Other Procedures Offered

Interventional Pain Associates offers the following procedures.

Epidural Steroid Injection

A common treatment for sciatica and low back pain, this procedure is a fairly simple one. The injection itself can provide relief for up to a year, and it is almost essential during any acute episode. What’s more, though, is that this procedure can typically provide enough pain relief for individuals to begin rehabilitative stretching therapies that could lead to long-term success.

Facet Joint Medial branch Blocks and Neurolysis

The facet joints are prone to injury and inflammation, and a block can help to numb the joint, allowing you to move forward with your life. Because the block does not last, though, you may need to move forward with neurolysis. During that procedure, high frequency energy is applied to the tissue surrounding a nerve. If enough energy is applied, the nerve can be destroyed, ensuring pain signals never reach the area for up to eighteen months.

Racz procedure

During this procedure, a wire catheter is fed into the lumbar epidural space. The goal here is to reach the scar tissue causing the serious pain. The tip of the wire helps to cut pathways through that scar tissue while injecting enzymes, pain medication, and steroids into the area. The overall goal is to eliminate as much of the scar tissue as possible. The relief can often last for months.

Piriformis Injections

Celiac Plexus Blocks

Often used to deal with the pain caused by some cancers, this type of block relies on a guided injection into the main nerves that surround the celiac plexus. The process takes up to thirty minutes, but the effects last for up to a month.

Discography

This procedure is typically one of the best ways for us to tell if the pain you’re feeling is related to a problem disk. A contrast medium will be injected into the painful area, and we’ll be watching your reaction to that injection. If it feels much like the pain you feel on a daily basis, it will help us understand that we’ve found the source of your pain. Then we’ll use a CT scan to confirm our findings.

Ganglion Impar Blocks

Chronic pelvic pain may require this type of block. It usually takes ten to fifteen minutes, and during that time, the doctor will inject a steroid and an anesthetic into the correct area. The relief often lasts several weeks.

Lumbar and Thoracic Sympathetic Blocks

For back and leg pain, serious relief is needed immediately, and as with many block procedures, an injection that combines a steroid and a pain reliever will be given in the area that seems to cause the most pain. The effects can be felt for weeks, and the procedure takes just a few moments.

Neurolysis

When pain becomes quite aggressive, killing the nerve sending the pain signals is typically the only option, and it is usually accomplished through neurolysis. A chemical will be injected into the nerve causing the pain, and after the procedure is complete, you will no longer experience the pain affecting your life.

Peripheral Nerve Blocks

Damaged nerves are the source of ongoing pain for many, and this type of block can provide relief to a number of areas. Using fluoroscopic guidance, the doctor will inject the right combination of medications to help alleviate your pain for several weeks.

Radiofrequency Thermocoagulation (RFTC)

During this procedure, radiofrequency waves are transmitted to the affected area through a needle. That generates heat and helps to render the nerves non-effective, thus eliminating your pain.

Sacroiliac Joint Blocks

By injecting a numbing medication into your sacroiliac joint, the inflammation that is causing you pain can be decreased substantially, helping you find relief for months on end.

Scar Infiltration

During almost any surgery, nerves are temporarily cut, and that can cause real problems as scar tissue grows around the incision site. By injecting steroids and pain medication into the painful area, though, the painful nerves calm instantly. The effects of this procedure can be permanent.

Sphenopalatine Ganglion Block

Chronic headaches and facial pain can be tough to treat, but this type of block breaks the pain cycle. The doctor will insert swabs soaked with medication into your nostrils. You’ll be asked to remain still for about sixty minutes while the medication has time to reach the problem area. New swabs may be inserted every fifteen minutes. Once the procedure is complete, you should notice far less pain than is typical for you.

Stellate Ganglion Block

By injecting a local anesthetic into the sympathetic nerve tissue, we can reduce pain and swelling and improve your mobility. The pain will be less on a day to day basis, and the effects of the block can be felt for weeks.

Transforaminal Blocks

While these are typically a diagnostic tool, they do provide a measure of pain relief as well. The doctor will inject the nerve root area with steroids and pain medication. If the pain is alleviated and remains gone for several days, it will help the doctor understand the best course of treatment in the future.

Trigger Point Injections

When muscles are unable to fully relax, trigger point injections are typically used to help ease the pain. A needle containing both a steroid and pain medication is inserted into the trigger point that seems to be the root of your pain, thus inactivating the area. The relief can last for several weeks.