During the initial pain assessment phase, our pain management physicians will ask you a series of questions pertaining to your symptoms – such as location, frequency, intensity, radiation, and duration of pain – as well as your history of illness, injury, and surgery. See what is my pain condition? for more information. The physicians at our pain management center may also suggest a procedure or a combination of procedures in order to establish an accurate diagnosis of your acute or chronic pain condition. Procedures may be diagnostic, to help determine what is causing the pain, or treatments, to help reduce the pain. Listed below are a few examples of the testing procedures used at our pain management center to provide an accurate diagnosis and/or to find symptomatic pain relief.
| Procedure |
Description |
Application |
X-ray (also known as a radiographic exam) |
An x-ray machine casts photons into the body and a computer captures images of the body as it is lit up by the electromagnetic radiation.
|
Diagnosis |
Computerized Axial Tomography (CAT or CT) Scan |
Like an x-ray, a CT scan takes cross section images of the body |
Diagnosis |
Bone Scan |
A radioactive marker is injected by an intravenous line (IV). The patient is placed through a scanner and the marker identifies areas of high bone turnover. |
Diagnosis |
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Scan |
A powerful magnetic field, radio frequency pulses, and a computer produce detailed pictures of organs, soft tissues, bone, and virtually all other internal body structures. |
Diagnosis |
Electromyography (EMG) |
Small needles are placed into the muscles. |
Diagnosis |
Nerve Conduction Velocity (NCV) Test |
A nerve is electrically stimulated, and the electrical impulse from the stimulus is measured. |
Diagnosis |
Blood Test |
A laboratory analysis performed on a blood sample usually extracted from a vein in the arm using a needle or fingerprick. |
Diagnosis |
Spinal Tap |
A needle is inserted into the lower back, usually at the third and fourth lumber or fourth and fifth lumbar level and three or four vials of fluid are collected for lab evaluation. |
Diagnosis |
Epidural Steroid Injection |
An injection (containing an anesthetic and a steroid) given into the space between the bony outer walls of the spinal canal and the membrane, which covers the spinal cord. |
Diagnosis & Treatment |
Facet Joint Injection |
An injection (containing an anesthetic and/or steroid) given into the paravertebral facet joint, medial branch nerve, or facet joint nerve under fluoroscopic guidance. |
Diagnosis & Treatment |
Sympathetic Injection |
An injection (containing an anesthetic) given into the back under fluoroscopy next to the vertebral body – possibly on both sides of the spine. |
Diagnosis & Treatment |
Trigger Point Injection |
An injection (containing an anesthetic and/or steroid) given into trigger points, or knots of muscle that form when muscles do not relax. |
Diagnosis & Treatment |
Peripheral Nerve Block |
An injection (containing an anesthetic) given somewhere between the source of nerve injury and its connection to the spinal cord. |
Diagnosis & Treatment |
It is important to understand that testing is done to show normalities and abnormalities. An accurate clinical diagnosis for a patient’s acute or chronic pain condition is based on correlating the findings of the diagnostic tests with the patient’s specific symptoms and the physician’s finding from a complete physical exam. To find out more about acute and chronic pain diagnosis and pain treatment relief, contact the physicians at our pain management center.
