Interventional Pain Management

We treat neck and back pain by injecting a steroid into the epidural space, the area outside the spinal cord’s protective lining. You may benefit from an epidural steroid injection if you have neck, arm, back or leg pain due to nerve or spine issues.

Facet joints connect the spine’s bones, making it possible to bend forward and twist from side to side. Sacroiliac joints connect the lower spine and pelvis. 

We treat pain in these areas by injecting steroids and medication:

• Directly into the joint
• Into nearby ligaments or nerves that supply sensation to the area

During a surgical procedure, we implant a small pump under the skin. It may contain baclofen (a muscle relaxant) or other specialized pain medications. The pump has a thin tube (catheter) attached to it, which extends into the area around your spinal cord (intrathecal space). Specialists program the pain pump to continuously dispense a specific dose of medicine. 

This option is appropriate only for a small number of patients. Our team can evaluate you to decide if a pain pump would be a good treatment option.

We inject medication near a nerve or group of nerves to reduce inflammation. Some people may need only one nerve block. Others may need multiple nerve blocks and other therapies to achieve treatment goals. 

Sometimes, we perform a nerve block to locate the source of your pain. If symptoms improve, it’s an indication we have identified the nerves causing your pain. This information helps us plan other treatments.

The celiac plexus is a bundle of nerves in the upper abdomen near the pancreas. A celiac plexus block is similar to a nerve block. The injection goes in or near the celiac plexus to relieve pain (typically due to cancer) in the pancreas, stomach, liver and parts of the bowels.

A spinal cord stimulator relieves pain from peripheral neuropathy, back pain and certain headache syndromes. The implantable device includes a pulse generator and electrodes. When symptoms occur, you use a remote control to activate the stimulator, which delivers gentle electrical currents that disrupt pain signals.

Peripheral nerve stimulators work similarly. However, electrodes go at the tip (opposite the root) of the nerves. You may benefit from this option if you are not eligible for a spinal cord stimulator.

Trigger points are areas of tight connective tissue near your muscles that are sensitive to pressure and can cause painful spasms. Injecting medications relaxes trigger points, allowing them to heal. It also loosens stiff tissue, making it easier to take part in physical therapy.