Greater Austin Pain Center relies on years of expertise to identify and treat your chronic pain issues. We are well-equipped to diagnose and treat all of the following:
Degenerative Disc Disease
Degenerative disc disease is a condition where the discs in between the vertebrae deteriorate or break down. Because the discs provide shock absorption and cushioning, degenerative disc disease can cause weakness, pain, muscle spasms, nerve injury, and stiffness.
Some people may not experience any symptoms.
Herniated Disc
Herniated disc is a condition where the soft, gel-like center of a spinal disc pushes through a tear in the tougher exterior. Sometimes it is called a “slipped disc” or a “ruptured disc.” A herniated disc can irritate nearby nerves and result in pain, numbness, or weakness in an arm or leg.
Most commonly, a herniated disc is most often the result of aging-related wear and tear (disc degeneration). As we age, the disks lose water content making them less flexible and less effective at cushioning. Herniated discs can also result from sudden pressure or abrupt forces, such as trauma, violence, motor-vehicle crashes, and sports.
Spinal Stenosis
Spinal stenosis is also called “spinal narrowing.” Spinal stenosis can cause pressure on the spinal cord and nerves within the spine, most commonly in the neck and lower back. Aging, arthritis, and degenerative conditions cause the bones to change shape and narrow where the spinal cord and nerves run.
Symptoms include pain, numbness, muscle weakness, and impaired bladder/bowel control. Epidural steroid injections (ESI) can help with symptom relief and improved daily function.
Shingles
Shingles is a reactivation of the chickenpox virus (varicella-zoster virus) that causes a painful rash. After recovering from chickenpox, the virus can lie dormant in nerve tissues near the spinal cord and brain. Vaccines can help reduce the risk of shingles.
Symptoms include pain, sensitivity to touch, red rash that begins after the pain, fluid-filled blisters, itching, fever, headache, and fatigue. Some people can develop post-herpetic neuralgia, a complication of shingles, which can lead to a burning pain that can last long after the rash and blisters of shingles resolve.
Cancer Pain
Cancer pain can be dull, achy, sharp, burning, and frequency and intensity can vary greatly. Most cancer pain is manageable. Proper medication management as well as specialized treatments such as a nerve block can help ease pain.
Neuralgia
Neuralgia is pain in the distribution of nerves. For example, trigeminal neuralgia is a chronic pain condition affecting the trigeminal nerve in the face. Neuralgia can be caused by aging, diseases like diabetes or multiple sclerosis, and infection (shingles). Neuralgia can be stabbing, burning, and often severe pain due to the irritated or damaged nerve.
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome is a chronic pain syndrome, formerly called reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD). Symptoms include burning pain, sensitivity to touch/cold, swelling, changes in skin temperature and color, etc. CPRS can develop after injury, surgery, stroke or heart attack.
Medication, physical therapy, TENS units, neurostimulators, etc are used to treat symptoms of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome.
Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD)
Peripheral artery disease, also called peripheral vascular disease, is a condition where poor circulation from narrowed blood vessels reduce blood flow to the limbs and can cause pain to your extremities, usually your legs. Peripheral artery disease is a sign of fatty deposits and calcium building up on the walls of the arteries.
Symptoms include muscle pain or cramping in your legs/arms that’s triggered by activity but disappears after few minutes of rest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal Tunnel is a common condition that occurs when the median nerve in the wrist is compressed or pinched. Pain, numbness and tingling in the hand and arm are the key symptoms. Risk factors include obesity, repetitive wrist work, pregnancy, and rheumatoid arthritis.
Medication, rest, wrist splints, and carpal tunnel injections may help to reduce pain and swelling.
Coccydynia (Tailbone Pain)
Coccydynia is the inflammation of the tailbone and associated with pain and tenderness at the tailbone between the buttocks. Trauma and falls are the most frequent causes of coccydynia. Coccydynia is usually first treated with NSAID medication.
A donut-shaped pillow can help relieve tailbone pressure. Pain medication, injections, nerve blocks, and physical therapy may help treat coccydynia.
