According to research from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), chronic pain is among the most common reasons why people go to the doctor. This is typically due to the fact that chronic pain negatively affects their ability to work, perform daily tasks, or stay active. Chronic pain develops due to many reasons, such as illness, injury, and disease. Conventional pain management treatments may not always alleviate the pain or offer quick enough relief, which is why you may consider discussing interventional pain treatments with your doctor.
What Interventional Pain Management Is
Interventional pain management refers to a medical discipline specializing in the treatment and diagnosis of patient medical disorders that cause pain. Patients in conventional pain management plans often must flit from specialist to specialist with each physician prescribing approaches like medication without precisely diagnosing the root cause of the chronic pain. Interventional pain management is unique in that specialists in this field first concentrate on creating a precise diagnosis before developing a treatment plan to fit that specific diagnosis. A multidisciplinary approach is used in some interventional pain management centers where a group of health care professionals collaborate to offer comprehensive interventional treatment and services for patients.
Interventional pain specialist in Florida are certified by the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (ASIPP), who also establishes patient care criteria. A typical interventional medical team includes one or more of the following specialists:
- Physical therapists
- Physiatrists (Rehabilitation and physical medicine physicians)
- Anesthesiologist
- Internist
- Occupational therapists
- Nurses
- Psychologists
- Psychiatrists
- Patient
Common interventional pain management procedures include:
- Epidural steroid injections
- Facet joint injections
- Medial branch blocks/facet joint injections
- Muscle and joint injections
- Radiofrequency nerve ablations
- Occipital nerve blocks
- Kyphoplasty
- Rhizotomy
- Discography
How Interventional Pain Treatments Can Benefit You
Some reasons why a patient may choose interventional pain treatments include:
- A holistic treatment approach addressing the physical and mental aspects of pain
- Treats pain-related symptoms, as well as the source of the pain
- Full involvement of the patient form the beginning to end of the treatment process
- Requires less addictive opioids
- Minimally invasive or non-invasive treatments
- Quick pain relief
- Pain-relieving medication directly administered to the source of the pain
- Can offer pain relief for months or even years
- Less side effects compared to having surgery or taking pain medication
When Should I Visit An Interventional Pain Specialist?
If your pain doesn’t improve in 2-3 weeks after administering home treatments and over-the-counter pain medications, or if the medications and physical therapy your doctor prescribes aren’t working, you should consult with an interventional pain specialist. If the pain you’re experiencing is severe without a clear source, you may be recommended to a specialist immediately.
Interventional procedures are geared towards relieving pain as soon as possible and minimizing the intake of oral medications. Most procedures are outpatient, and it is used for both chronic and acute pain.
Contact Us Today
ACME Spine & Orthopedics is a top orthopedics and interventional pain treatment center with offices around Florida offering a range of comprehensive care options. Call us to schedule an appointment today.