Everyone experiences pain at some point — it’s a good indicator that something is wrong. But sometimes, pain can be an ongoing and complex problem that requires treatment by experts in pain management.
At UPMC East, we offer a team approach to treating different types of acute and chronic pain, providing comprehensive, coordinated care for patients dealing with pain of the neck, back, shoulder, abdomen, and other areas of the body.
UPMC East’s comprehensive approach also provides seamless transition to outpatient and ambulatory pain services for those patients requiring further care on an outpatient basis.
Evaluation and Treatment
Our pain management services involve evaluating and assessing your pain, developing a treatment plan, and coordinating your care.
UPMC East also offers onsite access to a wide range of specialists, including:
- Imaging experts
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Specialists
- Sports medicine and orthopaedic specialists
- Neurologists and neurosurgeons
- Anesthesiologists
Mental health specialists also are available to help our patients manage the anxiety, depression, and other issues arising from chronic pain.
Treatment Options
Our goal is to restore your quality of life and control pain using the least invasive treatment possible. That can mean using several type of treatment at the same time.
Depending on the severity of your condition, you can be treated with:
- Physical therapy: This type of therapy includes exercise, whirlpool, massage, and manipulation treatments by a certified physical therapist
- Spinal manipulation
- Acupuncture
- Medications: Medication options are targeted to your specific needs, including anti-inflammatory drugs, steroid injections, muscle relaxers, and sometimes narcotics
- Injection therapies: This form of therapy can include epidurals and nerve blocks to ease pain and reduce inflammation
- Rest and modified activities
Surgery
Should you require surgery, UPMC East has many specialists, including pain physicians and neurosurgeons, which perform a full range of spine procedures, including minimally invasive surgical procedures that can result in faster recovery and less discomfort for you.
Our surgeons also have access to specialized equipment, such as a surgical microscope that provides amazing detail that allows them to make smaller, more precise incisions.
Among the procedures performed to ease pain include:
- Microdiscectomy
- Spine fusion
- Spine stabilization
- Microsurgery of herniated discs, spinal stenosis, and tumors
- Injections
- Spinal cord stimulator insertions
