Chronic pain affects 1 in 5 Americans, and it can be debilitating. Chronic pain can affect all aspects of your life from personal relationships to your ability to perform well at work. This type of pain severely limits your ability to live a full and active life, and managing chronic pain is the first step toward improving the quality of your life.
Dr. Benjamin Taimoorazy, a compassionate and experienced chronic pain physician, offers a variety of interventional pain management services to help you get the relief you need.
Below, we dive deeper into the topic, exploring what interventional pain management is and what types of treatments you can expect here at Beverly Hills Migraine and Pain Management Institute.
Interventional pain management is a branch of medicine designed to reduce and manage pain. Interventional pain management doesn’t necessarily treat the source of your pain, but it can improve the quality of your life so you can return to your everyday activities. Interventional pain management can benefit those with chronic pain caused by cancer pain, headaches, migraines, fibromyalgia, phantom limb pain, chronic pelvic pain, etc.
Just like there are many sources of chronic pain, there are many different types of interventional pain management. Depending on the source and intensity of your pain, Dr. Taimoorazy may suggest one or more of the following:
Injections can be a powerful tool for pain management because they deliver medication directly where it needs to go. Unlike oral medications, medication administered via injection can bypass the digestive system.
Examples of injections for pain relief include:
Injections reduce pain associated with a variety of conditions, including headaches, TMJ pain, tennis elbow, arthritis, and golfer’s elbow. Which injection you need depends on the source of your pain.
If you have chronic migraines, you might benefit from Botox, which the American Migraine Foundation promotes as an effective treatment for migraines. Other types of pain (including arthritis pain) may respond better to steroids or anti-inflammatory ingredients.
A nerve block is a specific type of injection that reduces pain caused by an irritated or compressed nerve. Nerve blocks are placed carefully with the guidance of an ultrasound or CT scan. The nerve block numbs the compressed nerves and blocks the nerve from sending pain messages to your brain.
Regenerative medicine injections, including platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and stem cell injections, can also play a role in your pain management. PRP injections and stem cell injections help manage your pain by stimulating your natural healing response. According to a 2018 study, PRP injections can be particularly helpful in reducing knee pain associated with osteoarthritis — and avoiding surgery.
If you have back pain, you might benefit from a spinal cord stimulator. These are implantable devices that emit electrical currents to disrupt the pain signals being sent to your brain. Spinal cord stimulators are adjustable (thanks to a handheld device) so you can control the frequency and intensity of the stimulation.
Radiofrequency ablation is another interventional pain management treatment designed to stop nerves from sending pain messages. Unlike nerve blocks, radiofrequency ablation relies on heat energy to accomplish this goal.
Ketamine, delivered intravenously, can also relieve chronic pain. Studies show that ketamine infusions can help reduce the reliance on opioids for pain management.
During your first appointment at Beverly Hills Migraine and Pain Management Institute, you can expect a thorough physical exam as well as a review of your symptoms and any underlying medical conditions. From there, we create a pain management plan that’s right for you. You can schedule your consultation by calling us at 424-302-0289. Or, request an appointment using our scheduling tool online.
