5 Types of Pain Management Offered by Experts

For people who suffer from chronic pain, it can be challenging to find a solution for effective pain relief. Our doctors at St. Louis Pain Consultants will work with you to find effective and personalized pain management through various techniques. Here are five highly effective pain management techniques offered by our team of experts:

1. DRG Stimulation

Nerve pain in the lower part of the body is sometimes treatable with dorsal root ganglion (DRG) stimulation. DRG stimulation is an implanted device that sends out tiny electrical pulses. These pulses block the pain signals sent by your nerves. Before the implantation of a DRG stimulation device, patients are given a short-term trial to confirm if they are a good candidate for this type of treatment.  If the trial is effective, then the implant is scheduled.  This is a minimally invasive procedure that has offered successful results for patients unable to achieve sustainable pain relief.

2. Injections

There are different types of injections doctors can administer to help reduce chronic pain. Injections allow your doctor to place pain-relieving medicines in specific, targeted areas. At St. Louis Pain Consultants, we offer epidural steroid injections and facet injections. 

Epidural Steroid Injections

Epidural steroid injections are a pain management technique often used for disc herniations or spinal stenosis. The injection consists of a strong medication that reduces inflammation in the spinal canal, lessening a patient’s inflammation-related pain. 

Facet Injections

Facet injections can be helpful for people who suffer from inflammation or arthritis in their joints. If you need a facet injection, our doctors will use a fluoroscope machine throughout the process. This machine allows us to see more clearly and deliver medication to the affected joint.

3. Radiofrequency Ablation

Our radiofrequency ablation technique can begin after identifying the nerve that is likely causing the pain and then using an anesthetic to help make sure the chosen nerve is the correct one. Once adequately identified, the patient is often placed under light sedation for relaxation. The doctor sends radio waves through a probe to heat the nerve, stopping the nerve from sending pain signals. Although the nerve gradually regenerates, patients can expect results to last anywhere from 9 to 15 months and sometimes even longer.  The procedure can be repeated should pain eventually return.

4. Spinal Cord Stimulation

The experts at St. Louis Pain Consultants might suggest spinal cord stimulation if you are experiencing nerve pain in your arms, legs, back, or a combination of these areas. This is a minimally invasive procedure in which electrodes are placed along a patient’s spinal cord to prevent pain signals from moving through the spine up to the brain. As with DRG, a trial is done first using temporary electrodes to help determine if this treatment technique would be a beneficial choice for long-term pain management.  If the trial is successful, then moving forward for permanent placement of a spinal cord stimulator is scheduled. 

5. Stem Cell Therapy

Doctors can use stem cell therapy to help patients with numerous pain-causing conditions, including:

• Joint pain caused by arthritis
• Tendon or ligament pain caused by injury
• Soft tissue pain caused by injury

Stem cell therapy can help a patient’s body repair damaged cartilage, tendons, ligaments, and soft tissue. Our doctors use fluoroscope or ultrasound guidance to inject the prepared stem cells precisely. 

Get Expert Pain Management at St. Louis Pain Consultants

If you’re ready to move forward and take control of your chronic pain, work with our team at St. Louis Pain Consultants. We help our patients manage their chronic pain with interventional pain management techniques, like the ones listed above. Our goal is to help you return to your normal activities without the burden of debilitating chronic pain. Contact us today to start creating your personalized pain management treatment plan. Whatever its cause, Chronic pain prevents many people from living the life they want. Chronic pain can make it challenging to do things you enjoy or spend time with the people you care about, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Pain management services like those provided by St. Louis Pain Management Consultants can help you overcome chronic pain.