TREATMENTS
Head, Neck and Spine Treatments
Caudal Epidural Steroid Injection
This outpatient procedure is an injection of a steroid and anesthetic medication combination through an opening in the sacrum. The medication can reduce swelling and inflammation of irritated spinal nerves. The injection takes only a few minutes to complete and it can reduce pain to the lower back and legs. This procedure allows a direct route to the epidural space and in cases of patients with prior spine surgery, it can allow the pain physician to obtain access without encountering scar tissue. This procedure can help the pain of Lumbar Radiculopathy due to lumbar stenosis.
Celiac Plexus Block (Percutaneous Approach)
Discography (Lumbar)
This procedure, also called a “discogram,” helps your doctor find painful spinal discs. It can show the source of pain in your back. It can reveal Discogenic Pain. In many cases, a spine surgeon will order a discogram to help determine what painful discs to address during surgical planning. To see how it works, let’s watch a discography performed in the lumbar spine.
Facet Joint Injections
The facet joints, found on both sides of the back of the spine, can become painfully irritated or inflamed. This is especially common in arthritic conditions of the spine. A facet joint injection may help diagnose the source of a patient’s pain. It can also relieve pain and inflammation. Facet pain can also be relived with facet nerve or medial branch nerve blocks with subsequent radiofrequency ablation.
Lumbar Epidural Steroid Injection
This injection procedure is performed to relieve low back and radiating leg pain (Lumbar Radiculopathy). Steroid medication can reduce the swelling and inflammation caused by spinal conditions and steroids are theorized to help stabilize nerve endings that cause pain.
Lumbar Transforaminal Epidural Steroid Injection
This outpatient procedure is an injection of a steroid and anesthetic medication combination. The medication can reduce swelling and inflammation of irritated spinal nerves from a Herniated disc. This procedure is performed to relieve pain in the lower back and pain that radiates from the back to the legs (Lumbar Radiculopathy). The injection takes only a few minutes to complete and is highly specific at treating the painful levels.
Radiofrequency Neurotomy of the Lumbar Facets
This injection procedure is performed to relieve pain caused by arthritis in the facet joint. This procedure helps to destroy a sensory nerve implicated in transmitting pain signals from the facet joints. Therefore, this procedure can help pain resulting from Facet Joint Syndrome.
Sacroiliac Joint Steroid Injection
Stellate Ganglion Block
A stellate ganglion nerve block is an injection that numbs branches of nerves in your neck. This helps doctors find and treat a number of problems linked to the nerves. This procedure maybe effective for a condition called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. Treatment may require a series of injections in combination with physical therapy exercises.
Thoracic Transforaminal Epidural Steroid Injection
This injection procedure relieves pain in the upper back, ribs, and abdomen caused by a pinched nerve (or nerves) in the thoracic spine. It is a highly targeted procedure to address specific levels of pain generators.
Vertebral Augmentation
This minimally-invasive, outpatient procedure is used to treat a compression fracture of the vertebra, an injury that commonly results from osteoporosis and/or injury. This technique can restore the height of the vertebra and stabilize the fracture, providing rapid pain relief. Furthermore, this procedure helps to reduce the risk of subsequent compression fractures of neighboring vertebral bodies.
Cervical Facet Radiofrequency Neurotomy
Radiofrequency rhizotomy, also known as cervical facet radiofrequency neurotomy, is a procedure that can provide pain relief in the head, neck, arms, and shoulders. By using radio waves to generate heat and target the affected facet or medial branch nerves, the procedure can effectively block the transmission of pain signals to the brain. This approach is often recommended to patients who have been unable to manage their pain through other means, such as medication or physical therapy.
General Body Treatments
Trigger Point Injections
This procedure is designed to reduce or relieve the pain of trigger points. These small, tender “knots” can form in muscles or in the fascia (the soft, stretchy connective tissue that surrounds muscles and organs). The trigger point injection procedure takes only a few minutes to complete and can be done in the office setting without anesthesia. Trigger points are commonly found in many pain conditions including fibromyalgia.
Botox (Migraines, Spasticity, and Torticollis)
Botox, also known as botulinum toxin, is a neurotoxin that has gained popularity as a treatment option for chronic pain. The Botox injection works by blocking the release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which helps to reduce muscle contractions and alleviate pain. This procedure is minimally invasive and has a low risk of side effects, making it an attractive option for patients seeking pain relief without surgery or long-term medication use.
Electrodiagnostic Medicine & Nerve Conduction Study (NCS)
Electrodiagnostic medicine is a specialized field that evaluates nerve and muscle function through electrodiagnostic tests. These tests involve stimulating nerves and muscles with small electrical currents and recording their responses. Commonly used tests include Electromyography (EMG) and Nerve Conduction Studies (NCS), which aid in diagnosing conditions such as peripheral neuropathy, muscle disorders, and carpal tunnel syndrome. By analyzing the results of these tests, healthcare providers can create a personalized treatment plan for the patient.
Regenerative Medicine: Platelet-Rich Plasma
Regenerative medicine aims to replace damaged tissues or organs caused by diseases, trauma, or congenital issues using innovative techniques such as tissue engineering, cellular therapies, and medical devices. It uses the body’s natural regenerative processes to create healthy tissue in place of damaged or diseased tissue. Despite being a recent development, regenerative medicine holds great promise for revolutionizing medical practices and improving patient outcomes.
Joint Injections
Electrodiagnostic medicine is a specialized field that evaluates nerve and muscle function through electrodiagnostic tests. These tests involve stimulating nerves and muscles with small electrical currents and recording their responses. Commonly used tests include Electromyography (EMG) and Nerve Conduction Studies (NCS), which aid in diagnosing conditions such as peripheral neuropathy, muscle disorders, and carpal tunnel syndrome. By analyzing the results of these tests, healthcare providers can create a personalized treatment plan for the patient.
Intracept Procedure
The Intracept procedure, also called radiofrequency ablation of the basivertebral nerve, targets the basivertebral nerve in patients suffering from vertebrogenic pain, a type of chronic low back pain caused by endplate degeneration within the vertebrae. The basivertebral nerve sends pain signals to the spinal cord and brain and intercepting these signals is the objective of the Intracept procedure. This procedure is a viable option for those experiencing chronic low back pain, endplate changes, discogenic pain, modic changes (type I and II), or vertebrogenic pain, as it effectively improves function and alleviates pain with a quick average recovery time.
Hip, Leg, Knee, Arm
and Elbow Treatments
Peripheral Nerve Blocks
Peripheral nerve blocks involve the injection of local anesthetics or a combination of local anesthetics and steroids into specific nerves responsible for transmitting pain signals to the brain. They provide significant relief for chronic pain caused by various conditions by blocking these pain signals.
Epidural Steroid Injection (ESI) in the Cervical Spine
Spinal Cord Stimulation (Medtronic)
Genicular Nerve Blocks and Radiofrequency Ablation
Genicular nerve blocks offer a safe and effective alternative for chronic knee pain that does not respond to other treatments. The minimally invasive outpatient procedure involves injecting an anesthetic and steroid medication into the genicular nerves that supply the knee joint, providing temporary pain relief and reducing inflammation. Successful treatment can improve knee function and mobility, enhancing overall quality of life. Patients who respond well may be eligible for the radiofrequency ablation procedure.
