What is "interventional pain management" ?

Pain specialists.: American society of interventional pain physicians defines interventional pain management as a "discipline of medicine devoted to the diagnosis/treatment of pain disorders." interventional pain medicine uses a multidisciplinary approach, in which a team of health care professionals works together, providing a full range of treatments/services for patients suffering from acute and/or chronic pain.

More than meds: Interventional pain management is a term usually reserved for physicians who perform injections and other minimally invasive treatments for painful conditions. Interventional pain or spine procedures procedures can be effective in diagnosing or treating many painful spine conditions.

See a spine specialist: In general chiropractors have little to offer for disc extrusions. See a spine specialist. Transforaminal epidural steroid injections can decrease the inflammation cause by the disc extrusion, however, if your strength does not improve over 6-8 weeks, i would consider surgical intervention.

Pain management: Pain management doctor utilizes different approaches for pain. It might include accupunture, physical therapy, medication, injections .... Interventional pain management doctor has additional training in interventions such as nerve blocks, epidural steroid injections, spinal cord stimulation .....

IPM: "The discipline of medicine devoted to the diagnosis & treatment of pain & related disorders by the application of evidenced based interventional techniques...independently or in conjunction with other modalities of treatment." (ASIPP)

Interventional: Pain management using various injections for diagnostic and/or therapeutic reasons should be done by well trained expert

Procedures: Interventional pain management is focused on using procedures such as nerve blocks to control pain. Some docs only do that while others offer a more comprehensive approach.