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Different Categories Of Pain Management Injections

The epidemic level of acute and chronic pain in the United States has reached epidemic proportions. 

According to the Institute of Medicine, over 100 million Americans are affected by pain. The good news is that pain management technology has advanced to the point where patients have a greater chance of obtaining pain relief. You can book your appointment with Dr. Ricky! for pain management.

Injection Purpose

Pain management procedures serve numerous purposes. They can verify that the area in question is indeed the pain generator. Injections can also help patients walk better and function better. They can also help to reduce the use of narcotic medication. 

These injections may enable individuals to take part in physical therapy, which may make them feel less pain than if they were not given the injections. They can also help patients delay or avoid surgery.

Diagnostic Injections

Any musculoskeletal area can be used for diagnostic blocks. A discogram is a procedure where the doctor injects fluid into a space in the disk that is suspected to be causing back pain. 

A positive diagnostic discogram is one that shows that fluid injected into a disk causes the patient to experience the same pain every day. This is a painful test and it is not therapeutic.

Therapeutic injections

However, there are some diagnostic blocks that can also be used for therapeutic purposes. A facet injection is one example. The pain doctor may be able to determine if the facet is causing the patient's pain. 

The patient may also experience pain relief for as long as a few weeks or months. A selective nerve root injection is another form of diagnostic block.