The Pain Care Center
at University Parkway
When should you see a Pain Medicine Specialist?
One way to define chronic pain may be pain that persists for greater than three months and may affect an individual's ability to perform the activities of daily life. While your family practitioner can deal effectively with acute pain, a pain medicine specialist has the advanced skills and knowledge to effectively treat ongoing, persistent pain and may select a variety of treatment strategies.
Examples of Conditions Treated:
- Back Pain
- Neck Pain
- Cancer Pain
- Headaches
- Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Arthritis
- Neuropathy (Herpetic, Diabetic, etc.)
- Work Related Injuries
- Motor Vehicle Related Injuries
Therapies utilized at the Pain Program:
- Epidural Steroid Injections are used in the management of nerve root irritation caused by disorders of the spine. Common conditions treated are: herniated or bulging discs, spinal stenosis, arthritis, trauma, post herpetic neuralgia, & diabetic neuropathy.
- Facet Injections & Medial Branch Blocks are used in the management of inflamed facet joints due to trauma or arthritis. These injections can reduce pain and be used by the physician as a diagnostic tool.
- Radiofrequency Ablation is indicated for patients who have experienced short term relief following facet injections and medial branch blocks. This procedure uses small electrodes with heat to destroy pain pathways and can provide longer pain relief.
- Trigger Point Injections are used to treat painful soft tissue (muscle) points by injecting small amounts of local anesthetic and/or anti-inflammatory medications into specific muscle/muscle groups.
- Spinal Cord Stimulation is used to interrupt pain signals to the brain by delivering small, electrical impulses to nerve fibers in the spinal cord. Conditions treated with this are complex regional pain syndrome, peripheral & diabetic neuropathy, multiple sclerosis, back pain, post-amputation pain, & post-herpetic neuralgia.
- Joint Injections are done to treat inflammatory joint conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, gout, tendonitis, bursitis, and occasionally osteoarthritis. Medications injected can include corticosteroids to decrease inflammation and hyaluronic acid (Hyalgan ®, Synvisc ®), a viscous lubricating substance that may relieve the symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee.
Insurances Accepted:
The Pain Care Center accepts most insurance plans, such as Medicare, Worker's Compensation, Commercial Carriers, etc. Please check with your insurance provider to ensure services will be covered.
