Pain Management Palliative Care

Relief From Pain and Improved Quality of Life

The Department of Pain Management and Palliative Care focuses on relieving chronic and cancer related pain while improving overall quality of life. Chronic pain can significantly affect daily functioning, sleep and emotional wellbeing. Early and targeted intervention helps patients regain comfort and independence.

Treatments Undertaken

• Epidural Steroid Injections – For radicular pain in legs

• Therapeutic Peripheral Nerve Injections

• Intercostal Nerve Block

• Lumbar Sympathetic Ganglion Injections - used for complex regional pain syndrome in the legs

• Spinal Facet Joint Injections - performed for neck or lower back pain

• Celiac Plexus & Hypogastric plexus Blocks - performed for the treatment of abdominal pain, most often due to cancer or chronic pancreatitis

• Stellate Ganglion Block (Cervical Spine) - for certain pain syndrome affecting the upper extremities

• Trigger Point Injections - performed for myofascial pain, Spinal Cord Stimulation (Neuroaugmentation) - A surgically placed electronic device in the patient’s back which emits small amounts of electrical stimulation. The electrical impulses act to alleviate pain

• Ganglion of Impar Block

• Trigeminal Rhyzotomy – for facial pain

• Selective Nerve Root Injections - used to localize pain from a specific nerve in the spine

Comprehensive Pain Evaluation

Every patient undergoes a detailed clinical assessment to identify the source and nature of pain. The team then designs an individualized treatment plan that may include medication, interventional procedures and supportive therapies.

The department treats chronic back pain, neck pain, neuropathic pain, cancer pain and pain associated with osteoporosis and vertebral compression fractures.

Interventional Pain Procedures

A wide range of image guided interventional procedures are available, including epidural steroid injections for radicular leg pain, spinal facet joint injections for neck and lower back pain and selective nerve root injections to identify and treat specific nerve related pain.

Specialized blocks such as celiac plexus and hypogastric plexus blocks are performed for abdominal pain often related to cancer or chronic pancreatitis. Stellate ganglion block is used for certain upper limb pain syndromes. Trigeminal rhizotomy is performed for severe facial pain.

Advanced options such as spinal cord stimulation involve placement of a small electronic device that delivers controlled electrical impulses to reduce pain signals. The focus is always on providing effective relief while minimizing side effects.

Palliative care services also support patients with serious illness by managing symptoms and providing emotional and family support.