Interventional and Non-Surgical Procedures
The goal of each physician at Piedmont is to get you back to a more comfortable way of life. Whether you are recovering from an acute injury or degenerative condition, Piedmont's mission is to increase your mobility and alleviate your pain.
Not every patient is a good candidate for surgery. In fact, most of the patients who visit Piedmont Orthopaedic Complex do not have surgery or are able to comfortably put it off for years. When developing a treatment plan, Piedmont physicians look at not just the severity of the damage, but the preferences, lifestyle and goals of each individual patient. Some patients elect to go ahead and have the surgery in order to restore function and alleviate pain faster. Some patients prefer to exhaust every possible option and are able to use conservative treatments to put off surgery for years, sometimes completely. Your physician will provide you with the information, diagnosis and support that you need to find the treatment plan that best suits you.
Injections for Joint Pain Relief
Many patients at Piedmont find continued joint pain relief through injection therapy in which medication is injected directly into the very source of the pain. Injection therapy varies by patient and by body part. Some patients find relief after just one injection because it reduces inflammation and pain long enough for the joint to heal itself. Other patients maintain long-term relief through a series of shots throughout the year and are able to prevent or put off surgery for many years. Some injections, such as knee injections using HYALGAN, can quickly and easily be done in the office. Other injections are done in the Piedmont Surgery Center under fluoroscopic guidance for precise placement. This is more common when you are trying to identify a particular nerve. Injection therapy offers patients a non-operative, out-patient option for long term pain relief and to promote mobility.
Interventional Pain Medicine and Back Pain
Interventional Pain Medicine involves special procedures to diagnose and treat spine pain. Interventional procedures might include an injection of an anesthetic medicine or steroid around nerves, tendons, joints or muscles; spinal cord stimulation; insertion of a drug delivery system; or a procedure with radio-frequency ablation or cryoablation to stop a nerve from working for a long period of time. These techniques may help patients:
- Reduce the amount of time pain is experienced and its severity
- Allow for an increase in activities at home and work
- Learn new skills for coping with pain
- Determine ways to end sleep problems
- Improve the quality of life
- Rehabilitate and restore function
The specialists at Piedmont employ a variety of non-surgical and surgical treatment options to both identify and relieve pain. Piedmont’s multidisciplinary approach includes therapy, medication, and rehab, as well as nerve blocks, epidural injections, and joint injections, all of which involve precise needle placement for better results and fewer complications. Piedmont Orthopaedic Complex offers a variety of minimally-invasive, non-surgical procedures that allow for shorter recovery times, less tissue trauma and less pain.
Once the source of pain has been identified, Piedmont physicians outline the most effective and least invasive treatment plan that will return you to normal functionality as quickly and simply as possible. Not all pain requires a lifetime medication prescription, and not all patients require surgery. Many treatment options can eliminate or alleviate your pain without the need for either.
Patient Story: Keith Carlson
Keith Carlson, an engineer at Blue Bird, struggled with back pain for many years. When it got to the point that he could not even wash his car without experiencing pain, he decided to explore his options, and that's when he learned about the interventional pain procedures available at Piedmont Orthopaedic