Question 1

What is a doctor of pain management called?

Accepted Answer

A doctor who treats acute or chronic pain in your back, neck, joints, or any other part of the musculoskeletal system is called an interventional pain management specialist. Interventional pain management specialists focus on identifying what’s causing your pain and creating a personalized treatment regimen to help you find relief. They specialize primarily in minimally-invasive procedures, such as epidural steroid injections, nerve blocks, radiofrequency ablation, and spinal cord stimulation. The goal of the pain management specialist is for you to experience pain relief without surgery.

Question 2

What is the difference between pain management and pain medicine?

Accepted Answer

Pain management and pain medicine are sometimes confused with one another but are actually very different approaches to treating pain. Pain medicine is simply the act of using medications (prescribed or over the counter) or at-home remedies to temporarily relieve pain. Pain management is a form of medical care that focuses on targeting pain at the source using non-surgical and non-prescription techniques. This type of treatment is designed to bring patients long-lasting relief, rather than a quick fix.

Question 3

Why do doctors refer patients to pain management?

Accepted Answer

The most common reason for a doctor to refer a patient to pain management is usually some kind of chronic pain in their back, neck, knees, shoulders, or elsewhere. This is especially true if previous treatment attempts haven’t helped or the pain is interfering with the patient’s daily life.

Question 4

What does a pain assessment consist of?

Accepted Answer

At The Spine & Sports Health Center, our assessment of pain relies heavily on getting an in-depth understanding of your pain. When you meet with one of our pain management specialists, we will ask you a series of questions about your pain, the impact it has on your life, and how severe it is. We will also perform a full physical exam and take images as needed. Using all of this information, we will design a treatment course that addresses your pain from the root cause, while also taking into account your lifestyle and goals.

Question 5

When should I see a doctor for pain?

Accepted Answer

If you’re experiencing severe pain, tingling, numbness, weakness in your extremities, radiating pain, or difficulty moving, then it’s definitely time to see a doctor. Many people live with pain every day believing that it’s just an unavoidable part of life. However, letting the pain go untreated can potentially lead to more severe complications. It also makes it harder for you to enjoy everyday life. If you’re experiencing pain that limits your life in any way, seeing a pain management specialist can help.

Question 6

Can back, neck, knee, or shoulder pain be fixed without surgery?

Accepted Answer

When people experience pain in the back, neck, knee, shoulder, or anywhere else in the musculoskeletal system, they often worry that they will have to undergo a surgical procedure. However, interventional pain management makes it possible for you to experience pain relief without going under the knife. At The Spine & Sports Health Center, we’re pleased to report that the vast majority of our patients are able to find pain relief without undergoing surgery.

Question 7

What does a sports medicine doctor do?

Accepted Answer

Sports medicine doctors provide specialized care for athletes of all levels, including physical rehabilitation after an injury and injury prevention. Whether you’re a professional athlete or simply a casual enthusiast, a sports medicine doctor will create a non-invasive treatment plan that focuses on strengthening and protecting the body with physical activity in mind. Sports medicine doctors typically utilize a wide range of treatment types, including interventional pain management, physical therapy, massage therapy, and chiropractic care.

Question 8

What type of care might be necessary after a car accident?

Accepted Answer

After a car accident, many people experience pain in their back, neck, and elsewhere. Even if the accident doesn’t cause a severe injury, your muscles tighten very suddenly to brace yourself from impact, resulting in soft tissue injuries such as sprains and strains. At The Spine & Sports Health Center, we treat car accident-related injuries and pain using interventional pain management techniques, physical therapy, and chiropractic care.

Question 9

What causes pain from your hip down your leg?

Accepted Answer

One of the most common forms of pain is sciatica, which is a type of pain that runs from the hip down each leg. This occurs when the sciatic nerve (i.e. the nerve that runs from the lower spine, down the buttocks, and down each leg) becomes compressed or irritated. This is often caused by a herniated disc in the lower back, trauma, or arthritis. Sciatica pain can range from mild to severe and is often accompanied by numbness, tingling, muscle weakness, deep leg pain, or a shocking sensation. Although sciatica can be very painful, it can often be successfully treated using epidural steroid injections, nerve blocks, or spinal cord stimulation.

Question 10

What are the most common causes of back and neck pain?

Accepted Answer

Pain anywhere along the spinal cord, from the neck, down to the tailbone, can be caused by a wide variety of conditions. Some of the most common causes of pain include pinched nerves (also known as radiculopathy), whiplash, and herniated discs. Many of these conditions have similar symptoms, such as pain, numbness, tingling, muscle weakness, and limited mobility. At The Spine & Sports Health Center, we take a thorough account of each patient’s pain so that we can determine a correct diagnosis from the very beginning.

Frequently Asked Questions

Get the relief you need.
Live the life you want.

Frequently Asked Questions

Get the relief you need. Live the life you want.

Get the relief you need.
Live the life you want.