Advanced Interventional Pain Management Procedures in Tampa, FL
Pain Management Categories
Interventional Procedures
Interventional Pain Management
Genesis Wellness Clinic provides medical services such as Interventional Pain Management in Tampa, Florida.
If you have pain and have already explored traditional pain therapies such as physical therapy, OTC drugs and opiates; a noninvasive interventional procedure may be an alternative to live a good quality of life free from constant, intractable pain.
Interventional pain management is a discipline in pain management used to help patients relieve their pain. The specialized pain doctors go beyond medication to help patients deal with pain. Specifically, they use a vast array of therapies to diagnose, reduce, and if possible, completely relieve a person’s pain. The ultimate goal of this therapy is to assist patients in getting back to their normal active lives as quickly as possible.
Common techniques we employ for Interventional Pain Management:
- Epidural steroid injections
- Facet joint injections and medial branch blocks
- Sacroiliac injections
- Radiofrequency ablation
- Knee Injections
- Nerve blocks
Epidural Steroid Injections
The epidural steroid injections are used to reduce pain and inflammation in the nerve roots of the spine. To clarify, a local anesthetic and a steroid are injected into the epidural space, the area outside the membrane that covers the spinal cord and its nerves. These injections help patients experience a significant reduction in pain, but more than one injection is generally needed for pain reduction.
The patient will have to be injected every three to four weeks; this procedure can be stopped when a significant reduction of pain is achieved. If the pain resumes, the injections will need to be continued. These injections can help you with back and sciatica pain.
Facet Joint Injections and Medial Branch Blocks
Facet joint injections and medial branch blocks are typically used to diagnose the location and cause of the pain. This injection contains a small dose of local anesthetic and/or steroid that are injected directly into the facet joint to block the pain.
The main purpose of this injection is to help the patient tolerate the pain better so that they can participate in rehabilitative physical therapy. Facet joint injections aren’t advised as a long-term solution to chronic pain but rather an aid to help a patient work through their recovery.
Sacroiliac Injections
Sacroiliac injections are injected directly into the sacroiliac joint that is located at the bottom of the spine. The pain reduction effect of this injection can last for 24-48 hours. It can last for weeks with a steroid medication or just a couple of hours with a local anesthetic. These injections can also be used as diagnostic tools.
Radiofrequency Ablation
Radiofrequency ablation is a pain management therapy that uses radio waves to create an electrical current. This current then delivers heat to selected nerve tissues to reduce chronic pain symptoms that are associated with various conditions. The application of heat to the nerve tissue impairs the nerves, resulting in a semi-permanent disturbance in the transmission of pain signals from the spinal column to the brain.
Knee Injections
Viscosupplementation is a medical procedure during which lubricating fluid is injected into a joint. It is also called hyaluronan injections / hyaluronic acid injections; viscosupplementation is most commonly used to treat symptoms of knee osteoarthritis. The goal of adding hyaluronic acid to the existing joint fluid of an osteoarthritic knee is to:
- Facilitate better knee movement
- Reduce pain
- Perhaps slow osteoarthritis progression
The candidates for viscosupplementation are patients with knee osteoarthritis who has failed to improve with other non-surgical treatments.
Nerve Blocks
Nerve blocks are the results of using a nerve-numbing injection. Specifically nerve blocks help with chronic pain treatment and management. Often a group of nerves, known as the plexus or ganglion, causes pain to a specific organ or body region. This can be blocked with an injection into a specific area of the body. Immediately after, there is pain relief but the injections need to be repeated from time-to-time.
Other Useful Interventional Pain Management Procedures Include:
- Injections in the ankles, knees, or hips
- Computed tomography
- Adhesiolysis
- Disc denervation
- Epidurolysis
- Botox injections
- Hardware blocks
- Kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty
- Trigger point injections
Schedule an appointment today to see how we can help relieve your pain through any of the above procedures so that you can regain your healthy active life.
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is Interventional Pain Management?
Interventional pain management is a specialized discipline that uses a vast array of therapies and minimally invasive procedures to diagnose and reduce pain. It is often an effective alternative for patients who have not found relief through traditional treatments like physical therapy, over-the-counter drugs, or opiates.
2. How do Epidural Steroid Injections work?
These injections deliver a local anesthetic and a steroid into the epidural space, which is the area just outside the membrane covering the spinal cord and nerve roots. The goal is to reduce inflammation and provide significant relief for conditions like back pain and sciatica. Generally, a series of injections every three to four weeks is required to achieve lasting pain reduction.
3. What are Facet Joint Injections and Medial Branch Blocks?
These injections are primarily used as diagnostic tools to identify the specific location and cause of pain. They contain a small dose of anesthetic or steroid injected directly into the facet joint to block pain signals. This helps patients tolerate discomfort better so they can successfully participate in rehabilitative physical therapy.
4. What is Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA)?
RFA is a therapy that uses radio waves to create an electrical current, which delivers heat to selected nerve tissues. This heat creates a semi-permanent disturbance in the nerves’ ability to transmit pain signals from the spine to the brain, offering long-term relief for various chronic conditions.
5. What is Viscosupplementation for knee pain?
Also known as hyaluronic acid injections, this procedure involves injecting a lubricating fluid directly into the knee joint. It is most commonly used for patients with knee osteoarthritis who have failed other non-surgical treatments. The treatment aims to:
Facilitate better knee movement.
Reduce pain.
Potentially slow the progression of osteoarthritis.
6. Are there other types of interventional procedures available?
Yes, the clinic offers several other specialized procedures, including:
Sacroiliac Injections: Target the joint at the bottom of the spine for diagnostic or pain relief purposes.
Nerve Blocks: Use numbing injections to block pain in a specific organ or body region.
Advanced Procedures: These include disc denervation, kyphoplasty, vertebroplasty, and trigger point injections.
