Interventional pain procedures help relieve chronic pain by intervening and disrupting pain signals to the brain. Unlike traditional pain management that focuses on masking pain, interventional pain therapies in Corinth use minimally invasive treatments to stop, instead of hiding, chronic pain. Learn more about interventional pain therapies in Corinth at Midsouth Spine & Pain Associates (MSSP).
Chronic pain is a problem affecting as many as 40% of people in the United States, according to the CDC. And often, ongoing pain is linked to anxiety, mood disorders, and depression. But living with the pain and its consequences doesn’t have to be the choice you make. On your search for relief, you may come across the terms pain management or interventional pain management. While both provide pain relief, they use different techniques and approaches. Find out how Midsouth Spine & Pain Associates uses minimally invasive interventional pain procedures and what this could mean for you.
What is pain management?
Traditional pain management approaches have been used by physicians for many years. In the medical realm, managing pain primarily focuses on taking medication such as over the counter or prescription pain relievers like opioids. While pain medication can cover up the pain, it does not address the root cause of the problem. Instead, traditional pain management is more like a temporary solution and comes with risks and side effects that could be long lasting or harmful to the individual, like addiction.
What is interventional pain management?
Instead of relying solely on medication to help reduce pain, interventional pain management offers minimally invasive procedures that intervene and disrupt pain signals to the brain. These interventions may include injection therapy or other therapeutic modalities that disrupt pain with minimal to little side effects and risks.
Injection therapy for chronic pain is performed by a qualified pain management doctor near you by using fluoroscopic or ultrasound imaging as guidance to ensure precise placement of the injection. Fluoroscopic guidance is similar to an x-ray but emits lower doses of radiation than a traditional x-ray machine. Additionally, interventional therapies are often performed as outpatient procedures and without the need for general anesthesia. Interventional pain management should be performed by a pain specialist in Corinth who is experienced and qualified to treat your type of pain.
Interventional Pain Management in Southwest Tennessee and North Mississippi
Epidural steroid injections are offered to patients experiencing chronic pain in the neck, shoulders, arms, back (upper and lower), buttocks, or legs that may be caused by disc damage, spinal degeneration, and arthritis. Using fluoroscopic guidance, the pain doctor in Corinth at MSSP injects a low-dose corticosteroid, which is an anti-inflammatory pain medication, directly into the targeted area to minimize pain. It takes approximately five minutes to receive an epidural steroid injection and is done using local anesthesia or mild sedation to ensure your comfort throughout your procedure.
Trigger point injections are injections that deliver anesthetic, and sometimes a corticosteroid, directly into knotted muscle tissue referred to as trigger points. Trigger points can be a significant source of pain that is often chronic in nature and that does not respond well to traditional modalities of treatment like physical therapy or massage therapy. Trigger point injections take a few minutes to administer, and the relief may last from a month or longer, depending on your case. The concept behind trigger point injection therapy is that the medication and the needle used to deliver the medication help relax the muscle and stimulate the body’s natural healing mechanisms.
Major joint injections, also known as peripheral joint injections, are primarily used to treat chronic pain associated with osteoarthritis, bursitis, or tendonitis. The medication is injected directly into a joint like the hip, shoulders, or knees, and includes an anesthetic and corticosteroid and sometimes a hyaluronan, which is hyaluronic acid. The body naturally produces hyaluronan, although production significantly slows as you age. But it is an essential component of soft tissue such as synovial fluid and articular cartilage found in joints. Receiving a joint injection takes a couple of minutes and can provide lasting relief. The pain specialist may administer the injection using fluoroscopic or ultrasound guidance.
Medial branch blocks or facet joint injections are administered using fluoroscopic guidance to treat pain stemming from the facet or smaller joints of the spine. Degenerative diseases like arthritis can cause pain in the head, neck, back, and buttocks in which facet joint injections can remedy. Facet joint injections are administered using local anesthesia or mild sedation and take only minutes. Therefore, this is an outpatient treatment.
Occipital nerve blocks help treat chronic head pain associated with headaches and migraines. These injections include a low-dose corticosteroid and a local anesthetic that is injected into the back of your head to target the greater and lesser occipital nerves. It takes less than a minute to administer an occipital nerve block, and you will be released to go home the same day as your treatment.
Radiofrequency nerve ablation is a minimally invasive procedure offered to patients suffering from chronic low-back pain. Administered using either fluoroscopic or ultrasound guidance, a thin needle-like device called a cannula is inserted into the targeted area of the spine and uses heat to temporarily disable nerve responses. Performed as an outpatient procedure, it takes about 20 minutes and you’re sent home to rest for the remainder of the day.
Kyphoplasty or balloon kyphoplasty is helpful in managing pain associated with a spinal fracture or vertebral compression fracture. The procedure involves inserting a small, deflated balloon-like device into the targeted area. The pain doctor then inflates the balloon to gently push the fractured bone into proper placement. A special bonding agent is used to hold the balloon in place. This procedure can be done using local anesthesia and sedation.
Spinal stimulation is also referred to as spinal cord stimulation is a minimally invasive procedure in which a small device is implanted under the skin near the spine. The device emits electrical currents to block pain signals to the brain. The electrical sensations are similar to a TENS unit. There are several types of spinal stimulation devices, and your pain doctor will help you decide which one is best for you.
Interventional Pain Specialists Serving Southwest Tennessee and North Mississippi, including Tupelo, MS and Jackson, TN
Pain is inevitable for most adults, but living with chronic pain is optional. At Midsouth Spine & Pain Associates, we offer interventional pain therapies to help you regain function so that you can get on with your life without pain. To learn more about our pain relief modalities or to schedule a consultation, please contact Midsouth Spine & Pain Associations by calling (662) 284-8565.