Injections Specialist

How are injections used for pain management?

Injections have both diagnostic and therapeutic uses in the management of pain. For example, Dr. Sen uses nerve blocks to diagnose precisely where your pain is originating from, but can also use the same procedure to reduce pain in the affected area.

Dr. Sen uses joint injections for pain relief and stimulates tissue regeneration using platelet-rich plasma therapy (PRP) or stem cells. He can also carry out treatments such as spinal cord stimulation or radiofrequency ablation, using electrical currents to relieve pain rather than medication.

What kinds of injections are used in pain management?

Nerve blocks usually contain corticosteroid medication and an anesthetic and are one of the main injectable treatments used in managing pain.

Facet joint block

Facet joints are the parts of your spine where small joints in the vertebrae overlap each other and become painful from arthritis or inflammation.  Dr. Sen may recommend a facet joint block for your back pain.

Medial Branch nerve block

These are small nerves that supply the small joints in the vertebrae, and Dr. Sen can recommend medial branch block to get relief from arthritis or inflamation of these joints.

Transforaminal nerve root block

A transforaminal nerve root block targets pain that involves a single nerve in your arm or leg. Dr. Sen uses X-Ray imagery to guide him when he makes a transforaminal injection.

Epidural Injections

Epidurals may be helpful for back or neck pain caused by inflammation or damaged nerves, sciatica, spinal stenosis, degenerated or herniated discs and spondylolisthesis,

Sacroiliac joint injections

Sacroiliac joint injection targets the sacroiliac joint in the buttock area, for relief of pain caused by inflamation, arthritis or sacroiliac joint dysfunction.

Radiofrequency nerve ablation

Newer technology and innovation has lead to ever increasing use of this procedure. Dr. Sen can recommend radiofrequency nerve ablataion for chronic low back or neck pain caused by facet joint disease. This procedure can also be used to treat chronic knee pain and hip pain.

Lumbar sympathetic nerve block

A sympathetic nerve block affects the nerves responsible for involuntary functions such as opening blood vessels. This procedure is used to treat conditions like reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD) and chronic regional pain syndrome (CRPS).

Stellate ganglion block

A type of sympathetic nerve block that affects pain originating in the head, neck, arms, or chest.

Spinal cord stimulator

This is a procedure that is offered for chronic back/leg and neck/arm pain caused by scar tissue that is generated after neck or back surgery. Conditions used to treat this include failed back or neck syndrome (post laminectomy syndrome), spinal stenosis, lumbar or cervical radiculopathy. This is also a very effective treatment for conditions like chronic regional pain syndrome(CRPS), post amputation phantom limb pain and painful peripheral neuropathy.

Joint injections

Dr. Sen can recommend a whole variety of joint injections when some of these joints can become painful from arthritis or inflamation. These include large joints like hip joint, knee joint, shoulder joint, or smaller joints like wrist joint, ankle joint or joints of the hand and foot. Dr. Sen uses fluroscopy or ultrasound to effectively target these joints.

Trigger point injections

Muscle is any part of your body can become painful from spasm or inflamation, and Dr. Sen can recommend trigger point injections to target these painful areas.

What other injectable treatments are available?

Dr. Sen uses several other forms of treatment in addition to nerve blocks. Platelet-rich plasma injections and stem cell injections use powerful regenerative cells from your blood to trigger the body’s natural healing mechanisms, so new tissue grows where damaged tissue is causing pain.

If you have chronic pain that’s not responding to initial and conservative forms of treatment, injections can offer significant relief. Call Prime Regenerative and Pain Management today to find out more, or book an appointment online.