Chronic pain might interfere with almost every single thing in life, and performing normal daily activities becomes a matter of ever increasing difficulty. To the people who have to endure chronic pain, acquiring effective pain management strategies can be an everlasting endeavor. Interventional pain management is one of the techniques that have evoked some interest in the last few years.
But just what is it and what makes it different to the traditional options of pain management? To make it a bit more remotely clear to you, let us unpack such a specialized field.
The Interventional Pain Management Role
The traditional pain treatment is centered on the utilization of drugs, physical activities, and lifestyle changes to mitigate the issues. Though such methods could be beneficial to most individuals, they do not necessarily resolve the causes of pain.
Interventional pain management is more specific. It is an area which is concerned with treating the cause of pain directly by exploiting highly specific minimally invasive methods. ithis technique seeks to minimize the pain by applying localized action on the nerves, tissue, or the joint. People with higher education in the pain handling methods usually handle procedures in this field.
Key Techniques
Interventional pain management includes many different methods and procedure that are adapted to specific pain or condition. Some of the commonest applicable methods are the following:
Injection Therapy
The use of injections is known as injection therapy where medication is injected into or near the problem area to minimise pain and inflammation. These injections usually are mixed with corticosteroids or anesthetics, which serve to locally relieve conditions that include joint, arthritis or tendonitis pain. In other individuals the treatments can take weeks or months of relief.
Nerve Blocks
A nerve block could be a major solution to pain patients who suffer due to irritated or damaged nerves. In this process, anesthetic medication is injected close to the area that is close to the targeted nerve or a collection of nerves then the transmission of nerves in the brain is interrupted. Nerve blocks can be employed diagnosis of the pain generator, or treatment. It has been generally applied in cases of sciatica, neuropathic pain or complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS).
Epidural Steroid Injections
Epidural steroid injections are usually related to pain in the spine area but are widely used in this field of care. This method allows injecting an anti-inflammatory drug into the epidural space of the spine that covers the spinal cord and the nerve roots. The injection has the potential to relieve pain problems in regions like herniated discs, stenosis of the spine, or nerve compression by decreasing inflammation in this region. Surgery to remove hernia may occur in case it is required.
Radiofrequency Neurolysis
Also known as radiofrequency ablation, it is a more innovative method that can be used as a permanent treatment option of certain kinds of chronic pain. In the process, heat caused by radio waves is used to destroy pain causing nerves thus preventing further passage of pain signal. It is mostly applied in the pain related to joints such as neck, back or knees pain. To a few people, pain relief induced by radiofrequency neurolysis can last a period of months.
The benefits of Interventional Pain Management
Pain management of this kind pertains to patient-centered approach to caring and is frequently applied and incorporated into inclusive treatment plan. In the case of chronic pain sufferers, they can be subjected to the procedures to get a chance of becoming mobile again, increasing physical activity, and minimizing the use of pain medications. By tackling the source of pain itself through strictly minimally invasive procedures, a person can feel some relief that is more directed and less temporary than in several traditional treatments.
Consult a Pain Doctor
Dealing with chronic pain might be an uphill struggle, and interventional pain management provides new relief opportunities. This is a cost effective technique with specific solutions that are directed to solve the root cause of the discomfort. These techniques are alternative ways of treating people in combination with other measures to provide people with more choices in the customization of care. Once you are ready to know more about how these ways may be incorporated into your plan of pain management, the next step that may be worth taking is to consult with a specialist that could help you with pain management.
