Pain medication is only one aspect of an effective pain management plan. There are many other avenues for treating pain including minimally invasive procedures, injection therapy and advanced treatment options. Our doctors may recommend one or a combination of these approaches to help mitigate your pain.

Short-lived pain is called acute pain. This type of pain usually occurs following surgery or an injury, or during and after certain illnesses. Acute pain typically goes away after healing is complete. However, if your pain continues for a month or more following the recovery period, you might have chronic pain. Chronic pain may also last for months or years due to a chronic condition. While the pain may not be constant, it can interfere with all aspects of daily life.

Our doctors may suggest various pain medications based on your diagnosis as part of your treatment plan. These may include oral medications (over-the-counter or prescription) and intravenous (IV) pain medications. Oral options can range from OTC or prescription-strength acetaminophen (e.g., Tylenol®) to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen or naproxen (e.g., Motrin® or Aleve®), corticosteroids, narcotics (opioids), anticonvulsants (e.g., gabapentin, pregabalin, or Topamax) for neuropathic conditions, and antidepressants.

Pain medicine specialists excel in diagnosing and managing pain. Consider consulting an Interventional Pain Physician if you:
– Encounter persistent pain due to an injury, illness, or condition
– Experience pain linked to cancer
– Find your current pain management ineffective
– Notice a deterioration in your pain symptoms
– Deal with intense acute pain post-surgery, from a disabling illness, or due to a severe accident.

Upon obtaining a college degree, pain management specialists undergo four years of medical school, succeeded by a four-year residency in one of four fields: anesthesiology, neurology, psychiatry, or physical medicine and rehabilitation. Following residency, a year-long fellowship is pursued for sub-specialization in pain medicine. Anesthesiologists can attain pain medicine certification via the American Board of Anesthesiology.

The emotional symptoms of anxiety or depression can often manifest as physical pain, which is undeniably real for many individuals. Although pinpointing a specific physical cause for the pain can be challenging, it should not be dismissed as being merely psychological. Pain affects us on both physical and emotional levels. Notably, anxiety and depression can reduce pain tolerance and heighten pain perception. Therefore, individuals dealing with chronic pain may benefit from seeking behavioral health therapy to address the emotional aspects of pain alongside the physical symptoms.

Interventional pain management involves minimally invasive procedures for diagnosing and treating pain. Our skilled doctors conduct a variety of interventional treatments to reduce or alleviate pain related to arthritis, back pain, neck pain, muscle and joint pain, nerve pain, and other conditions.