Conquering Chronic Pain
Focused diagnosis and treatments give patients a better chance of feeling better.
Jacob Blake MD – Interventional Pain Specialist
Sometimes, pain continues long after the condition that created it has been resolved. This kind of chronic pain can result from any number of causes: problems in the lower back and various kinds of neuralgia – originating from damage or irritation to nerves – arthritis, sports injuries and cancer.
Because of its emotional element, long-term pain is challenging to treat. The condition can cause depression and social isolation. Patients in pain exercise less, which leads to muscle loss and even more depression. Research shows that because the nervous system and the immune system are linked, pain can also affect the body’s ability to fight off disease and infection.
At The Pain Management Center at Northern Nevada Medical Center we tackle the complexities of chronic and acute pain in adults 18 or older with expertise of multiple disciplines. Board-certified pain medicine physicians and nurses work together to assess patient’ pain and focus on effective treatment.
A thorough evaluation guides them to the source, and innovative, image-guided techniques are used to find a solution. Follow-up care, including psychological support, provides long-term relief so that patients can continue their lives, as pain-free as possible.
The Pain Management Center was the first in the country to receive The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval in Low Back Pain.
TREATMENTS AVAILABLE AT THE PAIN MANAGEMENT CENTER
- Injection and nerve block therapy. Local anesthesia or cortisone is injected into trigger points (areas where muscles become knotted), areas of inflammation, joints or at the root of nerves to reduce pain.
- Spinal cord stimulator trials and permanent implants. A low-voltage pulse generator is used to stimulate the spinal nerves and block the feeling of pain, and can be implemented in the back.
- Minimally invasive lumbar decompression (MILD). In this outpatient surgery performed, surgeons remove small bone fragments and excess ligament tissue from the spinal canal.
- Radiofrequency ablation. This technique uses electrical current and radio waves to heat up a small area of nerve tissue in order to interrupt pain signals.