Pain Management

Consider interventional pain management if you’re one of the 20 million Americans living with chronic pain. At Houston Pain Services, board-certified interventional pain management specialist Adrian C. Dumitru, MD, and the team use minimally invasive interventional pain management to treat various types of musculoskeletal discomfort, including back, neck, knee, shoulder, and hip pain. Call the Houston, Texas, office today to make an appointment or book online.

What is interventional pain management?

Interventional pain management is an orthopedic subspecialty used to diagnose and treat chronic pain. 

Interventional treatments relieve musculoskeletal discomfort with minimally invasive measures, resulting in quicker recovery times, fewer complications, and improved outcomes. 

What types of problems can benefit from pain management?

At Houston Pain Services, Dr. Dumitru and the team use interventional pain management to treat various musculoskeletal problems, including:

• Sciatica
• Neuropathy
• Neck pain
• Back pain
• Knee pain
• Shoulder pain
• Hip pain
• Facet joint pain
• Headaches
• Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)
• Fibromyalgia

Pain management relieves traumatic injuries, including fractures, sprains, and dislocated joints.

Should I see a specialist for pain management?

Make an appointment with Dr. Dumitru and the team if you have musculoskeletal pain that lasts for more than a week and it keeps you from relaxing or sleeping. That’s particularly true if your symptoms worsen or interfere with your quality of life.

What happens during a pain management consultation?

Dr. Dumitru reviews your medical records and asks about your symptoms. He has you rate your pain on a scale of 1-10 and asks you to do some easy exercises, assessing your balance, strength, reflexes, and range of motion.

Dr. Dumitru completes an exam, checking the painful area for bruising, redness, or swelling. He gently presses your skin to identify sensitive areas and tests your ability to feel different sensations.

Next, he orders diagnostic imaging, such as X-rays, CT scans, or MRIs. These procedures capture photos of your bones, joints, and soft tissues, helping Dr. Dumitru and the team determine the best treatment approach.

What does interventional pain management involve?

At Houston Pain Services, interventional pain management involves minimally invasive treatments. Dr. Dumitru and the team may recommend the following:

• Epidural corticosteroid injections
• Transforaminal epidural corticosteroid injections
• Facet joint blocks (thoracic, cervical, or lumbar)
• Sacroiliac joint blocks
• Intercostal nerve blocks
• Coccygeal blocks
• Lateral femoral cutaneous nerve blocks
• Trigger point injections
• Lumbar and stellate ganglion sympathetic blocks
• Piriformis muscle blocks
• Occipital nerve blocks
• Knee, hip, or shoulder blocks
• Spinal cord stimulation trial
• Discography
• Intradiscal electrothermal therapy (IDET)
• Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy
• Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS)

Dr. Dumitru may suggest surgery if your pain continues or doesn’t improve. He offers minimally invasive and traditional open procedures, including disc nucleoplasty and minimally invasive lumbar decompression.

Call Houston Pain Services today to learn more about the benefits of pain management, or book your appointment online.