Therapies for Treating Chronic
Pain
Need to summarize
& edit.
Chronic back or neck pain, on the other
hand, often has to be managed. This is because what can cause chronic pain may
be difficult to determine. The treatment plan may require multiple and/or
combined therapies. The complexity of chronic pain may mean it takes a patient
longer to find relief from their symptoms.
Pain management
specialists have many different therapies from which to create a chronic pain
treatment plan. Such as:
Injection Therapies
There are many types of
spinal injections available to diagnose and treat different disorders. A
sampling includes:
Epidural Injections and Nerve Root
Blocks consist of anesthetic and steroid medications that are
injected into the epidural space of the spine. Such injections are used to
help diagnose a condition and/or relieve pain. An epidural
injection is often performed to ease pain that radiates into the arms or
legs.
 Facet Joint Injections
and Medial Branch Blocks help to determine if
the facet joints are the source of pain. Besides their value diagnostically,
such injections may help reduce cervical (neck), thoracic (chest area), and
lumbar (back) pain.
Sacroiliac Joint
Injections target relief at the joints in the lower back where the
pelvis and spine join. The injection offers a two-fold purpose. First, the
medication (anesthetic and steroid) helps to reduce joint inflammation and
pain. Second, it can help determine if the sacroiliac joint(s) are the pain
source.
Other Invasive
Options
Pulsed Radiofrequency
Neurotomy (PRFN) is a minimally invasive procedure that disables
spinal nerves and prevents them from sending pain signals to the brain.
Rhizotomy is a procedure
that 'turns off' pain signals by using heated electrodes applied to specific
nerves that carry pain signals to the brain.
Spinal Cord Stimulation
(SCS) and Intrathecal Pumps are advanced invasive pain
management options. These are usually performed on a trial basis first to
determine if the patient will benefit from treatment.
Spinal Cord Stimulation
(SCS) produces electrical impulses to block pain from being
perceived in the brain.
An Intrathecal Pump is a
surgically implanted device that delivers a measured amount of pain
medication within the spinal canal.
Surgical
Interventions
Surgery is always the last resort, unless the
patient's condition warrants immediate surgical intervention (e.g. bowel,
bladder or profound neurologic dysfunction). When non-surgical treatments are
not effective, spine surgery may be considered. Percutaneous Discectomy/Nucleoplasty
is a minimally invasive surgical procedure that removes disc tissue and relieves
pressure from spinal nerves. There are other types of spine surgery; some are
complicated and may require spinal instrumentation and fusion procedures.
Pain
Control Improves Lives
Unfortunately, many people feel pain is
something they have to live with, to "grin and bear it", or is an unavoidable
part of growing older. Today, advances in pain management offer patients and
physicians choices to help control pain. Many cases of acute and chronic pain
can successfully be treated. Do you suffer pain? If so, please see your
physician or pain management specialist to discuss possible solutions for your
condition.
Santhosh A. Thomas, D.O.
Medical Director, Westlake Spine
Center
Cleveland Clinic
Westlake, OH
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