The growing problem of chronic pain impacts a significant portion of the American population. According to the CDC, 11% to 40% of Americans experience chronic pain annually.
This is where the work of an interventional pain management physician comes into play: this is a type of doctor that specializes in pain management using minimally invasive techniques to treat pain to improve a patient’s quality of life.
Dr. Javier Placer is a skilled interventional pain management specialist with additional expertise in managing spinal cord injuries. He has earned the trust of thousands of patients who rely on him and his professional staff for precise diagnosis and treatment of their pain conditions. If you’re experiencing pain and want to enhance your quality of life, consider consulting with Dr. Placer.
What is “Interventional Pain Management”?
Interventional pain management proves beneficial for chronic pain sufferers who have not found relief through other pain management avenues. The roots of interventional pain management date back to 1899 and are marked by the inception of regional analgesia and nerve blocks. These procedures aim to interrupt nerve signals to the brain, preventing the transmission of pain sensations for an extended period.
Common interventional procedures include:
- Radiofrequency Nerve Denervation: Using radio waves to heat and destroy nerve tissue, reducing pain signals.
- Joint Injections: The types of joint injections available can vary based on the joint affected, any underlying conditions and your pain level. There are 6 primary types of joint injections commonly given as pain management:
- Epidural Injections
- Medial Branch Block Joint
- Joint Injections
- Hyaluronic Acid Joint Injections
- Corticosteroid Joint Injections
- Spinal Cord Stimulation: This treatment delivers an electrical current to the pain source through a tiny implanted device.
- Lumbar Decompression: Using a procedure such as mild® lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) can be treated by restoring the space in the spinal canal to help improve back and leg pain.
- SI Joint Stabilization Inflammation or irritation of the SI joints may cause pain in the lower back, abdomen, groin, buttocks, or legs. Minimally invasive SI joint fusion is a procedure designed to stabilize the SI joints by grafting the sacrum to the ilium using instrumentation, bone graft, or both in order to fuse the bone, limiting movement.
SI Joint implants are intended to stabilize your sacroiliac joint and provide an environment for fusion (joining bones into one solid structure).
- Facet Joint Injections Facet joints act as connectors between the bones in your spine. Those in the cervical spine allow your neck to bend and twist but help keep it from moving too far in any direction. Nerve roots pass through the facet joints as they travel from the spinal cord to your head, arms, and other areas.
- Epidural Injections An Epidural Injection is used to relieve pain in the neck, shoulders, and arms caused by compressed nerve(s) in the cervical spine, epidural steroid injections are delivered to the epidural space surrounding your spinal cord in the area of the inflamed and irritated nerve(s). These injections contain a steroid to reduce inflammation and an anesthetic that temporarily blocks the nerve signals transmitting the pain message to your brain.
- PRP Injections Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has the potential to regenerate tissues and decrease pain. Injecting platelet-rich plasma into damaged tissue is an effective yet minimally invasive treatment option used to relieve pain and other symptoms caused by the damage. When the therapy enhances the body’s natural healing abilities, patients are able to enjoy a faster and more thorough healing process that relieves symptoms and allows them to return to their regular activities sooner.
- Nerve Blocks & SCS Nerve blocks can be used to manage chronic, or long-term, pain, pain after surgery, severe acute, or short-term, pain. Nerve blocks ease pain by offering immediate relief. They can also offer longer-term relief, because some injections reduce irritation to the nerves and let them heal.
Conditions Treated with Interventional Pain Management
Interventional pain management addresses various pain conditions and disorders, including:
- Arthritis
- Central pain syndromes
- Cervical and lumbar strain
- Chest wall pain
- Chronic low back and neck pain
- Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
- Degenerative disc disease
- Facet disease
- Facial pain
- Headaches
- Herniated disc
- Musculoskeletal pain
- Myofascial pain syndrome
- Peripheral or diabetic neuropathy
- Phantom limb pain/post-amputation pain
- Post-herpetic neuralgia and herpes zoster
- Post-surgical pain
- Post-traumatic pain syndrome
- Radiculopathy
- Sacroiliac joint pain
Benefits of Interventional Pain Management
Interventional pain management procedures are minimally invasive, causing less discomfort and requiring shorter recovery times compared to more invasive alternatives. These procedures offer fast and effective relief from chronic pain. They are often conducted on an outpatient basis, allowing patients to return home the same day.
Interventional pain management procedures are typically more cost-effective than invasive surgical options.
Interventional Pain Management Specialist Services Available in Davenport, Clermont, & Orlando, Florida
If you have additional questions about how an interventional pain management specialist can help you, reach out to us at the Florida Spine & Pain Institute.
Your pain relief journey starts as soon as you schedule your first consultation. Make a better quality of life your priority.
Call our office to schedule an appointment online today! (CLICK TO CALL 407 499 0755)