Facet Joint Syndrome
Facet joint syndrome is pain that occurs at the joint between two vertebrae in the spine, and the joints allow your back to be flexible, bend, and twist. Natural aging process, arthritis, and certain spine conditions can restrict the way facet joints move.
This can lead to pain and restricted movement. Chronic cases of facet joint syndrome can be treated with medication, activity modification, and physical therapy. Facet block or injections can confirm that the facet joint is the source, radiofrequency ablation can be used to provide longer-lasting pain relief.
Sacroiliac (SI) Joint Dysfunction or SI Joint Pain
Sacroiliac joint dysfunction refers to the pain in the sacroiliac joint region that is caused by abnormal motion in the sacroiliac (SI) joint. This can cause lower back pain and/or leg pain. Leg pain from sacroiliac joint dysfunction can be difficult to differentiate from sciatic since it feels similar.
Treatment for sacroiliac (SI) joint dysfunction include, rest, ice/heat, chiropractic care, bracing, and SI joint injections. The injections can help alleviate pain to help return to daily activities.
Whiplash Injuries (Cervical Acceleration-Deceleration Syndrome)
Whiplash injuries are neck injuries that often occur as a result of car accidents, where the head suddenly moves backward and then forward. Other high impact activities, such as bungee jumping, rollercoasters, football, etc, can cause whiplash.
Most common symptoms include neck pain, stiffness, tingling, weakness, or numbness radiating into the shoulder or down the arm. Physical therapy, medication, and chiropractic care may help with whiplash pain. Epidural steroid injections (ESIs) or facet joint injections can target specific areas and provide relief.
Postlaminectomy Syndrome
Postlaminectomy syndrome is a condition where a patient suffers from chronic and persistent pain following surgery in the back. Diffuse, dull and aching pain can be felt in the back or legs. Sharp, pricking, and stabbing pain may be felt in the extremities.
Treatment can include physical therapy, nerve blocks, epidural steroid injections, medications, neurostimulators, etc.
Myofascial Pain
Myofascial pain is a common disorder where pressure on sensitive points in the muscles cause pain. Myofascial pain often happens after repeated injury or muscle overuse. Medications, therapy, heat, acupuncture and trigger point injections can help relieve the muscle tension and pain.
Phantom Limb Pain
Phantom limb pain is a painful sensation that seems to be coming from a body part that has been amputated and is no longer there. For some people, this sensation can go away on its own, but for others it can be severe and last a long time. The sensation can be burning, shooting, tingling, crushing, etc.
Medications, acupuncture, TENS units, injections, spinal cord stimulation, and nerve blocks may help treat phantom limb pain.
Scoliosis
Scoliosis is the abnormal curvature of the spine, where it has sideways curvature and involve rotational deformities. Scoliosis happens most often during a growth spurt just prior to puberty, but can be caused by cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy.
Most children with scoliosis have mild curves and this usually does not require treatment, but may need check-ups for any changes in the curvature. Girls have a higher risk of progression than boys. Bracing and surgery can prevent further progression of the curve.
Spondylolisthesis
Spondylolisthesis is a common spinal disorder in which a vertebra slips forward or backward on an adjacent vertebra. Spondylolisthesis can cause back or leg pain and can be treated to relieve the pain, such as medication, epidural steroid injections, physical therapy, and in some cases, surgery.
Spondylolysis
Spondylolysis is a defect or stress fracture that occurs in the pars interarticularis in the lumbar spine. High impact sports and physically demanding jobs are risk factors for spondylolysis. For most people, spondylolysis does not require surgery.
Back braces allow for the pars to heal. Physical therapy and pain management can help with easing discomfort.
Post Laminectomy Pain Syndrome
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Radiculopathy
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This information is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It should not be used in place of an individual consultation/examination or replace the advice of your health care professional. This information should NOT be relied upon to determine diagnosis or course of treatment. Information used on this website does not constitute or establish a patient-physician relationship.