Conditions

The joints, muscles and connective tissue in the arms, hips, legs, and knees can cause pain from arthritis, muscle/ligament/tendon tears, neuropathy and all kinds of trauma from athletic injuries, falls, and other accidents.

Knee Pain

The joints, muscles and connective tissue in the arms, hips, legs and knees can cause pain from arthritis, muscle/ligament/tendon tears, neuropathy and all kinds of trauma from athletic injuries, falls, and other accidents.

Rotator Cuff Syndrome

Shoulder pain can come from the shoulder joint or any of its surrounding muscles, ligaments or tendons. Shoulder joint pain usually worsens during movement of your arm or shoulder, which also happens to be the most mobile joint in the human body. Shoulder pain can also be referred pain from various diseases and conditions affecting other structures in your neck,  chest, or abdomen.

More than 80% of all adults experience these pain conditions, which can range from very mild to severe. The mildest cases often resolve without any special treatment. More severe cases of pain emanating from the spine may require anything from nonsurgical treatment with physical therapy or massage therapy up to surgical procedures such as vertebroplasty, kyphoplasty, or microdiscectomy.

Neck Pain

Neck pain is a very common symptom many of us will experience at one time or another. Neck pain can be a significant source of discomfort for many patients and impact their daily routine. Neck pain is commonly perceived as tightness of the neck, headaches, shoulder pain, arm weakness, or hand tingling. Leading causes of neck pain include muscle strain, degenerative disease, disc issues, or nerve pinching.

Back Pain

Back pain is one of the leading causes of hospitalization in the country. Most back pain is felt in your lower back (the lumbar spine.) This is because the lumbar spine carries the majority of your weight and is involved in most of your daily activities, thus making it prone to injury.

Common causes include:

•  Lumbar Spinal Stenosis – Narrowing of the spinal canal that places pressure on the spinal cord and exiting nerve root (sciatica)
• Facet Joints – A pair of joints that hold vertebral bodies together and frequently a cause of low back pain
• Degenerated disc disease – Wear and tear of the gel cushion between your spinal column bones
• Muscle strain – Sprain or strain of the muscles of the low back

Over 50 million Americans suffer with arthritis. Arthritis is associated with pain, joint stiffness, inflammation, swelling, and decreased range of motion. There are over 100 different forms of arthritis, with osteoarthritis (OA) the most common (40 million).

There is no single treatment that works for everyone with arthritis. Even two people with the same diagnosis will likely experience pain differently and react differently to different treatments. Your own pain may vary greatly from one day to another or throughout the course of a single day.

That’s why each person needs a pain management plan. What works for one person may not work for someone else, and you may need to try several different treatments before you find one that works best for you. Pain Therapy Associates will develop a pain management plan designed to minimize your unique pain experience and improve the function of your joints.

The accompanying pain is distressing because it affects the patient in so many ways. That’s why learning how to manage pain for the long term is an important factor in controlling the disease and maintaining your quality of life.

Precision Injections for More Effective Pain Relief

Injection therapies are safe, minimally invasive procedures that can provide pain relief lasting for weeks, months, or years. They can often relieve your pain symptoms when other pain relievers, such as NSAIDs and other pain medications, have failed to bring you adequate relief.

We may inject medication in or around the painful area. We rely on precise images to guide the vast majority of our pain relief injections. This is accomplished using a specialized medical device called a fluoroscope. Through fluoroscopic imaging, the optimum injection site appears on a high-definition video monitor.

Epidural injections – Medications are injected into the epidural space in the surrounding the spinal cord’s outermost membrane, for back pain relief.

Facets joint injections – Corticosteroids and anesthetics are injected between the vertebrae directly in the facet joint area for precise diagnosis and arthritis joint treatment.

Sacroiliac & other injections – Anti-inflammatory steroid medication and local anesthetic are injected to provide relief from pain caused by arthritis, injury, or strain of the sacroiliac joint or other areas.

Don’t let arthritis pain prevent you from living your life. For your most complete range of treatment options – and lasting relief from highly-trained, highly credentialed pain management specialists – come to Pain Therapy Associates.

Over the years, they have accurately diagnosed painful conditions such as spinal arthritis in thousands of patients, then successfully controlled their pain while improving their quality of life. They have helped people return to work, sports, activities, hobbies and lifestyles. Discover how they can help you, too.

