3 Types of Pain Management

Chronic pain can impact your daily activities, from walking within the home to getting quality sleep. There’s a wide range of treatment options with different applications for chronic pain. The team at St Louis Pain Consultants offers management services to help you locate the source of the pain and implement treatment plans. Here are a few types of pain management: 

1. Interventional Pain Management

Minimally invasive procedures are an option to help target the root cause of chronic pain, whether it’s the nervous system, musculoskeletal, or migraines. St. Louis Pain Consultants specializes in and offers a variety of methods, including corticosteroid injections, radiofrequency ablation, or spinal cord stimulation.

Injections interrupt pain signals to specific nerves and reduce inflammation around a painful joint. If that doesn’t offer adequate relief, radiofrequency ablation to the irritated nerve can eliminate the pain and provide long-term relief. Another option is spinal cord stimulation, which involves implanting a device near the spinal cord that delivers electrical pulses. This helps to disrupt pain signals to provide relief to patients.

2. Medication Management

Medications come in a variety of options with specific goals to help relieve pain. Depending on the type and severity of pain over-the-counter medications offer anti-inflammatories, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. These can help mild to moderate pain. Prescription medications for severe pain management such as Antidepressants or anti-seizure medications are a few options for certain types of chronic pain cases. 

3. Implant System

The implant system approach is a minimally invasive surgical procedure. An implant helps to minimize joint movement and stabilization. The doctors at St Louis Pain Consultants can perform the outpatient procedure in less than an hour. iFuse TORQ is a 3D-printed surface that supports the structural and functional connection between implant and bone. The benefits include reduced pain, enhanced quality of life, and increased range of motion. Patients who have been diagnosed with joint dysfunction or degeneration can find pain relief with this option.

Finding the Source of the Pain

Pain can be complex as nerves help signal that something is wrong. It may come from a previous injury or illness. Here are some different areas of the body chronic pain can stem from: 

• Musculoskeletal pain: This chronic pain can affect muscles, bones, joints, and connective tissues. It also links to arthritis, back pain, fibromyalgia, and other conditions.
• Neuropathic pain: Doctors will help locate the root cause of pain in the nervous system. It manifests as burning, stinging, or shooting sensations. Patients may also describe it as pins along their nerves.
• Headaches and migraines: Recurring headaches are another cause of chronic pain. Stress, hormonal changes, and certain foods will trigger them. An effective treatment plan will help reduce the pain.

Contact St Louis Pain Consultants Today

Patients can find pain relief to improve their quality of life with the help of various techniques. St Louis Pain Consultants offers treatment plans and will locate the source of your chronic pain. Our services range from minimally invasive procedures to more advanced measures. Contact us today to learn more about our different services to address your discomfort.