Are all pain clinics focused on prescribing narcotics?

No, not all pain clinics primarily focus on prescribing narcotics. A good pain clinic should take a comprehensive approach, considering physical, behavioral, and psychological therapies, as well as offering alternative treatment options.

What should I expect during my visit to a pain clinic?

During your visit, the pain management specialist will evaluate your condition, review your medical history, and discuss your symptoms and treatment goals. They may recommend diagnostic tests, prescribe medications, suggest therapies, and create a personalized pain management plan.

How can pain clinics help with chronic pain?

Pain clinics, also known as pain management clinics, offer comprehensive approaches to managing chronic pain. They utilize medications, physical therapies, behavioral therapies, psychological therapies, and complementary or alternative medicine to help individuals manage their pain and improve their quality of life.

What are the different types of pain?

Pain can be categorized into acute and chronic pain. Acute pain is sharp and often results from an injury, while chronic pain lasts more than six months and can result from untreated injuries, diseases, or conditions.

What are the common conditions that cause pain?

There are various conditions that can cause pain, including arthritis, muscle and joint injuries, autoimmune disorders, back injuries, chronic pain disorders, endometriosis, facial pain, headaches, kidney stones, urinary tract problems, and nerve damage (neuropathy).

Who can benefit from pain management?

Anyone experiencing pain, whether acute or chronic, can benefit from a pain management plan. It can help individuals with short-term pain after an injury or surgery, as well as those with long-term pain from diseases or chronic health conditions.

What is pain management?

Pain management involves the diagnosis and treatment of pain using medications, procedures, exercises, and therapy. The goal is to reduce or relieve pain and improve the patient's quality of life.

What types of pain do pain management specialists treat?

Pain management specialists can diagnose and treat various types of pain, including back pain, neck pain, headaches/migraines, arm or leg pain, abdominal pain, pelvic pain, joint pain, pain related to failed surgery, and pain related to cancer.

Facet Joint Injections

FACET JOINT INJECTIONS

What are Facet Joint Injections?

The facet joints , found on both sides of the back of the spine, can become painfully irritated or inflamed. A facet joints injection may help diagnose the source of a patient’s pain. It can also relieve pain and inflammation.

With the aid of an x-ray device called a fluoroscope, your Pain MD Houston physician guides a needle through the numbed tissue and into the facet joint. Contrast dye is injected into the joint to confirm the needle’s placement.

Once the needle is positioned properly, the physician injects a soothing mixture of numbing anesthetic and anti-inflammatory steroid medication. One or more facet joints may be treated. If this causes the pain to subside, it suggests that the facet joint (or joints) injected were the cause of pain.

What can I expect post-procedure?

Back or neck pain may disappear immediately after a successful injection because of the anesthetic that is administered. As the anesthetic wears off, pain may return. The steroid will begin to take effect in the days after the injection. The steroid will reduce inflammation and pain. The injection can provide relief for a span of several days to several months. Up to three injections may be given per year.

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