Spine Treatment: Frequently Asked Questions
How can you relieve my back pain?
If you have tried chiropractic or physical therapy without much success, our treatments are the next step. The non-surgical treatments that we provide can help calm the pain at its source. Medications only mask the pain. Our procedures find the root of the pain and eliminate it as much as possible.
Do the spine treatments hurt?
No. All procedures are performed while patients are under sedation. You will likely sleep through the procedure and for the next four to eight hours. This is why you must not eat or drink before your procedure -- so that you can safely receive the sedatives. This will also prevent nausea afterwards.
How long will it take?
From check-in to check-out, your appointment will probably take an hour and a half. If you are having a more advanced procedure, more time might be necessary.
Can I have a consultation without getting a referral?
Yes, if your insurance allows it. However, you must take responsibility for obtaining any previous records from doctors who have treated your condition. We must have these to design an effective treatment plan.
Could my pain return?
It could. Several procedures -- like radiofrequency ablation or epidurals -- may need to be repeated, depending on your individual symptoms. However, most pain does not return after these procedures for at least 6 months. If your pain returns quickly after you have had a full series of treatments, a consultation with your neurosurgeon or orthopedic spine surgeon may be necessary. Call our office to schedule a follow-up appointment to discuss any recurring pain. The physician or physician's assistant can help you.
What should I do if I feel back pain again?
Call us. Talk to your physician or physician's assistant. Tell us what you're feeling. We may need to repeat your procedures. Or, the pain may be coming from another source.
How can I prevent back pain from returning?
Your therapy -- exercise and physical therapy -- is important in controlling your pain. These are intended to keep your muscles from becoming too stiff or, in some cases, developing atrophy. Healthy, strong support muscles are a vital key in preventing and controlling spinal and hip pain. It is very important that you follow the therapy prescribed by the physician.
Will I ever need spine surgery?
More than 80% of patients who receive proper interventional pain management avoid back surgery. However, in some cases back surgery is necessary. The procedures we have performed for you -- even if they don't solve your pain problem -- have given your surgeon a clearer idea of what's going on. Your surgeon now has more information on the cause and severity of your pain -- which will help ensure a better outcome from surgery.
Learn More About Our Procedures
Celiac Plexus Block for Spine Pain
This block involves an injection near a group of nerves that stimulate the abdominal organs. This procedure can reduce or eliminate abdominal pain. It is especially helpful in treating pain caused by cancer or chronic pancreatitis.
Epidural Steroid Injections for Spine Pain
We inject a steroid hormone into the epidural space -- the area around the spinal nerves. The injection reduces the inflammation and/or swelling of nerves. Usually this requires a series of injections -- often three -- which are spaced a week apart. These injections can be very effective in providing long-lasting back pain relief.
Facet Injections for Spine Pain
Facet joints are located on each side of the vertebrae. Injections in the facet joints can help determine the source of pain. The injection can also help treat the pain by reducing inflammation.
Kyphoplasty for Spine Pain
When vertebral compression fractures cause severe, immobilizing pain, kyphoplasty is a highly effective treatment. Kyphoplasty relieves 90% of the pain and also reduces deformity in the spinal column -- the curvature that often develops after multiple compression fractures. The procedure involves rebuilding vertebral bone by inserting balloons into the compressed areas of the spine, inflating the balloons until they reach the desired height. The balloons are then removed, and the new spaces are filled with orthopedic cement. The cement hardens quickly -- providing strength and stability to the vertebra, restoring height, and relieving pain.
Percutaneous Vertebroplasty for Spine Pain
This procedure is used to treat and stabilize vertebral compression fractures (the bones that make up the spinal column). These are the osteoporosis-related fractures that occur when bones in the spine have become weakened. Vertebroplasty involves slowly injecting a small amount of orthopedic cement into the damaged portion of the vertebra. This quick-drying cement strengthens the bone and relieves pain. Most patients feel significant pain relief within the first hours after the procedure.
Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) for Spine Pain
In this procedure, an electrical current produced by radiowave is used to heat a small area of nerve tissue. This decreases the pain signals from that tissue. Ablation is highly effective in relieving low back pain, neck pain, and arthritis joint pain. Pain relief can last from six to 12 months, or for many years in some cases.
Selective Nerve Blocks for Spine Pain
A block is an injection to determine if a specific spinal nerve root is the source of pain. The block also helps reduce inflammation around the nerve root, which decreases the pain.
SI Joint Injections for Spine Pain
Sacroiliac (SI) joint pain is easily confused with spine pain. At times, injecting the SI joint with lidocaine can help a physician determine the source of the patient's back pain. This injection can also be used to treat SI pain.
Stellate Ganglion Block for Spine Pain
This block involves the sympathetic nerve tissue on either side of the voice box. It is a treatment for Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy, Sympathetic Maintained Pain, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, and Herpes Zoster (shingles) involving the head and face. Usually, multiple injections are necessary -- with duration of pain relief getting longer with each injection. Patients in the early stage of illness tend to respond better than those with more advanced disease.
Learn more about common conditions and procedures from our informative video animations.
Contact us about these spine procedures today.
Sign up for our newsletter -- and read about patients who have benefited from these treatments.