Over 50 million Americans struggle with chronic pain daily due to various medical disorders. Chronic pain can take over your life without an accurate diagnosis and treatment, making it difficult for you to perform your daily activities. If you are looking for long-term relief from chronic pain New Brunswick, you can benefit from the following treatments.
Peripheral nerve stimulation
Peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) involves attaching electrodes near your peripheral nerves and transmitting electric impulses to block pain signals from reaching your brain. The treatment can alleviate chronic pain from various medical conditions, including neuropathy. During your appointment, your provider may conduct a trial involving placing an electrode near the target merve and giving you a device to regulate the electrical impulses. If you experience pain relief, they may implant a permanent device under your skin, and you can use a hand-held remote to regulate the impulses according to your needs.
Sympathetic nerve blocks
Sympathetic nerve blocks involve injecting local anesthesia into the nerves controlling your sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for pain perception. Sympathetic nerve blocks interrupt your pain signals, alleviating discomfort and improving function. During the injection, you will lie down on your system while your provider uses ultrasound guidance to identify the target nerves. The team then injects the anesthetic, providing immediate pain relief that lasts a few hours. Sometimes you may need multiple injections to experience optimal relief. Sympathetic rarely causes complications, but you may experience nerve damage, bleeding, or an infection.
Facet joint injections
Facet injections consist of a combination of steroid medication and a local anesthetic. Your provider will inject this mixture into your facet joints, the small joints between your vertebrae responsible for spinal stability and movement. Chronic pain in your facet joints can be due to degenerative health conditions, injury, or arthritis. This pain can interfere with your mobility and your overall quality of life. Facet joint injections target the nerves transmitting pain signals from the joints, reducing inflammation and pain. Your provider will use imaging guidance for the accurate placement of the injection. The duration of pain relief may vary based on the seriousness of your pain and overall health, although many patients report experiencing pain relief for several months. These injections are relatively safe and effective, but they have a few side effects like any other treatment. Your doctor will discuss the side effects and benefits of the procedure before beginning treatment.
Epidural injections
Epidural injections involve injecting specific medications like corticosteroids into the epidural space to minimize inflammation and pain. The Pain & Anesthesia Care team offers the treatment on an outpatient basis, meaning you can embark on your daily activities after the treatment. Although these injections can provide significant pain relief, they are not a long-term solution, and you may need to schedule multiple injections to maintain the results. If you have chronic medical disorders like diabetes, you may have a higher chance of experiencing complications.
Your care plan may include one or several of these treatment methods. The ultimate goal is to relieve your discomfort and restore optimal mobility.
Call the Pain & Anesthesia Care office or book your spot online for more information about chronic pain treatments.