How Do Pain Management Injections Relieve Chronic Pain?

Almost all of us experience pain of some kind. With the help of a pain management physician, you can find relief with nonsurgical treatments such as pain management injections. Learn more about pain management injections and how a pain management physician can help you find relief.

What is chronic pain?

“Patients come to me unsure why they are in constant pain,” said Evan Chernoff, DO, Catholic Health Pain Medicine Physician. “They are often surprised to learn that chronic pain does not always have a cause. The goal is to understand the type of pain and how it can be treated.”

Acute pain and chronic pain are two of the most common types of pain. An injury usually causes short-term (acute) pain. The pain generally goes away once you have healed. Broken bones, menstrual cramps or strained muscles are examples of acute pain.

Chronic pain, however, does not go away. It can last for weeks, months or years. In some cases, an injury or infection can cause chronic pain. It can also be a symptom of a health condition such as arthritis. In other cases, there is no apparent cause for the pain.

What does a pain management physician do to help relieve chronic pain?

A pain management physician specializes in diagnosing and treating pain. Many help patients with chronic pain confirm their diagnosis. Once your pain is evaluated, they can recommend customized treatments.

“Some patients like taking more medication while others prefer procedures and to use less medication,” said Dr. Chernoff. “A combination is an ideal approach to help restore quality of life and get them back to enjoying their favorite activities before the pain got in the way. That means treating pain with medicines, interventional treatments, and procedures like injections.”

What are pain management injections?

Pain management injections are medications that help relieve pain and reduce inflammation. After using a needle to apply a local anesthetic, a pain management doctor will deliver medication to the affected area. Injections can be administered in a doctor’s office, hospital or ambulatory surgical center. Patients typically go home the same day.

What conditions do injections help?

Injections can help a variety of conditions, such as:

Arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis
Back pain
Joint pain
Neck pain
Nerve pain
Sciatica
Sports injuries
Other injuries, including accidents

What are the benefits of injections?

Injections can provide long-term relief compared to other pain management options, such as medication. Oral medication can provide immediate relief, but it does not last long. Your pain may return within a few hours.

With injections, pain relief can last a few weeks up to several months. However, the length of time they provide relief depends on the type of injection and your condition. Some injections contain a local anesthetic that provides immediate pain relief lasting up to a few hours. Others can take a few hours to a few days to start working. Injections can also restore function in the affected area. They can reduce inflammation or stimulate the body’s natural healing process.

“Injections offer temporary relief to patients who do not want surgery,” said Dr. Chernoff. “Your doctor will review the right type of injection based on your pain and the affected area.”

What are the different types of injection?

Several types of injections can help you manage your pain, including:

Facet joint injections block pain from inflamed joints in your spine. Facet joints connect each vertebra in the spine to the one above and below it.
Nerve blocks deliver an anesthetic close to specific nerves to interrupt pain signals.
Radiofrequency ablation reduces back pain by delivering radio waves to targeted nerves. The radio waves generate heat that disrupts the nerve’s ability to transmit pain signals.
Sacroiliac injections deliver steroid medication to the sacroiliac joint, where the spine and hipbone meet. These injections help relieve pain caused by arthritis or inflammation.
Steroid injections include anti-inflammatory medicines. Physicians use steroid injections in a variety of ways:
- Intravenous (IV) injections send steroids into the blood through a vein.
- Intra-articular injections send steroids into a joint
- Intramuscular injections send steroids into a muscle
- Epidural injections send steroids into the spine
Trigger point injections deliver medicine into a painful muscle knot, called a trigger point, to relieve pain.

How many times do I need to get injections?

“The number of injections you need depends on the type of injection and your medical condition,” said Dr. Chernoff. “If the pain improves, you will not need more injections unless it comes back.”

He explained that resting after your procedure can help with the recovery process. Your doctor will give specific instructions about returning to your normal routine after the injection.

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