Pain management

We always have at least one of our board-certified anesthesiologists on-site, so you have access to the care you need 24/7. Our anesthesiologists provide care in the following areas:

• Bariatric surgery
• Cardiovascular surgery
• Labor and delivery unit
• Neurosurgical procedures
• Pediatric surgery

Anesthesiology services can help you deal with chronic pain caused by:

• Arthritis
• Back injuries
• Cancer
• Complex regional pain syndrome
• Incorrectly treated postoperative pain
• Migraines
• Neck injuries
• Shingles
• Spinal cord injuries

Personalized approach to anesthesia

We work closely with surgeons, obstetricians and other staff to identify the safest, most effective anesthesia options for you during surgery. Anesthesiologists are also a valuable resource regarding postoperative pain management. They provide treatment options if you are experiencing chronic pain and help care for you in our intensive care units (ICUs).

If you experience back pain, an epidural injection may provide the pain relief you need. An epidural can help decrease inflammation associated with conditions, such as spinal stenosis, disc herniation or degenerative disc disease. The effects of an epidural injection tend to be temporary, lasting from one week to a year.

Generally, you may be limited to three epidural injections a year. Three may not always be necessary if one or two resolve your pain.

Benefits of epidural injections

For pain relief, injections can be more effective than an oral medication because they deliver medication directly to the location generating the pain. Typically, a steroid medication is injected to reduce inflammation and pain. It can also be used to help determine specifically which structure in the back is generating pain.

SI joint blocks are injections primarily used to diagnose and treat low back pain associated with sacroiliac joint dysfunction. The SI joint lies next to the spine and connects the sacrum (bottom of the spine) with the pelvis (hip).

During an SI joint block injection, a physician uses fluoroscopic guidance to insert a needle into the SI joint. A numbing agent and a steroid are then injected into the joint.

You may receive an SI joint block injection up to three times per year. For the treatment to be successful, the injection should be followed by physical therapy or chiropractic adjustments to help with range of motion and mobility.

SNRBs are primarily used to determine the source of nerve root pain. It can also be used to treat low back pain or leg pain by reducing inflammation around the nerve root.

Before the injection, a local anesthetic is used to numb the skin at the injection site. Once anesthesia has been administered, fluoroscopic guidance is used to precisely place the needle in the correct position for the injection. SNRBs are generally limited to three times a year.