Pain Management
Chronic pain can be extremely debilitating and affect patients to a point where it disrupts every aspect of their lives, from their ability to work and participate in physical activities to affecting their eating habits and generally causing a loss of quality of life.
Although in most cases, surgery is the last resource to treat chronic pain, in some instances, it’s the only viable option left for severely affected patients.
At Alpha Surgical Centers, our team of highly-trained pain management physicians customize chronic pain treatments to each individual’s needs with excellent results thanks to the state-of-the-art technology available at our facility.
Types of Treatments
Alpha Surgical Center specializes in a number of pain management procedures, including:
Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is a technique useful in treating chronic neuropathic and sympathetic nerve pain.
The procedure involves the surgical implantation of electrodes in the epidural space that sends low electricity levels into the spinal cord to relieve pain.
SCS can significantly improve your sleep, reduce your need for pain medications and improve your overall quality of life.
Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) is a technique involving the use of radiofrequency aimed at disrupting nerve signals.
The procedure uses a particular type of needle to deliver radio waves to a painful nerve. After the treatment, the nerve is stunned and unable to transmit pain signals from the injured area.
The nerve typically heals within 1-2 years of treatment.
A discogram or discography is an invasive diagnostic test that uses CT scans or x-rays to obtain images of an injured disc in your spine.
The procedure consists of injecting a special dye into the injured disc or discs to make them visible. Discograms are instrumental in locating displaced, weakened, or damaged discs, and the injection can temporarily reduce the patient’s back pain.
This procedure is sometimes used before a scheduled surgery to help identify the discs that require treatment.
An arthrogram or arthrography is an invasive imagining test used in conjunction with x-rays, CT scans, or MRIs to examine painful joints, including the shoulder, knee, hip, wrist, ankle, or elbow.
The procedure is instrumental in identifying tears in the joint’s soft tissue such as cartilage, joint capsules, ligaments, and tendons. It can also check for damage from repeated dislocation or trauma in the join, check prosthetic joints, and look for loose bodies.
Pain pumps are devices capable of delivering medication directly to the injured area of the spinal cord. Our surgeons implant the infusion pump under your abdomen’s skin and attach a catheter around your spinal cord.
This procedure’s primary benefit is the drug being delivered directly to the pain area, allowing you to control your pain symptoms with a much lower dose than required with oral medication.
Epidural steroid injection (ESI) is an elective technique where a qualified physician injects corticosteroids into the epidural space around the spinal cord.
The procedure aims to improve pain associated with certain conditions, including spinal disc herniation and spinal stenosis.
Epidural steroid injections provide the best outcomes when performed with imaging guidance, ensuring the correct placement of the needle and maximizing the therapy’s effectiveness.
Nerve block procedures involve injecting medication to interrupt the signals traveling along a nerve. The technique works by alleviating inflammation and “turning off” pain signals. A nerve block is an effective way to provide temporary pain relief, allow a damaged nerve time to heal, and help identify the root cause of pain.
The procedure requires imaging guidance to help locate the most appropriate injection site to maximize benefit.
Who Can Benefit from Pain Management Surgery?
Many patients can benefit from our surgical expertise, state-of-the-art facilities, and advanced technology.
Surgical produces used to identify, remove, or repair damaged tissue can be lifesaving and are known to extend and improve patients’ lives.
Patients experiencing a range of symptoms, including severe pain or those diagnosed with certain medical conditions, can take advantage of our safe, convenient, and highly successful procedures.