Pain Management At Sri Balaji Hospital

Specialists in Pain Management

The management of chronic pain can be debilitating and result in difficult times for the patient. Chronic pain ruins the quality of patient’s life and progressively impacts their mobility and ability to do their routine work. It is often frustrating and can leave a patient in a desperate situation to find a solution to alleviate the discomfort.

Surgery used to be the only option, but not anymore! Our team of expert pain management specialists in Chennai combine their in-depth knowledge with the latest imaging technology, like computerized tomography scans and ultrasound techniques, to provide instant pain relief without surgery.

Our cutting-edge approach allows you to break the pain cycle and start effective rehabilitation for excellent functional results. Don't let chronic pain hold you back any longer. Let us help you fight the pain!

Our doctors may also recommend injections to alleviate your suffering if:

The chronic pain is too severe for non-operative management but radiologically not severe enough to consider surgery.
The pain results from a source that can not be operated upon (Eg: Terminal metastatic cancers).
You require surgery for painful conditions, but your pre-existing medical issues increase the risks involved.
You require medication to manage post-operative pain.
You need temporary pain relief measures until the surgery is performed.

Types of Interventional Pain Injections For Pain Relief

01 Neuraxial Anesthesia

02 Pain Injections for Joints

03 Peripheral Nerve Blocks and Other Blocks

Neuraxial Anesthesia

Neuraxial injections are pain-relieving medications injected directly into the nerves to treat nerve inflammation that causes debilitating pain.

To alleviate spine pain, neuraxial interventions involve administering pain-relieving medications around nerves. Peri-neural injections such as medial branch nerve blocks and intra-articular facet blocks target nerves within the vicinity. Additionally, epidural injections, such as interlaminar, caudal, transforaminal and selective nerve root blocks are employed to alleviate spine-related pain.

Pain Injections for Joints

Pain injections can be administered to relieve joint pain resulting from injury or inflammatory conditions involving one or more joints in the body, such as:

Knee
Elbow and Wrist
Sacroiliac joint
Acromioclavicular or Glenohumeral shoulder joints
The Greater Trochanteric Bursa or intra-articular hip joint
Intercostal nerve blocks for mid-back pains and thoracic (chest) bone pains.
Suprascapular, iliohypogastric, ilioinguinal, and genitofemoral nerve blocks.
Lateral femoral cutaneous nerve for Myalgia Parasthetica or pain over the outer aspect of the thigh.

Peripheral Nerve Blocks and Other Blocks

These peripheral nerve blocks and regional interventions are crucial components in the comprehensive management of pain, targeting specific anatomical regions for effective relief:

Stellate ganglion block

Recommended for pain in the head, neck, and chest regions.

Greater occipital nerve block

Advised for pain in the upper neck or headache at the skull base.

Brachial plexus block

Given for hand pains radiating from the median, ulnar, or radial nerves.

Lumbosacral plexus block

Administered to provide pain relief from upper thigh and lower limb pains.

Ultrasound-guided adductor canal block

Prescribed post-knee replacement surgeries for pain relief for up to 24-48 hours.

General Anaesthesia

General anaesthesia is probably what comes to mind when you think of surgery. It is the deepest form of anaesthesia, which puts you in a state of controlled unconsciousness. General anaesthesia involves administering IV and inhaled medications to keep you unconscious and pain-free during the procedure.

Depending on their unconscious state, patients under general anaesthesia receive respiratory support to facilitate normal breathing and to ensure their safety. The respiratory support is withdrawn immediately after the procedure is completed, the effects of anaesthesia have worn off, and the patient is conscious again.

Some of the common procedures performed under general anaesthesia include:
Major surgeries involving parts of the body that cannot be reached via nerve injections of nerve blocks, such as:

Upper and mid-abdominal surgeries such as liver and intestinal surgeries.
Brain surgeries which are not suitable for a fully awake patient.
Neck surgeries, including neck spine surgeries and thyroid surgeries.
Surgeries performed in areas covering the mid and lower backs.
Emergency surgeries with patients on blood thinners that may result in bleeding near the site of regional anaesthesia injection.

Limitations of Interventions in Pain Management

Pain management, involving pain blocks and interventions, is globally accepted and widely used. However, it is important to note that these measures should not be relied upon as a permanent solution. While they can relieve pain and break the pain cycle, they are not intended to cure the underlying pathology. Nevertheless, these measures can help patients start rehabilitation protocols to prevent future pain recurrences and defer the need for surgery. A pre-procedure consultation with the respective specialist, as well as our pain management specialist, will be necessary to ascertain to what extent the pain relief measure will be effective and what the solutions are as far as permanent resolutions are concerned.

Pain Management in Chennai