Pain Management is Moving Beyond Opioids
Whether you’re living with chronic pain or just need temporary relief as you recover from an accident, injury, or surgery — you’re sure to be interested in anything that might make you more comfortable without the risk of addiction or unwanted side effects.
While opioid medicines remain a useful and necessary tool in pain management and likely will for the foreseeable future — there are quite a few other options available that most people aren’t aware of.
Epidural Steroid Injections
Epidural Steroid Injections (ESIs) are the method Dr. Koppel uses to route anti-inflammatory medication directly into the epidural space surrounding the spinal nerves. ESIs help to both decrease inflammation and relieve pain. They may also be used for diagnostic purposes.
ESIs are often used at Garden State Pain Management to manage pain from conditions like herniated discs, lumbar or cervical radiculopathy, spinal stenosis, and sciatica. The procedure offers substantial pain relief and can enhance the patient’s quality of life.
Cervical Injection Therapy
At Garden State Pain Management, cervical injection therapy is another method we use for getting anti-inflammatory medicines directly to the nerves that need attention. Like epidural steroid injections, we are sending relief directly into the epidural space, except in this case, we are addressing the spinal nerves in the neck.
This approach helps reduce inflammation and alleviate pain. Dr. Koppel uses cervical injections to manage pain from conditions ranging from cervical radiculopathy and herniated discs to spinal stenosis and cervical degenerative disc disease. Like epidural injections, this procedure can be used to both block pain and help pinpoint its source.
Lumbar Injection Therapy
Lumbar injection therapy is very similar to ESI and cervical injection therapy in that we inject anti-inflammatory medicines into the epidural space that surrounds the nerves in the spine. Again, we may aim to manage pain or pinpoint its source (often, it’s both).
The main difference between these procedures is the location where the shots are administered. Lumbar injection therapy targets the lower back to address pain from conditions like herniated discs, spinal stenosis, lumbar radiculopathy, and sciatica.
Pain Relief Through High-Tech Ablation
One of the most popular modern tools for treating some chronic pain conditions is ablation. Ablation refers to the precision neutralization of nerves to block pain. Modern ablation techniques used by pain management doctors can be implemented with extreme precision so that only the targeted area of nerve tissue is destroyed. This has made ablation an attractive and long-lasting solution for chronic pain.
Laser Ablation
This technique uses focused laser energy to target and destroy nerve tissue. It is most often used in pain management for back or neck pain.
Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA)
Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) is a pain management technique that uses heat generated by radio waves to target specific nerves and reduce pain signals. It has been used to treat various chronic pain conditions, including back pain and arthritis.
Cryoablation
The cryoablation method uses extreme cold to freeze and destroy nerve tissue. It is often used in pain management to precisely target specific areas where pain is being transmitted. Surgeons also use it for certain types of tumors.
Chemical Ablation
Chemical ablation involves injecting solutions, such as alcohol or phenol, to destroy nerve tissue. It relieves pain in specific chronic pain conditions, including trigeminal neuralgia, peripheral nerve pain, chronic low back pain, and arthritic joint pain. Chemical ablation is not the only option for these conditions; it is just one of several available.
Garden State Pain Management in Clifton, NJ
Don’t let chronic pain compromise your quality of life any longer! Dr. Todd Koppel is here to help, and he has more than 20 years of experience in pain management in New Jersey.
Whether your pain is chronic or from an injury, surgery, or accident — we can help.
Reach out to us at Garden State Pain Management. Our team of dedicated back pain specialists and medical professionals are here to offer you the latest pain management and treatment strategies tailored to your needs.
Call us today to schedule your appointment, or you can conveniently book your appointment online.