What kind of treatment can I expect?
Many patients seek out our care at our clinic for their pain, because our multi-disciplinary team of doctors is specifically trained in the workings of the musculoskeletal system, including the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of problems involving the muscles, bones, joints, ligaments and tendons.
Diagnosing your injury or pain
Determining the source of the pain is essential to recommend the right method of treatment and rehabilitation. Therefore a comprehensive examination is required to determine the cause of your pain.
Our doctors will take a complete history of the difficulties you are having with your neck. He or she may ask you about other illnesses, any injury that occurred to your body and any accidents or injuries or complaints you have associated with your injury. Previous treatment for your condition will also be noted.
Next, we will perform a physical examination. This examination may include evaluation of motion, tenderness, and the function of the nerves and muscles in your arms and legs. The evaluation consists of a series of orthopedic and neurological tests.
X-ray studies often will be done to allow the doctor to look closely at the bones in your body. These simple diagnostic techniques often help to determine the cause of pain and to prescribe effective treatment.
Patients who require further evaluation may undergo one or more of the following examinations:
- MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). This non X-ray study allows an evaluation of the spinal cord and nerve roots.
- CT (computed tomography). This specialized X-ray study allows careful evaluation of the bone and spinal canal.
- Myelogram (injection of a dye or contrast material into the spinal canal). This specific X-ray study also allows careful evaluation of the spinal canal and nerve roots.
- EMG (electromyography). This test evaluates nerve and muscle function.
Our doctors may supplement your evaluation with blood tests, and, if necessary, will consult with other medical specialists.
Treatment
How your pain is treated depends on what the diagnosis reveals. However, most patients are treated successfully with rest, medication, immobilization, chiropractic manipulations, physical therapy, exercise, activity modifications or a combination of these methods.
For example, if pain is caused by inflammation our doctors may prescribe rest and a brace for a specified period of time, as well as medication to reduce inflammation. If medication is prescribed to reduce pain, it should be used only as directed and should not be taken for extended periods of time. In addition, remember that if you are prescribed rest, it is vital that you follow instructions carefully.
When pain persists or is chronic, we may recommend a rehabilitation program that includes an exercise program and various types of physical therapy/rehabilitation to help you relieve your pain and prevent it from coming back.
Pain procedures may be needed in severe cases to help with the inflammation process to give relief of pain and symptoms. These procedures such as epidural steroid injections (ESI’s) and facet injections can be reviewed below under pain management.
Very few patients require surgery to relieve their pain. For the vast majority of patients, a combination of rest, medication, chiropractic care and physical therapy will relieve most musculoskeletal injuries. Surgery may be necessary to reduce pressure on the spinal cord or a nerve root when pain is caused by a herniated disk or bony narrowing of the spinal canal. It is also indicated in some fracture cases.
Our doctors have extensive training in the diagnosis of non-surgical and surgical treatment of the musculoskeletal system, including bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, muscles and nerves.
Some of the treatments we provide are as follows:
Chiropractic Manipulations–Manipulations are safe, and have been shown to be as effective as more conventional treatments for some types of pain. That said, there are situations when spinal manipulations can be dangerous and should be avoided. Patients should generally have an x-ray of their spine to assess for lesions or instability prior to beginning treatment of spinal manipulations.
Anti-Inflammatory Medications–Anti-inflammatory medications, come in two classes and are listed with some examples below. The first class is the NSAIDs and is used for the treatment of inflammation; they include Motrin and Celebrex. The other class is steroids and an example would include Cortizone. Side-effects of NSAIDs include problems of GI bleeding, and these medications should be avoided in patients with stomach ulcers.
Exercises–Strengthening of muscles with emphasis on flexibility and posture helps distribute weight appropriately. This treatment helps alleviate a lot of spine pressure. We put a great deal of emphasis on core strengthening.
Narcotic Pain Medications–Narcotic pain medications are excellent at relieving pain and include Hydrocodone and Vicoden. These medications can be highly addictive and require close physician supervision and monitoring.
Muscle Relaxers–Muscle relaxing medications are helpful in alleviating spasms and examples include Flexeril and Soma. These medications have a side effect that may cause drowsiness.
Physical Therapy / Rehabilitation–Exercises, as listed above, in conjunction with other modalities that can be used in the treatment of pain make up this department. Examples would be exercise done with the adjunctive modalities of ultrasound, electrical stimulation, and others.
Pain Management
Epidural Steroid Injections–Epidural steroid injections are an option for back pain treatment and inflammation around the spinal nerves. An epidural steroid injection is performed using an x-ray or c-arm to guide the medication to the area adjacent to the inflamed spinal nerve. It is used with disc herniation and associated leg pain (Radiculopathy).
Facet Injections–Facet injections are injections into the zygapophysial joints to help with pain in the neck or back region. This is also done using the x-ray or c-arm to guide the medication to the area.
RF or Rhizotomy–These procedures are done to block pain once a facet joint has shown that area to be problematic. It is done using x-ray or c-arm and consists of nerve ablation therapy.
Contact Information
Telephone: 817-451-7979
FAX: 817-451-7545
Postal address:
6800 Manhattan Blvd.,
Building #1, Suite #100
Fort Worth, Texas 76120
E-mail: info@texashealthcenters.com
Office Hours:
Monday 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday - 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday - 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday 8AM - 12:00 PM
Closed 12:30-2pm for lunch