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Herniated Discs Specialist

Interventional Pain Management Services -  - Pain Management

Interventional Pain Management Services

Pain Management located in St. Louis, MO & Granite City, IL

At Interventional Pain Management Services, with one office in St. Louis and one in Granite City, Missouri, you can find relief from chronic pain associated with a number of spinal conditions, including a herniated disc. The board-certified pain management physicians create a custom treatment plan that best relieves your pain and restores your overall functionality. They offer nonsurgical solutions to herniated disc pain, including steroid injections, to help you avoid surgery. For help finding relief from herniated disc pain, schedule an evaluation online or by phone today.

Herniated Discs Q & A

What is a herniated disc?

Your spine is made up of vertebrae, or bones, that give you the ability to bend, sit, and stand. In between these vertebrae are small discs, which absorb the shock of your movements to protect the health of your spine.

Spinal discs are round and flat, filled with a gel-like center surrounded by a tough outer layer. Due to degenerative disease, age-related disease, or injury, the discs can begin breaking down, forcing the center outward. This protrusion can push on the nerves of the spine, causing irritation and inflammation that results in chronic pain.

What are the symptoms of a herniated disc?

The symptoms of a herniated disc depend on the location of the affected disc. In some cases, you can have a herniated disc and not experience any symptoms.

If disc damage occurs in your lower spine, you may experience sciatica that causes a jolting pain that worsens when you move suddenly. Tingling and burning sensations may also radiate into your buttocks or down into your legs.

In the cervical, or upper, spine, a herniated disc can cause a sharp pain between your shoulder blades that radiates into your hands or fingers. You may also experience tingling or numbness in your neck, hands, and fingers.

How is a herniated disc diagnosed?

The experienced Interventional Pain Management Services physicians review your medical history and perform a physical exam to rule out other potential causes of your pain.

To evaluate the health of your spinal discs, they may order imaging tests, like an X-ray or CT scan.

Do I need surgery for a herniated disc?

While some herniated disc issues do require surgical removal of the protruding disc, the pain management specialists at Interventional Pain Management Services offer nonsurgical solutions to relieve chronic pain and increase your range of motion.

If over-the-counter medications don’t provide pain relief, your pain management specialist can provide an epidural steroid injection. This treatment involves the injection of anesthetic and anti-inflammatory medications into the epidural space within your spine, which should numb the affected nerves. The steroid medication in the injection can also reduce swelling that irritates spinal nerves.*

The goal of treatment is to delay or prevent the need for surgery, while still increasing your overall functionality.

Find out if epidural steroid injections are right for your herniated disc pain by calling the nearest Interventional Pain Management Services office or booking an appointment online today.