Some Types of Outpatient Treatment Utilized
- Procedural diagnostics and therapy
- Pharmacological-today there is a wider variety of medication available, with fewer side effects, than ever before
- Physical and occupational therapy and rehabilitation services
- Psychological and behavioral therapies
- Functional capacity and impairment evaluation
- Comprehensive pain rehabilitation programs
- Work hardening
- Aquatics
Diagnostic and Therapeutic Procedural Therapies
Identifying the source of pain generation is often complex. A variety of procedures, including neural blocks, can aid in diagnosis. Having successfully identified the source of pain, the physician can then use this information to make the most appropriate choice of treatment. Examples of some of these procedures include:
- Epidural Steroid Injection
- Spinal injections
- Selective Nerve Root Block
- Facet Joint Injection
- Lumbar Sympathetic Block
- Stellate Ganglion Block
- Peripheral Nerve Blocks
- Trigger Point Injection
- Other Joint Injections and Procedures
For pain which is not responsive to more conventional treatments there are more advanced procedures utilized. Examples include:
- Spinal stimulation
- Radiofrequency nerve ablation
Behavior Pain Intervention
Manifestations of pain can include depression, anxiety, anger, and fatigue resulting in personal, marital, family, and employment difficulties. A variety of therapies are available as an adjunct to medical therapies and can be employed to enhance one’s quality of life:
- Biofeedback
- Cognitive behavioral therapy
- Stress management
- Relaxation training
- Psychophysiological training
- Imagery
- Group/Family therapy
- Hypnotherapy
Physical and Occupational Therapy
Pain can lead to functional problems such as decreased mobility, ambulatory difficulty, muscle weakness, etc. To prevent and restore function, we may utilize a full range of physical therapy services such as:
- Physical therapy-strengthening, modalities, etc
- Myofascial release and massage
- Aquatics
- Electrical nerve and muscle stimulation
- Desensitization of painful areas, scars
- Adaptive equipment
