- Braces and Orthotics
Your doctor may prescribe a neck or back brace for you to wear after a spinal injury or surgery. A brace does three things: immobilizes your spine during healing; stabilizes injured areas; controls pain by restricting movement.
- Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic medicine aims to improve health by restoring structure and function to the spine and other joints. Stress, accidents, overexertion, or other injuries may cause minor displacement (subluxation) of the spinal vertebra. When a vertebra is displaced or an extremity is affected, muscle tension or irritation to the spinal nerves can result, causing pain (e.g., neck, back, headache, whiplash) and impairing overall health.
- Epidural Steroid Injection (ESI
An epidural steroid injection (ESI) is a minimally invasive procedure that can help relieve neck, arm, back, and leg pain caused by inflamed spinal nerves. ESI may be performed to relieve pain caused by spinal stenosis, spondylolysis, or disc herniation. Medicines are delivered to the spinal nerve through the epidural space, the area between the protective covering of the spinal cord and vertebrae. The effects of ESI tend to be temporary. Pain relief may last for several days or even years.
- Exercise, Core exercises to strengthen the spine
Your core muscles support your spine. The muscles in your abdomen and back - which we call the "core" - are central to your everyday spine health. They are at the heart of any fitness plan to strengthen a healthy or ailing back. Just as you protect your heart through cardiovascular exercises, you will benefit from strengthening your back through core exercises.
- Joint Injections
A steroid injection is a minimally invasive procedure that can temporarily relieve pain caused by an inflamed joint. The cause of joint pain (arthritis, injury, degeneration) is not well understood. The procedure has two purposes. First, it can be used as a diagnostic test to see if the pain is actually coming from the joint. Second, it can be used as a treatment to relieve inflammation and pain caused by various conditions.
- Nerve block injection test
A nerve block injection, also called a pain receptor block injection, is a minimally invasive procedure that can temporarily relieve joint or nerve pain. The procedure is used as a diagnostic test to determine if the pain is actually coming from the nerve or joint. The effects of a nerve/pain receptor block tend to be temporary and are rarely long term. If the block is successful, then a radiofrequency ablation may be recommended.
- Nerve radiofrequency ablation
A radiofrequency ablation is a minimally invasive procedure that destroys the nerve fibers carrying pain signals to the brain. It can provide lasting relief for people with chronic pain, especially in the lower back, neck and arthritic joints. If you suffer recurrent pain and you've experienced good relief with a nerve block injection, you may be a candidate for a radiofrequency ablation.
- Occipital nerve block injection
An occipital nerve block injection can help relieve headache and neuralgia pain at the back of the skull. Sometimes numbing the occipital nerve blocks the pain signals and reduces chronic headache. The effects of a nerve block tend to be temporary. If successful, a radiofrequency ablation may be recommended for longer pain relief.
- Pain management
Acute pain starts suddenly and improves over time with healing. Chronic pain persists and is often present in ongoing conditions such as arthritis or cancer. Pain management is an integrated approach to making pain tolerable by learning coping skills. This may include exercise, physical therapy, medication, holistic therapies, and counseling.
- Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
Physiatry, also called physical medicine and rehabilitation, is a medical specialty that uses physical means to help in diagnosis, healing, and rehabilitation. Physiatrists specialize in the treatment of patients with chronic illness (stroke) or injury (spinal cord, brain), acute and chronic pain, and musculoskeletal injuries. Many physiatrists specialize in the treatment of back pain.
- Physical therapy
Physical therapy is an important part of a nonsurgical approach to maintain, restore, and improve overall physical health. Pain-free mobility is crucial for physical independence, earning a living, quality of life and well being. Working with a doctor, a physical therapist (PT) can help patients who have suffered an injury, disease, or those recovering from surgery.
- Posture and Body Mechanics
Good posture involves training your body to stand, walk, sit, and lie in positions where the least strain is placed on supporting muscles and ligaments during movement or weight-bearing activities. The spine's curves work like a coiled spring to absorb shock, maintain balance, and to facilitate the full range of motion throughout the spinal column.
- Self care for neck & back pain
Eight out of 10 people will suffer from back or neck pain at some point in their life. Acute pain is abrupt, intense pain that subsides after a period of days or weeks. However, some people continue to suffer from pain that continues despite nonsurgical or surgical treatment methods. This long-term pain is called chronic pain.
- Spinal cord stimulation
Spinal cord stimulation delivers low voltage current to block the feeling of pain. A small device implanted in the body transmits an electrical current to the spinal cord. When turned on, the stimulation feels like a mild tingling in the area where pain is felt. It helps patients with chronic pain better manage symptoms and potentially decrease use of pain medications.
- Sympathetic nerve block
A lumbar sympathetic block is an injection of a local anesthetic that can help relieve chronic leg and foot pain caused by conditions such as complex regional pain syndrome, reflex sympathetic dystrophy, vascular insufficiency, and shingles. Medications are delivered to the sympathetic nerves – a cluster of nerve cell bodies – along the front side of the spine. The goal is to reduce pain so that you can resume normal activities and physical therapy.
- Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS)
Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) is a noninvasive device placed on the skin that can help control pain. Use of this small, battery-operated device can block pain signals from reaching the brain and potentially reduce pain medication. It is important to remember that TENS does not cure or eliminate the cause of pain and is not effective for every patient.