The Multidisciplinary Approach

Pain is more than simply biology or anatomy. It affects the entire individual, their family, friends, and ability to work. Our pain psychologist will help in the evaluation and treatment of these complicated results of chronic pain. He will assist us in the appropriate use of other therapies, selection and use of medications, pain coping strategies, and work related issues. When indicated our physical therapists will work to restrengthen and mobilize muscles weakened by disuse from chronic pain. The use of spinal bracing, deep muscle stimulation, and tens unit therapies will also be evaluated.

Treatments

We understand the complexity of human anatomy, physiology, and psychology enough to know that no two individuals with the same pain sources will respond to treatment the same way. We understand that despite all the treatment options available, some patients will not respond favorably to our therapies. In those situations appropriate medication use may be necessary. In these cases, we will maximize the use of different medication pharmacologies to improve your condition. When your medication dosing is stable, your care will be returned to your primary or managing physician. This will require that they assume the responsibility of managing your medications. This can be a difficult step for many family physicians, but will be necessary if you are to stay on your medications. We will provide all necessary information and documentation on these medications, but the final decision will be theirs. If they decline on this medication management, then your medications will be titrated down to an acceptable dose, type, or number to meet their comfort level. This clinic has not been setup to provide only long term medication management; this will become the responsibility of your primary doctor.

Technology and advancements in pain therapies play a central role in this program. We evaluate all the new therapies in the treatment of pain, so that we can offer you the best options available. Spinal cord stimulation, peripheral nerve stimulation, and spinal infusion systems have statistics which support pain control for a lifetime. These options can be used for most any pain type and location, from localized to total body pain.

Injections such as nerve blocks, epidurals, facet blocks, and rhizotomies can be of value in decreasing the intensity of your pain. They may not eliminate the pain, but can reduce and break the cycle of your pain. Along with this, many of these techniques are diagnostically valuable in identifying the source of pain, and can help in identifying other possible options.

Physical therapy and musculoskeletal options in conjunction with other treatments can improve your functionality, and activity levels for work or daily living. Chronic pain limits activity, which compromises muscle and other soft tissues. This leads to reduced flexibility and mobility, which complicates and worsens pain. Pain which may have been localized becomes generalized total body pain. Once this cycle starts it can be difficult to control and will compromise not only body functions, but can also lead to emotional, psychological, social, and family issues. Depression, sleep disturbance, and isolation from family and friends quickly develop. The cycle worsens, and becomes more complicated diagnostically and therapeutically. Identifying the source of the original pain becomes more difficult, so the more conservative treatment options become less effective. 

We will do our best to understand your individual needs and pain. Our objective is to identify a treatment program that will help you control your pain, minimize your medication dependency, and improve your quality of life through our multidisciplinary team approach.

Interventional Treatments

All techniques and procedures are performed under x-ray guidance for safety and accuracy. All are performed under intravenous sedation for comfort, while utilizing vital sign monitoring.

•    Cervical, thoracic, and lumbar facet injections, related radio frequency rhizotomy for neck and back pain

•    Cervical, thoracic, and lumbar epidural, and transforaminal injections for pain that radiates into the extremities

•    Percutaneous vertebropasty, and kyphoplasty for compression compression fractures

•    Spinal cord stimulation, peripheral nerve stimulation, and spinal infusion pumps for pain that has failed all other options

•    Baclofen infusion pumps for management of spasticity and related symptoms of multiple sclerosis, nervous system disease, brain and spinal cord injuries.

•    Pain psychologist, behavioral / cognitive services, pain coping strategies, disability determination, work restrictions, medication review / management

•    Physical therapy, muscle stimulation, tens units, musculoskeletal bracing