The Center’s Services
After evaluation of the type of pain, the Board certified pain physician will recommend a pain treatment plan.
The Center uses various approaches for the management of pain including Interventional Pain Medicine, this is a group of minimally invasive surgical procedures typically done as an outpatient to alleviate acute, chronic, or cancer-related pain conditions.
For persistent pain, not responsive to other types of therapy, consideration may be given for a spinal cord stimulator or, in select cases; nerves can be destroyed by chemical means, freezing, or by applying a heat lesion.
Effective pain management involves good communication between the doctor, the patient and any family members or care givers who help the patient.
The initial approach is to relieve pain fast with:
- Pain Medications to control pain quickly
- Anesthesiologist Intervention procedures such as nerve blocks or local injections when medications and patches are not enough
- Coping techniques such as relaxation, pacing activities, meditation
What works for one person may not work for another, each patient is very different.
Because chronic pain is so complex, multiple modalities will provide results in the step process to goals such as more comfort, better physical function, helping the family cope, getting back to work.
For these outcomes, the long term pain management the plan may include:
- Specialist interventional procedures
- Psychological therapies - what you know, do and feel can influence our perception of pain
- Complementary modalities such as Chiropractice and acupuncture
- Evaluation by a neurologist
- Feet evaluation by podiatrists
- Improve functional strength with physical therapy
- Rheumatologist evaluation
- Nutrition if weight loss will relieve the level of pain
- Surgical intervention