Spinal Stenosis Vertiflex Device
Spinal stenosis results when pressure is put on the spinal cord and neck of the spine. It is most commonly caused by age or genetics. However, diseases like arthritis or scoliosis can also result in this problem. This condition impacts about 200k Americans each year and if physical therapy and medications don’t help, surgery often […]
Continue Reading...Trigeminal Neuralgia
Trigeminal Neuralgia, or TN, is a cranial nerve condition that causes intense facial pain on one or both sides of the face in sudden and sporadic episodes. Though the pain typically only lasts seconds, many people with trigeminal neuralgia describe the pain as debilitating and unbearable. Usually, this impulsive pain occurs unexpectedly and without warning, […]
Continue Reading...Occipital Nerve Block
Occipital nerve blocks are shallow scalp injections used for the purpose of diagnosing or treating pain stemming from the greater and lower occipital nerves. The occipital nerves are located along the back of the head just above the neck. By injecting a numbing or anti-inflammatory medication, it is possible to reduce swelling and inflammation in […]
Continue Reading...Migraine Headaches
Migraines are headaches that cause throbbing or pulsating pain that is usually limited to one side of the head. These headaches affect everyone differently, with some people experience mild to moderate migraines lasting for only a half hour, and others battling debilitating pain for hours or even days on end. Not everyone is prone to […]
Continue Reading...Cervical Medial Branch Block
Cervical medial branch blocks are diagnostic injections used patients who suffer from chronic neck, upper back, shoulder, and headache pain. These injections contain an anesthetic that is applied to the medial branch nerves located near the facet joints of the cervical spine. When the facet joints become inflamed, the nearby medial branch nerves send pain […]
Continue Reading...Cervical and Lumbar Radiculopathy
Cervical radiculopathy is a condition in which nerve roots in the cervical spine (neck) are compressed by surrounding vertebrae. Lumbar radiculopathy is an equivalent condition of the lower spine and is more common than cervical radiculopathy. Compression can damage the nerves nearest to the spine, causing immense pain, muscle weakness and even numbness in various […]
Continue Reading...Cervical Epidural Steroid Injection
Cervical epidural steroid injections are used for the treatment of chronic pain stemming from the cervical spine. This may present as upper back pain, neck pain, head pain, and pain that radiates into the upper extremities. The injections are non-surgical and performed on an outpatient basis. Usually, a combination of steroidal and numbing medications is […]
Continue Reading...Atypical Facial Pain
Facial pain that originates from an unknown source is usually diagnosed as atypical facial pain. Not to be mistaken for trigeminal neuralgia, which is sporadic and intense facial pain caused by pressure on the trigeminal nerve, atypical facial pain occurs chronically and is often of psychologic origin. This condition can present with either sharp or […]
Continue Reading...Botox for Migraines
Botox – the cosmetic formulation frequently used to help smooth lines and wrinkles – is effective in the treatment of chronic migraine headaches. Millions of Americans suffer from migraine headaches, many of which are debilitating. As an alternative to pain medications, which provide only temporary relief, Botox that is given at regular intervals, a few […]
Continue Reading...Spinal Cord Stimulator Trial
A spinal cord stimulator trial is a temporary stimulating wire used over the course of several days to determine whether a permanent stimulator implant would be effective for providing a patient with long-term pain relief. Spinal cord stimulators deliver low voltage electrical pulses to the epidural space outside the spinal cord, relieving chronic or intense […]
Continue Reading...Sacroiliac Joint Injection
The sacroiliac (SI) joints are found at the base of the spine at the convergence of the sacrum and ilium bones. The joints where these two bones come together can become injured or inflamed, causing radiating pain, tingling, and other uncomfortable sensations in the lower back, hips, and lower extremities. Injections are given to both […]
Continue Reading...Lumbar Transforaminal Epidural Steroid Injection
Lumbar transforaminal epidural steroid injections are pain management tools used to hone in on specific nerves responsible for lower back pain and radiculopathy in the lower extremities. During a transforaminal injection, steroids are injected directly into the neural foramen where nerves exit the spine. In comparison to interlaminar and caudal epidural steroid injections, transforaminal ESIs […]
Continue Reading...Lumbar Sympathetic Block
A lumbar sympathetic block is an injection of numbing medication to temporarily numb the nerves in the sympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nerves are located in the lower back on each side of the spine, stretching from the spine into the lower body and legs. They are primarily responsible for regulating blood flow, although they […]
Continue Reading...Lumbar Radiofrequency Ablation
Radiofrequency ablation is a medical procedure used to alleviate chronic lower back pain caused by an inflamed facet joint. The facet joints are located in pairs along the spine, from which medial branch nerves submit pain signals to the brain. A radiofrequency ablation (RFA) destroys these nerves using an electrically charged needle that submits heat […]
Continue Reading...Lumbar Medial Branch Block
The lower spine is lined with small joints called facet joints. These joints contain medial nerves that submit pain signals to the brain when the joint has become inflamed. A lumbar medial branch block is a numbing injection administered to the nerves of an inflamed facet joint in the lower back. The medication ‘blocks’ pain […]
Continue Reading...Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)
What is Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) Complex regional pain syndrome, previously called RSD, is a chronic pain condition. The pain usually starts in one limb after an injury such as a broken bone, surgery, or trauma. Over time, the pain can spread to areas outside of the injury. The hallmark feature of this condition […]
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