Back Pain
Ajith Nair, M.D.
Interventional Pain Management located in Louisville, KY & Elizabethtown, KY
If you have chronic pain that interferes with your quality of life, you can find innovative solutions for pain relief at Kentuckiana Pain Specialists in Louisville, Kentucky. Experienced pain management specialist Ajith Nair, MD, offers a variety of in-office treatments that address your existing pain and help restore your ability to stay active. Whether you need anesthetic injections to treat a herniated disc or a pain pump to reduce your reliance on opioids, Dr. Nair customizes your care plan to your needs. Schedule a consultation for chronic back pain online or by calling Kentuckiana Pain Specialists today.
Common Questions About Back Pain
What causes back pain?
Acute back pain may be the result of a muscle strain or sprain due to overuse. When you develop chronic back pain that lasts six weeks or longer, it may be due to an underlying degenerative condition in your spine, such as:
- Arthritis
- Osteoporosis
- Herniated disc
- Spinal stenosis
- Spondylolisthesis
- Nerve compression
- Facet joint dysfunction
- Degenerative disc disease
The conditions can affect the health of your lumbar (lower back) or cervical (neck) spine. In addition to the pain you feel, you may also lose some of your mobility.
How is back pain diagnosed?
To identify the root cause of your chronic back pain, Dr. Nair takes time to review your personal and family medical history and physically examine your spine. He checks for areas of tenderness, bruising, and swelling.
Often visual exams aren’t enough to diagnose your condition and Dr. Nair can request imaging tests like X-rays to evaluate the structures of your spine.
If he suspects your pain is the result of facet joint dysfunction, Dr. Nair may perform a diagnostic facet block that involves injecting an anesthetic in your facet joint using fluoroscopy, a special X-ray technology, as guidance. If the injection relieves your pain, Dr. Nair can confirm you have an issue within your facet joint.
Based on your test results, Dr. Nair creates a treatment plan that focuses on relieving existing pain and preventing a worsening of your condition.
How is back pain treated?
If you’re not finding pain relief with over-the-counter medications, Dr. Nair offers a number of innovative solutions to treat chronic back pain. He may recommend
Anesthetic injections
Anesthetic injections interfere with the pain signals traveling between your nerves and brain. Injections can reduce your dependence on prescription opioids and make it easier for you to participate in physical therapy to promote natural healing.
Available injections include:
- Epidural steroid injections
- Sacroiliac joint injections
- Sympathetic nerve blocks
- Cervical and lumbar facet joint injections
Radiofrequency ablation
Radiofrequency ablation is an injection procedure that uses heat to create a lesion on affected nerves to disrupt pain signals before they reach the brain.
Spinal decompression
If nerve compression is the root cause of pain, you may benefit from spinal decompression therapy, a nonsurgical treatment that uses advanced computer technology to realign your spine and take pressure off nearby nerves.
Spinal cord stimulation
Dr. Nair also offers treatment with a spinal cord stimulator, an implantable device that delivers low currents of electricity into the nerve to disrupt pain signals. The device attaches to your nerves and you can use a remote to control your own pain relief.
Intrathecal pain pump
When you have severe spine damage from an injury or disease, you may be a candidate for treatment with an intrathecal pain pump. Dr. Nair has extensive experience in this technology and implants the pump under the surface of your skin. Through a catheter, the pump delivers medications directly in the area around your spinal cord.
If you need relief from chronic back pain, schedule a consultation with Dr. Nair at Kentuckiana Pain Specialists online or by phone today.
Emergency Cases
At Kentuckiana Pain Specialists we offer extensive cervical facet joint treatment. We have been in business since 1992 and has offered quality treatments for your neck pain. Call 502-995-4004 today.