What is Pain Management?

Pain management is not just pain relief. It’s a specialty of medicine that focuses on reducing pain and improving the quality of life for patients with pain-related conditions. Pain management is a process in which acute or chronic pain is controlled as much as possible with a variety of treatments. The goal is to minimize the pain resulting from surgery, injury, disease or infection to improve the quality of life. Dr Manvar’s goal is to develop treatment plans that specifically target the type of pain. Common pain conditions include:

• Arthritis, including osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis
• Back injuries and conditions like sciatica and herniated disks
• Musculoskeletal conditions due to injuries or disease
• Chronic pain disorders like fibromyalgia
• Headaches like migraine headaches and cluster headaches
• Nerve damage
• Facial pain caused by conditions like trigeminal neuralgia

Who is a Pain Management Doctor?

Dr. Manvar is physician who has completed extensive training and is double board certified in Anesthesiology and Interventional Pain Management. He is an expert in diagnosing, treating, and managing pain to improve patients’ well-being. Dr. Manvar is well-versed in treating chronic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia or back pain, but he can also treat acute pain problems like pain after surgery or an injury. He is a specialist to help reduce the need for opioids and other pain medications and improve patients’ quality of life.

What Will My Appointment be Like?

When you visit us at Integrative Pain & Spine Institute, Dr. Manvar will perform a physical exam and ask about your medical history and current pain symptoms. Updated XRays or MRIs  may be ordered to help diagnose the source of your pain. He will work with you to create an individualized treatment plan which may include medications, interventional procedures and/or physical therapy.  We may even consult physicians in other specialties like rheumatology, neurology, orthopedics, neurosurgery and psychiatry to form a team to address and treat more complex sources of pain.

What are Some Options for Pain Management?

How pain management works depends on the type of treatment plan developed. The plan normally involves a variety of treatments and lifestyle changes. The goal is to reduce or manage pain without relying on highly addictive medications. Conservative therapies like physical therapy are usually the first line treatment. Another top goal is to help you develop the skills to manage your own pain. This makes it more likely you can begin enjoying life activities or return to work. By using a range of interventional, nonsurgical and complementary treatments, surgery is often avoided in many cases.

Some of the typical elements of a pain management program developed at a pain clinic include:

1. Physical therapy

   A physical therapist develops an exercise plan that includes stretching, walking, strengthening and/or aerobic exercises; exercises are designed to increase mobility and flexibility.

2. Weight loss and dietary changes

   Carrying too much weight can increase pain, especially in the joints; weight loss can lead to a significant reduction in pain intensity and lead to increased physical activity and lower psychological distress.

3. Exercise

   Gentle home exercises to increase range of motion and flexibility have proven to improve physical functioning for pain conditions like osteoarthritis, low back pain, neck pain, fibromyalgia, spinal cord injury, etc. As the body gets stronger, pain severity lessens and quality of life improves.

4. Medications

   There are a variety of non-opioid medications used in pain management plans, including NSAIDS, neuropathic pain medications, antidepressants and muscle relaxants.

5. Minimally-Invasive, Non-Surgical Injections

   Injections under image guidance like live XR or ultrasound allow Dr. Manvar to treat the exact source of your pain. These can be performed almost anywhere in the body including joints (hips, knees, shoulders), bursa (hips, shoulders), peripheral nerves (groin, elbow, wrists, hands) and even into the epidural space to help with spinal stenosis. These are immediately effective and require minimal down time.

6. Pain Procedures

   Depending on the specific condition spinal cord stimulation, radiofrequency ablation, peripheral nerve stimulation, vertiflex and the MILD procedure all improve pain relief at specific locations to reduce the need for surgery.

What are the State-of-the-Art Treatments

A major advantage of visiting Integrative Pain & Spine Institute is that you get access to state-of-the-art medical treatments and the knowledge and expertise of a team of pain specialists. The pain process is complex, and each case is unique. Dr. Manvar is an expert in helping people restore their quality of life through pain reduction or elimination. Give us a call today to get back to an active life at 704-317-1440.