Here are many of the most frequently asked questions we are asked:
What is Interventional Pain Management?
Interventional pain medicine is devoted to the use of invasive techniques and treatments such as discograms, steroid injections, facet, selective nerve root blocks, and radiofrequency ablations for the relief of chronic pain.
What Does Interventional Pain Physician Do?
An interventional pain physician is a pain management specialist trained in the practice of safe, high quality, cost-effective interventional pain management techniques for the diagnosis and treatment of chronic pain and related disorders. A Pain Management Specialist is often a specialized physician who has trained specifically to diagnose and treat various pain problems. Pain specialists groups often include multiple disciplines such as Anesthesiologists, Physiatrist, Neurologists, and Neurosurgeons. These are highly trained professionals who know how to treat pain to improve the quality of their patients’ daily living.
What Will Happen During My First Visit?
Your first visit to Guardian Care will involve a consultation with one of our interventional pain management and/or orthopedic specialists. We will diagnose and create a treatment plan for your pain. Often pain can be helped in several way using orthopedic and/or interventional pain management techniques and treatments. You and your doctor will work together with your Guardian Care physicians to find the best solution for your pain.
What Type of Treatments Can You Provide?
Orthopedic and interventional pain treatments at Guardian Care start with a full consultation and examination. Once we understand the source of your pain, we can work with you and your primary care physician to create an effective treatment plan.
When Should I See an Interventional Specialist?
If your pain hasn’t responded to the conservative medicine and treatments available through your primary care physician, it’s probably time to speak with a specialist.
Am I a Candidate for Interventional Pain Treatment?
Interventional pain management should be considered for patients who have seen their primary care physician for pain issues and require more specialized treatment. Often our patients are encouraged by their doctor to try less invasive alternatives to surgery, or they may not be a good candidate for surgery.
Many Guardian Care patients have tried chiropractic treatments and physical therapy, but haven’t resolved their pain issues.
How do you Measure Success?
Pain has many sides and has profound effects on the health and quality of life of our patients. Chronic pain disrupts sleep, restricts mobility, decreased activity, causes mood swings, and requires greater use of medications and more visits to the doctor. There is no piece of medical equipment to measure the intensity and distress caused by pain. So at Guardian Care, we measure success based on the areas of life most affected. We communicate with our patients to track how they score their pain, their physical activity levels, and need for pain medications.