Interventional Pain Management

FAQs

• How do I schedule an Ochsner Health interventional pain management appointment?

  You can make an appointment with Ochsner interventional pain management by:

  • Asking your primary care physician or another Ochsner specialist for a referral
  • Calling 866-624-7637
  • Through MyOchsner

  If your primary care physician or another Ochsner specialist believes you would benefit from a specific pain management procedure, they can also provide you with a direct-to-procedure order. This order allows you to schedule your pain management procedure without an initial new patient pain management appointment.

• Do Ochsner Health interventional pain management physicians prescribe opiates?

  The goal of interventional pain management is to address the cause of pain, not just the symptom. While opiates have short-term pain-relieving effects, they lack long-term benefits and come with several possible side effects and risk factors. However, a low dose of opiates given for a short period may be used in combination with additional pain management treatments, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, occupational or physical therapy, or nerve stimulation.

  Depending on the type of pain you’re experiencing, your Ochsner Health care team may recommend non-opioid pain medicine to relieve chronic pain, such as antiepileptic medications, local anesthetics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or steroid injections.

• What are the most common types of pain treated at Ochsner Health?

  Some of the most common types of pain treated at Ochsner Health include joint pain, post-surgical pain and pain caused by chronic illness. The Ochsner interventional pain management team provides expert, comprehensive treatment for several common painful conditions and types of pain, including:

  • Inflammatory pain caused by autoimmune disorders or infections
  • Mechanical pain due to poor alignment or movement issues
  • Musculoskeletal pain, or pain related to bones, muscles and soft tissues
  • Neuropathic pain caused by nerve issues
  • Psychogenic pain due to behavioral, emotional or psychological concerns

• Does Ochsner Health offer virtual visits for pain management?

  Your initial pain management appointment will happen in the doctor’s office. However, virtual visits may be an option for follow-up appointments depending on your condition and care needs.

• What is sciatica?

  Sciatica is pain that affects the back, hip and outer side of the leg caused by compression of a spinal nerve root in the lower back. It most commonly occurs when a herniated disk, bone spur on the spine or narrowing of the spine compresses part of the nerve. It can cause inflammation and often numbness in the affected leg. Alternating heat and ice therapy can provide immediate relief of sciatic nerve pain.

• What is arthritis?

  Arthritis is the swelling and tenderness of one or more joints. The most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis causes cartilage to break down. Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease in which the immune system attacks the joints. Infections or underlying diseases, such as psoriasis or lupus, can cause other types of arthritis.