When you are in pain, getting relief is at the top of your mind. Many people suffer from chronic pain. It is estimated that over 50 million people suffer from chronic pain in the United States. People who suffer from chronic pain find it difficult to do many basic things, such as walking around the neighborhood, cooking or even gardening.
At Ventura Orthopedics, our interventional pain management team can help you get relief from your pain with a variety of innovative treatment options. No matter what is causing your pain, we can help you feel better so you can get back to focusing on what matters – living your life.
While there is no universal cure for chronic pain, there are different methods to manage it. One of these methods is Interventional Pain Management.
Understanding Pain
Pain is an unpleasant sensory and/or emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage or described in term of such damage. The sensation of pain is generated by nerves that send signals to the brain letting it know organs or tissues are damaged or irritated. The brain then sends signals to these organs or muscles to take appropriate action.
In medical terms, pain is divided into two categories:
- Acute Pain
This type of pain is temporary, and goes away quickly. It is very useful because it lets your body know that something is damaged and to protect it so that you can heal. It is similar to having a cut and avoiding touch in order to let it heal.
- Chronic Pain
This is pain that is unpleasant and lasts for prolonged periods of time. It may occur after having acute pain onset. It is usually described as chronic if you have had pain in the same location for greater than three to six months. This type of pain is not useful because it may persist for long periods of time without evidence of further injury. It does not act as a warning system but may lead to depression, despair, helplessness and loss of function.
What is Interventional Pain Management?
Interventional Pain Management (IPM) is a discipline of medicine devoted to diagnosing and treating pain-related disorders mainly with the application of interventional techniques in managing chronic, persistent pain, independently or in conjunction with other forms of treatment. IPM is used when there is severe pain and can involve medical procedures, medications, physiotherapy, exercise and other non-drug therapies such as relaxation techniques and cognitive behavioral therapy which are effective for pain relief.
Interventional Pain Management has long been used as part of complementary therapies to treat chronic pain conditions such as cancer-related symptoms, backache and osteoarthritis. Interventional pain management helps reduce and manage pain while also improving a patient’s overall quality of life using minimally invasive techniques designed to diagnose and treat chronic conditions. It also strives to help patients return to their daily lives with little to no reliance on medications.
What Are the Most Common Causes of Chronic Pain?
Back and/or neck pain are the most common reasons for seeking a physician’s care. Back pain is so common that most Americans can expect to experience at least one episode during their life.
For many people, back and neck pain can become a chronic issue that eventually affects the ability to exercise, work, or rest.
Common causes of back and neck pain include:
- Muscular strain
- Osteoarthritis
- Nerve irritation and inflammation caused by herniated discs, spinal stenosis, etc.
- Compressor fracture of a vertebrae
- Failed back surgery
- Sports injury, auto accident, or other spinal trauma
Effective treatment for back and neck pain begins with an accurate diagnosis of the underlying cause of your symptoms.
What Can Interventional Pain Management Doctors Do?
Interventional pain management doctors are trained to figure out the cause of your pain. They refer you for the best treatment options after determining the likely pain generators. There is a misconception that pain management is focused on pills and medication. While that may be true at some clinics, pain management specialists with an interventional approach are doctors with special training in the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of chronic, acute, and sub-acute pain including:
- In-depth knowledge of the physiology of pain
- Expertise to evaluate patients with complicated pain problems
- Unique understanding of specialized tests for diagnosing pain conditions
- Advanced training to perform medical procedures when options like physical therapy and medication will not produce the desired outcome
Understanding Your Options
Our team works with you and your primary care provider to create an individualized treatment plan that may include injections, medications, physical therapy (land-based and/or aquatic), massage therapy, chiropractic therapy or cognitive-behavioral therapy.
If you are in pain, we understand that the first thing on your mind is getting relief. At the same time, you are likely concerned about long-term dependence on pain medication. We focus on getting our patients away from dependence on long-term pain medications through the use of complementary treatments, such as massage, nutrition, acupuncture and yoga.
- Epidural Steroid Injections
This minimally invasive procedure can help relieve neck, arm, back and leg pain caused by inflamed spinal nerves, with relief lasting several days up to several years. Steroid injections actually help in the treatment of irritated spinal nerve roots that cause pain in your neck, shoulders, arms, upper and lower back, buttocks, or legs. Many conditions can cause this type of pain, such as herniated disc, degenerative disc disease, and arthritis. X-ray guidance helps us inject low doses of long-lasting corticosteroids (potent anti-inflammatory pain medications) directly into the source of the pain. This approach decreases inflammation and helps you feel better. We perform these procedures in about five minutes. We can use either local anesthesia or comfortable sedation.
- Major Joint Injections help relieve pain from many causes, including osteoarthritis. We inject medications such as corticosteroids, local anesthetics, or hyaluronan (i.e., Synvisc, Hyalgan, orthovisc) directly into the source of the pain. To find the precise right location, we use either X-rays or ultrasounds. This procedure takes two minutes.
- Spinal Cord Stimulation
This treatment option typically works well for patients with chronic back, leg or arm pain. A device surgically placed under the skin sends a mild electric current to the spinal cord which modifies and masks pain signals, offering relief without the need for medication.
- Radiofrequency Nerve Ablations
Also called rhizotomy, this technique uses heat to destroy nerve fibers carrying pain signals to the brain and provides lasting relief for people with arthritis or other forms of chronic pain. We offer this therapy for individuals with arthritic pain in the spine. If your arthritis is advanced and steroid medication is no longer providing relief, radiofrequency ablation may be an option to help control your pain. This therapy uses needles and X-ray guidance to cauterize (burn) the nerves that send pain signals to the brain, and can provide up to two years of pain relief. The treatment can be repeated, as needed.
- Occipital Nerve Blocks
Nerve blocks help in the treatment of headaches, including migraines. We inject a local anesthetic with or without a small dose of corticosteroid into the back of your head, near the greater and lesser occipital nerves. This procedure takes about 30 seconds.
- Muscle and Joint Injections
Under ultrasound guidance, this technique helps relieve pain from conditions such as neck pain and tennis elbow. Using ultrasound imaging to guide us, we inject the needle under the skin directly into the source of your pain. This injection contains a local anesthetic and a low dose of steroid. The procedure takes about 15 minutes.
- Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy
PRP allows us to use your own blood to reduce your pain and help you heal from soft tissue injuries, such as ligament and tendon injuries. Plasma is the part of your blood that carries red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. In this procedure, we take a little of your blood and separate out the platelets using a centrifuge. Then we inject this material into your injured tendon or cartilage, guided by ultrasound images. Within about six weeks, you should notice improved function and less pain.
How Can I Get Started?
The experienced and dedicated orthopedic surgeons at Ventura Orthopedics are here for you. If you need spinal or back surgery, it may be time to consult a medical professional. The experienced and dedicated orthopedic surgeons at Ventura Orthopedics are here for you. We are committed to helping you through any procedure until optimum health, strength and mobility are restored.
Call us today at 800-698-1280 to schedule an appointment.
