Treating Chronic Pain Responsibly
We at Pain Specialists understand struggling with chronic pain can quickly take over your life and not only keep you from doing the things you love, but can be mentally taxing. Our Pain Specialist providers are experts in treating unmanaged, long-lasting pain in a variety of approaches.
Schedule an appointment today with our pain specialist team at Family Health West in Fruita, Colorado, and leave your chronic pain behind.
Relieve Your Pain, Restore Your Life
Why Choose Family Health West Pain Specialists for Your Chronic Pain Management Needs?
Chronic pain is debilitating and can significantly impact a person’s quality of life, making it difficult to perform even the simplest daily activities. Finding a trusted and experienced healthcare provider who will help manage your condition and improve your overall well-being is essential. Simply living with chronic pain is not acceptable. By rooting out the cause of your pain, we work to find the best treatment option for long-term sustainability in pain control.
Family Health West Pain Specialists is a comprehensive pain management clinic that provides various interventional treatments and therapies to help patients manage their chronic pain. With our interdisciplinary approach, we provide a personalized treatment plan to address your pain management needs without the use of pain medication.
Spinal Cord Stimulation: A Breakthrough Treatment for Chronic Pain
A Spinal Cord Stimulator (SMS) is typically recommended after individuals have exhausted all other interventions to treat their chronic pain. It is a safe and effective option for treating specific chronic pain conditions such as:
- Inoperable chronic limb ischemia
- Diabetic Neuropathy
- Failed back surgery syndrome
- Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)
One of the major benefits of SCS is its ability to provide pain relief with little to no side effects. Unlike traditional pain management options such as medication, SCS does not cause addiction or interfere with the patient’s daily activities. Many patients report improved quality of life within a few days of undergoing the device placement.
Spinal Cord Stimulation is a minimally invasive procedure involving placing wires near the spinal cord and attaching them to a small battery device underneath the skin. This device sends electrical impulses to the spinal cord to interfere with pain signals before they reach the brain, reducing the pain sensation.
The spinal cord stimulator is initially placed for only a short trial period, and is a quick 45-minute procedure in our Outpatient Procedure Center. During the trial period, the patient will work closely with the SCS team to determine the effectiveness of the treatment. If the patient experiences significant relief, the device will be permanently implanted, typically within a month of the trial period.
Schedule a consultation with a pain management specialist to learn more about this breakthrough treatment and determine if it’s right for you.
Radiofrequency Ablation Neurotomy
The FHW Pain Specialist clinic offers radiofrequency ablation neurotomy, a medical procedure for treating chronic neck, back, and leg pain. It can also treat painful arthritis in larger joints such as the knees, shoulders, and hips. It involves using radiofrequency energy to disrupt nerve conduction and reduce pain signals.
Radiofrequency ablation neurotomy can be an effective treatment for chronic pain caused by conditions such as arthritis and other joint pain. The procedure is generally considered safe, and most patients experience significant pain relief after a few days.
Radiofrequency Ablation Neurotomy
Radiofrequency ablation neurotomy involves using radiofrequency energy to heat the nerve fibers and disrupt their ability to transmit pain signals. It is typically performed using a needle-like probe that is inserted into the skin near the affected nerve. The probe delivers thermal energy at a high temperature to destroy the nerve for a temporary amount of time. This impedes pain signals from reaching the brain.
Potential Side Effects
Potential risks and side effects of radiofrequency ablation neurotomy include pain, bleeding, and infection. However, these side effects are rare, and most patients tolerate the procedure well. If you’re considering radiofrequency ablation neurotomy for your pain, it’s essential to discuss the pros and cons of this treatment with your doctor to determine whether it may be right for you.
Epidural Steroid Injections
The FHW Pain Specialist Clinic offers epidural steroid injections, another common treatment for managing chronic pain in the lower back and legs. There are two main types of epidural steroid injections: transforaminal and interlaminar. Both of these injections involve injecting a mixture of steroid and anesthetic medications into the epidural space surrounding the spinal cord.
