WHAT IS BACK PAIN?

We use a variety of interventional procedures to treat pain. Guidance from X-ray or ultrasound imaging helps us deliver the therapy to the exact source of your pain. We strive to give you the most pain relief possible. The interventional treatment options include the following.

Epidural steroid injections help us treat irritated spinal nerve roots that cause pain in your neck, shoulders, arms, upper and lower back, buttocks, or legs. Many conditions can cause this type of pain, such as herniated disc, degenerative disc disease, and arthritis.  X-ray guidance helps us inject low doses of long-lasting corticosteroids (potent anti-inflammatory pain medications) directly into the source of the pain. This approach decreases inflammation and helps you feel better. these procedures take about five minutes under local anesthesia.

Medial branch blocks/facet joint injections are injections, which we perform using X-ray guidance, that help us diagnose and treat pain that comes from the small joints of the spine (facet joints). Disease in these joints, including arthritis, can cause pain in the head, neck, upper and lower back, and buttocks. These procedures take about five minutes.

Major joint injections help relieve pain from many causes, including osteoarthritis. We inject medications such as corticosteroids, local anesthetics, or hyaluronic acid directly into the source of the pain. To find the precise right location, we use either X-rays or ultrasounds. This procedure takes two minutes.

Kyphoplasty (balloon kyphoplasty)

Compression fractures usually begin with tiny breaks in the vertebrae that can occur as bones get softer and weaker over time. These fractures can result in changes in the shape of your spine affecting your posture and making it more difficult to breathe while also causing pain and potentially, immobility.

A spinal X-ray is done to confirm your diagnosis. Next, a CT scan or MRI may be performed to reveal more detail about the bone, surrounding nerves, and the condition of other discs.

We thread a small balloon through an incision in the back to the site of the injury. Then we inflate it to gently push any damaged bone back into place. Finally, we insert cement into the site to hold the bone in proper position. This procedure is performed under local anesthesia and sedation.

Discography

Discography focuses on your physical response to pressure on specific spinal discs. This procedure injects a dye into your disc which causes pressure and will result in a response that will determine if your back pain is disc-related and what areas of your back need attention.

As one of the most reliable diagnostic tools for this type of pain, we recommend discography if you have undergone extensive tests and treatments, but still suffer from severe groin, hip, leg, or lower back pain.