Chronic Pain Conditions - Valley Pain Consultants

Arthritis

Arthritis is a painful condition caused by the inflammation of one or more joints, which results in pain, swelling, stiffness, and limited movement.

Treatments for arthritis include medications and surgery. Valley's pain management specialists may inject the arthritic joint with a manmade version of joint fluid or steroids. The synthetic fluid may postpone the need for surgery, at least temporarily, and improve the quality of life for patients with arthritis.

Arthropathy

Arthropathy is a general term for joint disease. Arthropathy could be osteoarthritis or it could also be infectious joint disease such as gout (caused by uric acid crystals), diabetic arthropathy (caused by diabetes) or neuropathic arthropathy, which is associated by a loss of sensation.

Our providers offer patients with a wide range of treatments for relief of arthropathic pain.

Cancer Pain

The pain associated with a cancerous condition and its treatment is often misunderstood. The objective of Valley's pain specialists is to effectively and safely reduce or eliminate the patient’s pain while they are actively treating the cancer; the goal is to improve the patient's comfort and quality of life.

Learn More About Metastatic Cancer

Read Patient Stories About The Intrathecal Pain Pump from Medtronic.

Review Intrathecal Pain Pump Overview and Frequently Asked Questions.

Following a thorough history and physical, Valley's interventional pain management specialists will first determine if a patient’s symptoms are originating with their cancerous condition or something completely unrelated. Once the origin of the pain has been determined, a treatment strategy to safely and effectively address the patient’s pain is implemented. This treatment may include pain medication or invasive pain management techniques, such as the implantation of an intrathecal pain pump.

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), previously termed Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD), is a chronic pain disorder. CRPS typically begins after trauma such as an injury to the tissue, bone or nerves of the arm or leg.

CRPS can dramatically impact a patient's quality of life. More common in women than men, the average age of CRPS patients is in the mid-30s, although children and older adults can also be diagnosed with CRPS.
There are two categories of CRPS:

CRPS-I, also known as Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy, refers to cases of CRPS that do not involve nerve injury.
CRPS-II, also termed causalgia refers to those CRPS cases in which one or more nerves are injured.

While CRPS patients typically respond to treatment options differently, Valley Pain Consultants patients diagnosed with CRPS usually receive a combination of treatments, including physical therapy, medication, cognitive behavioral therapy and psychological therapy. Additionally, Valley offers CRPS patients the following interventional procedures:

Stanford pediatric anesthesiologist, Elliot Krane, MD, discusses pediatric chronic pain and pediatric complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) at the March 2011 TED Conference. Watch video >>

Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a syndrome described as inflammation of the fibrous or connective tissue of the body. Symptoms include diffuse musculoskeletal aching, chronic pain, stiffness, and tenderness of muscles, tendons, and joints.

Diagnosis is frequently difficult and frequently missed because symptoms of fibromyalgia are vague and generalized. Fibromyalgia does not cause body damage or deformity; however, undue fatigue and depression plagues the large majority of patients, and sleep disorders are common.

Following a comprehensive physical exam and review of the patient's medical history, Valley's providers will take a multi-disciplinary approach to enhance the quality of life of a patient suffering with fibromyalgia.

Headache

Valley Pain Consultants offers the most advanced treatments for chronic headache.

Treatments include occipital neuralgia, and refractory migraine syndromes, including Botox® injections, trigger point injections and occipital nerve blocks, as well as cervical spinal cord, peripheral nerve or nerve root stimulation and steroid injections to block pain transmission.

Joint Pain

Joint pain is a symptom of injury, infection, illnesses (in particular, arthritis) or an allergic reaction to medication.

After an extensive history and physical, Valley's pain management specialists will develop a treatment plan customized to the patient's needs.

Musculoskeletal Pain

Musculoskeletal pain affects the bones, muscles, ligaments, tendons, and nerves. It can be acute (having a rapid onset with severe symptoms) or chronic (long-lasting).

Musculoskeletal pain can be localized or widespread. Lower back pain is the most common type of musculoskeletal pain. Other common types include tendonitis, myalgia (muscle pain), and stress fractures.
Treatments for musculoskeletal pain include medications, physical therapy, chiropractic and might also include acupuncture and other complementary treatments. Valley Pain Consultants also offers patients the following interventional procedures for musculoskeletal pain.

Neuropathic Pain

Neuropathic pain is a complex form of chronic pain state that usually is accompanied by tissue injury. With neuropathic pain, the nerve fibers themselves may be damaged, dysfunctional or injured. These damaged nerve fibers send incorrect signals to other pain centers.

The impact of nerve fiber injury includes a change in nerve function both at the site of injury and areas around the injury. Some neuropathic pain studies suggest the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or other pain medications. Additionally, anticonvulsant and antidepressant drugs seem to work in some cases.

In cases that are difficult to treat, Valley Pain Consultants offer patients implantable device therapies to effectively manage the pain; stimulation of the peripheral nerves involved in neuropathic pain has been demonstrated to significantly control these pain symptoms.

Phantom Limb Pain

Phantom limb pain is mild to extreme pain felt in the area where a limb has been amputated. Sensations of phantom limb pain usually disappear or diminish over time. If, however, symptoms persist for more than six months, the prognosis for improvement is poor.

Although the limb is no longer attached, the nerve endings at the site of the amputation continue to send pain signals to the brain that make the brain think the limb is attached. Sometimes, the brain memory of pain is retained and is interpreted as pain regardless of signals from injured nerves.

Learn More About Phantom Limb Pain

Successful treatment of phantom limb pain is challenging. Valley's specialists offer patients a spectrum of treatments to help provide patients relief from phantom limb pain, including biofeedback, relaxation techniques, massage, medications, physical therapy, mirror therapy, TENS and neurostimulation.

Spasticity

Spasticity is caused by damage or injury to the part of the central nervous system (the brain or spinal cord) that controls voluntary movement. This damage disrupts important signals between the nervous system and muscles, creating an imbalance that increases muscle activity or spasms.

Spasticity is often described as tight, stiff muscles or spasms that may make movement, posture, and balance difficult. Spasticity typically affects a patient's ability to move one or more of your limbs, or to move one side of your body.

If other treatment options to improve symptoms of spasticity fail, Valley's interventional pain specialists are among a few providers in Arizona who offer their patients relief with Intrathecal Baclofen.

Sports-Related Injuries

Sports injuries result from acute trauma or repetitive stress associated with athletic activities. Sports injuries can affect bones or soft tissue such as ligaments, muscles, and tendons.

Valley's interventional pain management specialists possess the training and experience to best determine a treatment plan customized to the needs of their patient.

Work-Related Injuries

Work-related injuries occur on the job or as a direct result of the duties assigned to the specific job position. Work-related injuries are typically physical. However, there are occasions in which the employee may contract a disease or illness while at work, known as a work-related illness.

Valley's specialists offer patients with work-related injuries the widest array of treatment options for their work-related injuries.