Pain is a complex problem with physiological and psychological aspects. According to the 2012 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), 11.2 percent of American adults (25.3 million) have experienced some form of pain every day for the past three months, and 17.6 percent of American adults suffer from severe levels of pain.
You may have a complicated pain syndrome that requires a pain management consultation. At Pain and Functional Rehabilitation Experts, our goal is to address your pain and improve your level of function by employing an individualized rehabilitation plan of care. The end result is to help improve your quality of life. Our services provide alternatives to help you avoid narcotic pain medications.
There are several different types of pain injections our experts will consider if you have ongoing pain despite treatment. In addition, regenerative treatments are available. (INSERT REGGENNEX – click on).
Pain injections of local anesthetic (at times with an additional small amount of corticosteroid) can be targeted into an inflamed and painful area such as a trigger point injection into muscle.
A nerve root block is where the medication is injected next to an inflamed nerve and an epidural injection is an injection into the epidural space between the covering of the protective membrane and the bony spinal canal.
Radiofrequency procedure: an electrical treatment to heat or cool a small amount of area of nerve to decrease or eliminate pain signals from that specific nerve area.
Procedures are performed under fluoroscopic (X-ray) guidance or ultrasound. Dr. Fuller has been performing procedures under fluoroscopy since he introduced and instituted the technique at the Cedars Sinai Medical Center Pain Center in the 1990’s.
You may gain prolonged relief, relief for a few hours or days, or no relief. If the pain is only partially or completely relieved, the treatment has diagnostic value in that it has identified the predominant pain generator. This is helpful information if the pain returns at a later time. When pain control is achieved with injections, you may more fully participate in physical therapy, which is critical to gaining strength in surrounding areas to prevent return of pain. Range of motion techniques by physical therapy or chiropractors are more effective when the arc of motion is pain free. If further injections are required, your team will make certain they are part of your formal treatment plan.
Patients with pain problems, even in the acute stage, may notice anxiety, concern, sadness or other symptoms because of the pain itself or because of change in their function. This occurs in many of our patients, particularly athletes. Dr. Apostle has worked as a psychiatrist treating professional athletes to patients with spinal cord injuries. He provides a thorough evaluation, relaxation techniques, therapy, and medication management where needed. Because he is also a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation specialist, he has a clear understanding of the underlying physical components to each patient’s pain and that is helpful in treatment planning. He has seen numerous treatment successes working with patients at the Cedars Sinai Medical Center Spine Center and Pain Center the past 20 years, and he finds this to be a tremendously satisfying part of his career.
