Pain Management Clinic



The pain management clinic at Alvarado's San Diego Rehabilitation Institute specializes in providing outpatient treatment for patients with chronic and acute pain.
 
A Collaborative Approach
 
The professional and caring staff of the pain management clinic is committed to delivering high-quality and effective patient care in a timely manner. Patients receive personalized attention in compassionate surroundings before, during and after treatment procedures. The team approach of doctors, nursing staff and therapists helps create individualized patient care plans.
 
Patient Referrals
 
Patients referred to the clinic must first be evaluated or treated by a primary care or specialist physician. Prior to the first treatment, a pain clinic physician reviews and evaluates medical history and treatment plan with the patient and referring physician. Possible side effects and complications are discussed.
 
Pain Management Clinic Physicians
 
The clinic physicians are board certified in one or more of the following: pain medicine, pain management, anesthesiology, physical medicine and/or rehabilitation.
 
Pain Intervention
 
A clinic doctor may suggest an injection to relieve or diagnose pain. This procedure uses special X-ray equipment to guide a needle and catheter into the spinal canal to the site causing pain. Once the needle is properly placed, medication is injected. This procedure may help break the pain cycle by providing relief and allowing the patient to become more mobile.
 
The referring physician will receive a report discussing the results of the procedure and a possible treatment plan following the first treatment, as well as a final review at the conclusion of the course of treatment.
Common types of pain treated:
 
  • Back Pain
    • Cervical
    • Lumbar
    • Thoracic
    • "Failed back” syndrome
    • Herniated disc
    • Spinal stenosis
    • Osteoporosis with compression fractures
  • Headache and facial pain
  • Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)
  • Cancer pain
  • Myofascial pain

 

Common blocks/injections performed:
 
  • Cervical, thoracic, lumbar and caudal epidural steroid injections
  • Trigger point injection 
  • Select nerve root block
  • Peripheral nerve block
  • Sacroiliac joint injection
  • Celiac plexus block and splanchnic nerve block
  • Occipital nerve block
  • Provocative discogram
  • Radiofrequency thermocoagulation
  • Intrathecal pump trial
  • Botox Injections