If you’re someone who struggles with chronic pain, interventional pain management can offer relief from your symptoms with help from techniques that aim to minimize discomfort.
These types of procedures help diagnose and treat chronic pain conditions using minimally invasive techniques. Unlike traditional pain management approaches, which often rely on medications or surgery alone, interventional practices target the precise source of pain to provide long-term relief and improve quality of life with less risk of side effects.
What is Interventional Pain Management?
An interventional pain management specialist is a healthcare professional trained in using minimally invasive procedures to manage chronic pain conditions.
Minimally invasive procedures are medical techniques that use small incisions, specialized instruments, and imaging guidance to treat various conditions.
Compared to traditional surgery or long-term use of pain medications, minimally invasive procedures offer benefits like reduced recovery times, less pain and a lower risk of complications. In some cases, these techniques are used in combination with medication or other treatments to help manage pain.
Interventional pain management (and minimally invasive procedures) can help treat a range of conditions and symptoms, such as:
- Chronic back pain
- Neck pain
- Joint pain (such as knee or shoulder pain) and arthritis pain
- Nerve pain (like sciatica)
- Headaches (including migraines)
- Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)
- Spinal stenosis pain
- Post-surgical pain
Types of Procedures and Treatments Used
Specialists trained in interventional pain management utilize techniques such as injections, nerve blocks, and other therapies to alleviate pain without relying solely on medications or surgery.
Interventional pain management includes the use of a variety of procedures and tools, depending on the condition being treated, such as:
- Epidural steroid injections: Targets inflammation and pain in the spine
- Facet joint injections: Alleviates pain stemming from facet joints in the spine
- Radiofrequency ablation: Uses heat to disrupt nerves causing pain
- Spinal cord stimulation: Implants that block pain signals from reaching the brain
These procedures are typically performed under imaging guidance, such as fluoroscopy or ultrasound, to help make them as precise and safe as possible.
When Can Interventional Pain Management Help?
Interventional pain management techniques are particularly beneficial for people experiencing chronic pain that has not responded well to conservative treatments like medications or physical therapy.
Physicians specializing in interventional pain management also play a role in diagnosing pain conditions, sometimes in collaboration with other healthcare professionals.
How Interventional Pain Management is Different from Pain Medications
Unlike pain medications, which can mask symptoms temporarily, interventional techniques aim to treat the underlying cause of pain directly.
These techniques often result in longer-lasting relief and reduce the need for ongoing medication use, minimizing potential side effects associated with long-term drug therapy.
For those seeking effective, non-opioid pain relief options, interventional pain management offers promising solutions. At the Center of Pain Management at Stony Brook, our specialists provide comprehensive care tailored to each patient’s unique needs, focusing on improving function and quality of life. Contact us today to learn more about how interventional pain management can help you regain control over chronic pain.