We encourage, honor and welcome your referrals.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease, where the body attacks itself. Antibodies develop and cause pain in joint tissues. Women are three times more likely to get this than men. Osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are chronic diseases that can last a lifetime, even with proper care.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disorder that most often affects the small joints in your hands and feet. It is an autoimmune condition that arises from a malfunction of your body’s immune system that causes the body to attack itself. Unlike the wear-and-tear joint damage caused by osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis affects the lining of joints. There, it causes painful swelling that can lead to bone erosion and joint deformity. Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic condition that can affect more than just the joints and may involve other organs of the body, such as the heart, lungs, skin, and eyes. Women are three times more likely to get this than men.

Psoriatic Arthritis

Psoriatic arthritis is a chronic disease characterized by combining inflammation of the skin (psoriasis) with inflammation of the joints (inflammatory arthritis.) About 10% to 15% of people with psoriasis also develop inflammation of the joints typical of psoriatic arthritis, but psoriasis is a separate condition from psoriatic arthritis.

Migraines are painful, sometimes debilitating headaches often accompanied by nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to light, noise and smell. These throbbing headaches usually occur on only one side of the head, although the pain can shift from one side of the head to the other, or it can occur on both sides simultaneously. Migraines involve changes in chemicals and blood vessels in the brain, which trigger pain signals leading to headaches and other symptoms.

Causes

Migraine runs in families and a genetic link has been identified. However, it is not entirely clear why some people get migraines, and others do not. Migraines seem to develop from overactive electrical impulses in the brain that increase blood flow and cause widening (dilation) of blood vessels and inflammation. This activates pain signals and other symptoms, such as nausea. The more inflammation there is, the more intense the migraine headache.

Although the exact cause of migraine headaches is not clear, a genetic factor has been identified. The mechanism that causes migraines appears to be a complex progression of biochemical and vascular changes in the brain. The sequence of events is poorly understood; however, it seems to involve the widening and narrowing of the blood vessels in the brain, triggering changes in brain chemicals, inflammation and activation of pain signals.

Symptoms

Migraine headache symptoms vary and may occur with or without an aura (neurological disturbances prior to the headache). Common characteristics of migraine headaches include:

• Throbbing or pulsating headache on one side of your head
• Moderate to severe headache intensity
• Worsening of headache with routine physical activity
• Nausea, vomiting, or both
• Sensitivity to light, noise & odors

A migraine aura may occur within 30 minutes before a migraine headache begins. Auras typically involve visual disturbances such as blind spots, wavy lines, flashing lights or tingling in your hands. Less commonly, aura causes numbness in your arms, shoulders or face, difficulty putting the right words in order or weakness on one side of your body.

It can be difficult to distinguish migraines from other types of headaches. Sinus headache or tension headaches have similar symptoms. Unlike other headaches, however, migraine usually occurs on one side of your head, although the side that is affected can shift with each new attack.

Migraines can be disabling. If they prevent you from performing your daily tasks, working, or going to school, you should seek help from a doctor. Most people experience only temporary disability from migraine attacks.

Migraines may occur along with many other conditions such as asthma or depression. More serious conditions, such as tumors or infections, can also cause migraine-like symptoms. Headaches caused by more serious health problems are rare.

The foot and ankle bear all the weight of the body through its daily activities. These areas are often subject to pain from arthritis, Achilles tendonitis or rupture, sprains, strains, fractures, and gout. Gout can present as sudden, severe attacks of pain, redness and tenderness in joints, especially the joint at the base of the big toe.

Other foot and ankle pains include bruises, stress fractures, peripheral neuropathy (common among people with diabetes, also called diabetic neuropathy), and broken bones in the feet and ankles. After a thorough evaluation, we can assist in the proper work-up and treatment of your foot or ankle pain.

Irritation, compression, and/or inflammation of the peripheral nerves of the body can lead to neuropathic pain. This pain often follows the distribution of a nerve and can be associated with a pins-and-needles sensation, numbness, tingling, and/or weakness. This can occur almost anywhere in the body, although symptoms are most common in the hands and feet. In severe cases, this could lead to fall, accident, or injury.

Sciatica, diabetic neuropathy, carpal tunnel syndrome, and tarsal tunnel syndrome are just a few of the neuropathic pains we treat.

