitioner student, he was awarded a diabetes research grant by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners for his pioneering work in utilizing pulsed electromagnetic therapy to stimulate angiogenesis in the plantar skin of people with diabetic neuropathy. He has published 3 books and more than 12 journal articles.

Abstract

The Federal and State governments have declared the presence of an opioid addiction pandemic in the United States claiming the lives of more than 55,000 in 2015 (Rudd, R. A., Seth, P., David, F. and Scholl, L. 2016). The pharmaceutical manufacturers of the numerous FDA-approved opioid drugs are raking in more than $5 billion per year with about 2 million chronic pain sufferers addicted. The irony of this narcotic use and abuse conundrum is the existence of evidence-based technology for drug-free pain management which is not covered for reimbursement among public and private third-party payers. Therefore, this paper is presented a review of the recently published evidence that shows the efficacy of resolving the chronic inflammation, edema and ischemia that causes non-malignant chronic pain with PEMF therapy, a non-invasive, non-thermal radio transmission of electrical impulses. Thereby, we may conclude that there is evidentiary basis for providing a viable risk-free alternative to prescribing opioid analgesics in such cases. Additionally, the expected result of treatment is to wean opioid-dependent, chronic non-malignant pain patients off opioids while reducing pain and minimizing withdrawal symptoms.