Pain Specialists in Montclair, NJ
At Mountainside Medical Center, we are committed to ensuring our patients receive the most comprehensive pain management care possible. We understand how frustrating it can be to live with daily pain that affects your work, life, and sleeping habits. That’s why we provide a full spectrum of services to treat chronic and acute pain conditions. Our services include interventional pain procedures, alternative pain management like acupuncture, as well as acute and chronic pain management, interventional pain procedures, and physical therapy for pain conditions. No matter your needs, our doctors are prepared to meet them.
Our Pain Management Treatments
Our pain doctors are prepared to treat your pain condition using state-of-the-art technology and minimally invasive techniques whenever possible. We treat a variety of acute and chronic pain conditions with the following treatments and services:
- Acupuncture — This alternative medicine works by placing small needles into points along pathways known as channels or meridians. Acupuncture can reduce pain by restoring the natural flow of blood and “qi” (energy).
- Botox injections — A small amount of medical Botox is injected into specific muscles, causing them to relax for several months. This medicine is different from Botox Cosmetic, which is used to treat wrinkles.
- Celiac plexus blocks — A local anesthetic is injected into the nerves that surround the aorta, the main artery of the abdomen, to reduce pain as part of a treatment for chronic abdominal pain.
- Discography — X-ray dye is injected into the discs of the spine to evaluate disc morphology.
- Dorsal root ganglion — Low dose electrical signals are sent to a very specific component of the spinal cord to stop pain signals from reaching the brain. This device is reserved for cases of severe nerve damage and complex regional pain syndrome.
- Epidural steroid injections — Steroids are delivered directly into the epidural space in the spine to reduce pain and inflammation.
- Facet joint injections — Numbing medicine and steroids are put into the small joints of the spine. Often to locate and relieve pain.
- Intracept — This minimally invasive procedure reduces chronic low back pain and vertebrogenic back pain by applying heat to specific nerves within the bones of the spine. This procedure is minimally invasive, implant-free, and can be scheduled same-day.
- Intrathecal pump implants — A device delivers concentrated amounts of medication into the spinal cord through a catheter. This treatment is done in two phases: once a trial is performed and is deemed successful, a permanent pump is placed under the skin.
- Intradiscal therapies — For damaged discs that cause pain by pressing on a nerve, a special needle is placed into the disc through which intradiscal therapies can be performed.
- Joint injections — Injections are performed to relieve pain in a variety of joints including the knees, ankles, elbows and wrists.
- Kyphoplasty — Bone height is restored by repairing stress fractures of the vertebra. Our procedure fills the bone with cement from the inside.
- Lumbar plexus blocks — After hip replacement surgery, post-operative pain is blocked from the set of nerves that go to the front part of the hip and thigh.
- Minimally invasive lumbar decompression — This minimally invasive procedure is for patients with spinal stenosis (due to excess ligament hypertrophy) who have not found relief from epidural steroid injections and more conservative measures, but are not candidates for surgery or prefer not to have traditional spine surgery.
- Percutaneous disc decompression — For minor herniated discs, a needle that emits radio waves is placed into a disc to decompress it from the inside and provide relief.
- Peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) — Low dose electrical signals are applied to peripheral nerves to decrease chronic pain in a specific distribution. This device can be used externally or permanently implanted.
- Radio frequency ablation — This treatment option for facet-related back pain destroys the nerves that supply the facet joint and transmit pain signals.
- Sacroiliac joint injections — A long-lasting steroid, such as cortisone, is injected into the joints in the lower back to reduce inflammation and swelling.
- Spinal cord stimulator implants — An electronic device is inserted beside the spinal cord to treat chronic pain in the trunk and limbs. The device sends low voltage electrical impulses that prevent pain signals from reaching the brain
- Stellate ganglion blocks — The sympathetic nerves in the neck that go to the arms and face are blocked to reduce pain and swelling and improve mobility in the upper extremity.
- Trigger point injections — With only a brief course of treatment, an anesthetic is injected into a knot of a muscle that will not relax, providing lasting relief. Treatment can be done to arms, legs, lower back and neck.
- Vertiflex — The application of a small device to lift pressure off the nerves of the lumbar spine to alleviate leg and back pain symptoms that often accompany spinal stenosis.
Should you require further care, our rehabilitation specialists offer physical therapy for pain conditions.
To find a physician, please call (973) 873-7787.
Types of pain
Pain can be categorized into 2 categories: acute and chronic. Acute pain is typically short-lived, lasting less than two weeks, and often results from injury, inflammation, tissue damage, illness, or recent surgery. In contrast, chronic pain persists for months or even years and can evolve into a debilitating condition that alters the nervous system. The experience of pain varies widely, with sensations such as burning, stabbing, aching, or pulsing occurring anywhere in the body. These sensations can range from mild to severe and may be intermittent or continuous.
Chronic pain affects more than one in five U.S. adults, new CDC survey data showed. During 2021, an estimated 51.6 million adults (20.9%) had chronic pain lasting 3 months or longer, and 17.1 million (6.9%) had high-impact chronic pain — pain severe enough to restrict daily activities.
If you or a loved one is struggling with pain, whether acute or chronic, don’t wait for it to take control of your life. Call our pain clinic today to explore effective treatment options and regain your quality of life.