Transforaminal Epidural Steroid and Interlaminar Epidural Steroid Injections
Transforaminal epidural steroid injections are a type of nerve block that targets specific nerve roots. They are performed by injecting the medication through a small needle into the area near the affected nerve root. This injection is beneficial for treating leg pain caused by spinal nerve compression, such as sciatica.
On the other hand, interlaminar epidural steroid injections are injections placed into the middle of the epidural space. This type of injection is used to treat more widespread lower back pain that is not specifically related to a particular nerve root. Interlaminar injections can provide more widespread pain relief compared to transforaminal injections.
Procedure and Potential Side Effects
Both transforaminal and interlaminar epidural steroid injections are generally considered safe and effective for managing chronic pain. Most patients experience significant pain relief after just one or two treatments, although some patients may require additional injections to achieve optimal pain relief.
Potential risks of an epidural steroid injection include bleeding or infection, although these are rare. However, you may experience a side effect from the steroid itself. If you’re considering epidural steroid injections for your pain, it’s important to discuss the pros and cons of this treatment with your doctor to determine whether it may be right for you.
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is a chronic pain condition that affects the limbs, such as the arm, leg, hand, or foot. It is caused by damage to the nervous system and can be triggered by an injury, surgery, or even a stroke.
The main symptom of CRPS is intense, burning pain disproportionate to the original injury. This pain can be accompanied by other symptoms, such as swelling, skin changes (redness or discoloration), and limited movement in the affected limb.
CRPS is a complex condition that can be difficult to diagnose and treat. The exact cause of CRPS is unknown, but it is thought to involve a malfunction in the nervous system, where pain signals become amplified and persist even after the original injury has healed.
Treatment for CRPS at the FHW Pain Specialist clinic typically involves a combination of medication, physical therapy, and nerve blocks. Medications, such as NSAIDS and anticonvulsants, can help to relieve pain and manage other symptoms. Physical therapy can help to improve mobility and function in the affected limb, while nerve blocks can help to block the transmission of pain signals to the brain.
In severe cases, CRPS can significantly impact a person’s quality of life. We work closely with individuals with CRPS to determine the best treatment plan for their specific needs.
Nerve Blocks
Nerve blocks done at the FHW Pain Specialist clinic are a popular and effective method for relieving chronic pain. They work by blocking the transmission of pain signals from specific nerves to the brain, helping to reduce or eliminate the pain that a person is experiencing.
Nerve blocks can be used to treat a variety of chronic pain conditions, including but not limited to migraines, neck and back pain, complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), and phantom limb pain. They can also be combined with other pain management techniques, such as physical therapy and medications, to maximize pain relief. This treatment option is available at our FHW Pain Specialist clinic
Several types of nerve blocks exist; The type used will depend on the condition being treated and the pain location.
Peripheral Nerve Blocks
Peripheral nerve blocks are injections that target specific nerves or nerve bundles to block pain signals. They can be performed using local anesthesia, which numbs the area being treated, or with conscious sedation, which helps the patient relax and reduces discomfort.
Sympathetic Nerve Blocks
Sympathetic nerve blocks target the sympathetic nervous system, which regulates the body’s fight-or-flight response. These blocks can be used to treat conditions such as CRPS, a chronic pain condition that an injury or surgery can cause.
If you’re suffering from chronic pain and want to explore the options offered through the FHW Pain Specialist clinic, it’s important to talk to your doctor to determine whether nerve blocks may be right for you.
Other Nerve Blocks
We also treat other conditions with nerve blocks, such as pelvic pain, abdominal pain, post-herpetic neuralgia, TMJ, leg and foot pain, tailbone pain, and more. Local anesthetic is used, and occasionally a steroid is added to help reduce inflammation around the affected nerves.
Relief Has Arrived
By combining specialists from different areas, we can offer multiple paths to treating your pain effectively and responsibly. We offer narcotic-free, non-surgical, and minimally invasive techniques proven to help quickly manage your chronic pain.
