According to the medical journal PAIN, approximately 20-30% of opioids that are prescribed to patients for chronic pain are being misused. Unfortunately, this occurrence doesn’t just happen when patients intentionally misuse opioid medication; it can happen to those who use pills exactly as they are prescribed as well.
Although impactful, patients shouldn’t assume medications that don’t work for others wouldn’t work for them as well. In fact, the pain management specialists at Tulsa Pain administer a number of treatment options for patients with chronic pain, including prescription pain medication. Nevertheless, there are benefits to administering interventional pain care and alternative treatments for patients with chronic pain conditions.
For those unfamiliar with what interventional pain medicine is, it uses various techniques such as steroid injections, nerve blocks, radiofrequency ablation, spinal cord stimulation, and much more to deliver pain relief. These techniques are often administered either alone or in conjunction with other therapies such as prescription medication or physical and functional medicine. At Tulsa Pain, patients can benefit from a number of interventional pain procedures, including:
- Epidural Steroid Injection
- Facet Joint Injection
- Trigger Point Injections
- Nerve Block(s)
- Discogram
- Radiofrequency Ablation
Interventional pain care is beneficial for patients with certain musculoskeletal pain conditions because it delivers pain-relieving medication directly to the source of pain. Pain relief is often immediate and long-lasting thanks to the unique formulation, medication, or technique administered by the specific injection or treatment device.
Alternative therapies use various health care practices not found in conventional forms of medicine. At Tulsa Pain, patients can benefit from acupuncture, a traditional Chinese medicine that uses thin, sterilized needles to provide relief to pain points in the body. To learn more about acupuncture or some of the other interventional pain care options at Tulsa Pain, please visit our Pain Treatments section.
All in all, it’s important patients receive treatment that is right for them, and for them only. If you’re interested in a particular treatment modality, talk to your Tulsa Pain physician today to discuss the possibility of undergoing that treatment.
Highlights:
- Now more than ever, pain specialists are advocating for a holistic approach to pain care instead of relying solely on opioid medications for treatment.
- For many pain specialists, a combination of interventional pain medicine, alternative therapies, minimally invasive procedures, and pain medication is preferred for managing certain chronic pain conditions.
- Although every condition and patient is unique, the pain management physicians at Tulsa Pain discuss the benefits of interventional pain care and alternative therapies for treating chronic pain in this blog.
Tulsa Pain is a pain management practice in Oklahoma that specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of chronic pain. We are dedicated to helping those who are suffering find the relief they deserve. Our team uses a balanced approach by incorporating minimally invasive, outpatient procedures, complementary and alternative medicine, and medication to help patients take control of their pain. Call 918-742-7030 or click here to Request an Appointment to meet with one of our talented pain management specialists today!
The advice and information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace or counter a physician’s advice or judgment. Please always consult your physician before taking any advice learned here or in any other educational medical material.