In a world that requires constant texting, typing, and handiwork, it is no wonder we see so many carpal tunnel syndrome patients. Prolonged typing at a keyboard, poor posture, and faulty wrist biomechanics can lead to this often very painful condition. This can present as wrist pain associated with overuse, causing compression and/or inflammation of the median nerve. This pain can progress to numbness and tingling in the thumb and index finger. Eventually, this pain can severely weaken your grip, making everyday tasks more difficult.

This pain can be treated with medications, splinting, injections, physical therapy, and surgery depending on the degree and responsiveness of the pain. The first step towards treating it and feeling better requires evaluation by a provider.

Chronic abdominal pain can have a variety of causes. It is important to undergo a proper work-up by your primary care doctor, surgeon, or GI specialist to understand why that pain occurs and persists. When medical treatment is not enough to control this pain, an evaluation by a pain specialist could help set you on the right path.

We are particularly experienced in chronic pancreatitis pain, abdominal wall pain, postsurgical pain, and ilioinguinal neuralgia. These pains can be difficult to handle and may require special attention to treat properly.

Nearly every surgery causes some type of pain. The best time to deal with postsurgical pain is before you undergo surgery – by learning as much as you can about your surgery, preparing yourself mentally and understanding the type of pain treatment you will receive. Optimizing pain control before surgery also improves pain control during recovery. This could entail certain medication adjustments, procedures, or other therapies before the surgery date. Proper pain control will lead to a faster and more comfortable recovery with fewer long-term problems.

Meanwhile, some pains after surgery can persist despite a successful, uncomplicated surgery. Certain surgeries, such as knee replacements or those that involve large chest, abdominal, or breast incisions, have a higher likelihood of causing persistent pain. Through a combination of therapies, we can help treat these pain syndromes.

Generally, more and more doctors are gaining respect for the plight of America’s estimated 6 million to 18 million (estimates vary that much!) fibromyalgia sufferers, and for the disease itself. The same is true for chronic fatigue syndrome, which shares many symptoms with fibromyalgia. The patients’ reality is that there are still precious few doctors willing to invest time treating it.

Generally, more and more doctors are gaining respect for the plight of America’s estimated 6 million to 18 million (estimates vary that much!) fibromyalgia sufferers and for the disease itself. The same is true for chronic fatigue syndrome, which shares many symptoms with fibromyalgia. The patients’ reality is that there are still precious few doctors willing to invest time in treating it.

Of those who do treat it, fewer still provide anything more than a cursory monthly visit and medication management. As a fibromyalgia or CFS patient, you probably feel like you’re serving a life sentence for a mysterious crime you didn’t commit.

In case you don’t know, fibromyalgia is a condition of widespread pain and tenderness throughout the body. It is often accompanied by sleep problems and intense fatigue. He believes that fibromyalgia patients feel and experience pain to a much greater degree than normal people because they have too much of a neurotransmitter known as substance P.

Nerve cells communicate with one another through neurotransmitters. Substance P is one such neurotransmitter. It is a protein found in the brain and spinal cord and is associated with some inflammatory processes in the joints. Its function is to cause pain. Most fibromyalgia patients also don’t know that “trigger points” can be a big part of their pain problem. They don’t know that treating the trigger points, or knotted muscles, can significantly decrease the pain associated with fibromyalgia and significantly improve function in daily activities.

Many doctors and patients see fibromyalgia or CFS as a “final diagnosis” of a poorly treatable, permanent, incurable disease. The doctors at Pain Therapy Associates consider the fibromyalgia/CFS diagnosis a starting point in their search for solutions that will decrease pain and improve function. They see fibromyalgia or CFS as the starting point of your journey back to a better life instead of a life sentence of pain, frustration, and dysfunction. They’re committed to helping you overcome pain and regain your life. Pain Therapy Associates encourages and welcomes your referrals.

This is the hardest condition for most doctors to treat because the diagnosis is often elusive or inconclusive at best. The patient is frustrated after trying multiple treatments for unconfirmed or incorrect diagnoses without success. Diseases such as fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome are perfect examples. In both cases, patients are put through all kinds of tests before a diagnosis can be made. Sometimes, medicine may not have the right answer.

Our assessment could evaluate whether additional work-up is needed. And after helping so many people with these conditions, we know what to look for and how to treat it.