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Young Woman Overcomes Multiple Misdiagnoses and Gets Her Life Back
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Pain Management Center
The Pain Management Center at Stanford Health Care offers a comprehensive range of services for patients with acute or chronic pain. Through the combined expertise of a multidisciplinary team of pain specialists, Stanford offers the most advanced treatment options currently available, in a supportive, compassionate environment.
Our Doctors
Care and Treatment
Treatments
Pain is a complex medical problem that can have profound effects on your physical and mental well-being. Our goal is to help you decrease your level of pain and suffering, to return you to your maximum level of functioning and independence, and to help you restore your quality of life. Your physician may refer you to the Pain Management Center for evaluation, for one or more specific procedures, or for ongoing treatment.
Individualized treatment plan: The treatment plan developed by the Pain Management team will be specially tailored to your condition and degree of pain, your needs and your personal objectives. Your treatment plan may include a single approach, or a combination of different types of therapies: medical therapies, including both medications and special procedures; psychological therapies; and rehabilitation therapies.
Duration of care: The duration of the treatment plan will vary from patient to patient, depending on the particular complexity and combination of treatments prescribed. On average, most patients will be in treatment for a period of approximately three to six months. During this time, you may need to allocate approximately three hours per week for treatments at the Pain Management Center.
Throughout the duration of your treatment at the Pain Management Center, we will remain in contact with your primary physician to keep him/her apprised of your progress.
Treatment options
Epidural steroid injections
Types of injections of corticosteroid medications into the area around the spinal nerves (epidural space) to reduce inflammation of the nerve and disc. Options include caudal epidural, interlaminar epidural, transforaminal epidural, and translaminar epidural.
Intrathecal programmable pump placement
An implanted medical device to deliver medication directly into spinal fluid to provide relief from chronic pain, including severe spasticity of spinal cord origin.
Temporary epidural catheter
A temporary tube placed into the epidural space in your spine, allowing for the injection of pain management medication for a defined period of time, typically less than two weeks.
Gasserian ganglion block
This procedure administers a dose of local anesthetics directly to the bundle of nerves that supply sensation to the face and scalp.
Intravenous lidocaine infusion
An intravenous infusion of lidocaine and related medications to help manage certain types of pain.
Psychological therapy
Pain can hinder a normal, productive life. Psychological evaluation and treatment can help individuals develop specific skills to cope pain and increase their quality of life.
Physical therapy
Physical therapy may include a regimen of exercise, tissue manipulation, and other treatments focused on maximizing function in specific body parts to help relieve your pain.
Peripheral nerve block
Depending on the location of the pain, a nerve block is used to diagnose and/or manage pain for a variety of conditions.
Occipital nerve block
An intravenous procedure to administer medication into the back of the head.
Hypogastric plexus block
The administration of pain killing medication near the collection of nerves located near the lower part of your abdomen, to relieve chronic pelvic pain.
Intrathecal catheter placement
An implanted device which allows pain medication to be delivered directly into the intrathecal space in the spine.
Implanted epidural portal
An implanted port, which allows pain medication to be injected into the epidural space of the spine over a longer-term, ongoing period.
Brachial plexus block
An injection of a dose of local anesthetic into the neck, above the collarbone or into the upper arm, for treatment of chronic arm and shoulder pain.
Spinal cord stimulation
A procedure that uses an electrical current to treat chronic pain in the back, arms or legs by sending electrical pulses to the spinal cord.
Medications
Medications are used to reduce the intensity of pain. The primary goal of medications is to help patients participate more fully in pain management, and to return to their personal, family, and social activities.
Occupational therapy
Occupational therapy focuses on a range of techniques to enable you to return to work or a normal daily routine.