Dr. Matthew Schocket founded Capitol Pain Institute to provide progressive and innovative pain management in Austin and central Texas. Capitol Pain Institute provides expert pain management care and treatment in a truly multidisciplinary center that affords our patients the benefits of comprehensive care. The patient experience at Capitol Pain Institute begins with a face-to-face consultation with one of our pain management physicians. During this initial visit, a unique treatment plan is designed based on the specific individual needs of each patient.
We pledge to provide effective, efficient, and empathetic care to our patients, to preserve and promote the patient-physician relationship, and to contribute to the growth and well-being of our community.
The Austin pain therapy clinic provides comprehensive chronic pain management services in Austin, while our branch offices in Bastrop, Round Rock, and Lampasas serve nearby communities. Patients receive high quality care from board certified physicians who are well trained in cutting edge procedures and treatments specializing in diagnostic and interventional pain medicine. Our experienced staff is highly skilled in treating and caring for patients with a variety of pain conditions. Together, the Austin pain management team offers individualized treatment programs to suit the requirements and lifestyle of each patient.
If you are searching for a professional staff with the most up-to-date knowledge about pain management, who prescribes top-notch treatment in a facility with the highest standards, you will find it with the Austin pain doctors.
OUR APPROACH
Our goal is to improve the quality of your life. We realize that pain is an inconvenience; however, for some, it can be life changing. We depend on careful assessment and precise diagnosis to determine the best choice of treatment that will focus on your pain symptoms. One of our pain management consultants Austin professionals will review your medical records and history, carry out a thorough physical assessment, and work with you to discover the root of your pain. If needed, we will implement additional diagnostic tests. After a treatment strategy is confirmed, a pain management doctor Austin will communicate frequently with your referring physician, primary-care physician, and case manager to guarantee continued care. This also helps to put patients at ease about any pain treatment that might be needed.
RELIEVING PAIN REGARDLESS OF WHERE IT HURTS
Our team of qualified pain management consultants in Austin are highly skilled in the most progressive treatments and therapies available. Some of the conditions treated include:
· Acute neck and back pain
· Cancer pain
· Chronic neck and back pain
· Chronic post-traumatic and surgical pain
· Chronic regional pain-syndrome (CRPS)
· Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
· Diabetic and non-diabetic neuropathy
· Disc Herniation Lumbar and Cervical
· Fibromyalgia
· Headaches (including migraine)
· Low Back Pain
· Myofascial Pain Syndrome
· Phantom-limb pain
· Post-Surgical Pain
· Sciatica
· Shingles/Post-herpetic Neuralgia
· Spinal Stenosis
· Vascular-insufficiency pain
· Work-related Injuries
TECHNIQUES FOR PAIN RELIEF AND MANAGEMENT
At Capitol Pain Institute, your pain management plan will be customized to suit your specific needs, circumstances, and predilections. Depending on the reason for your pain, treatment may consist of one or more of the following therapies:
-Medications
In many instances, a patient is prescribed treatment prior to receiving other types of pain therapy in Austin. Non-aspirin pain relievers include Tylenol or acetaminophen, eases minor pain and at times joined with other drugs to provide better pain relief. Medications for pain might include non-aspirin pain relievers, NSAIDS or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Over the counter drugs include Aleve, Naprosyn, or ibuprofen (Motrin). These are used to treat pain and inflammation.
Corticosteroids are available by prescription only; these cortisone-like medicines are used for more acute inflammatory ailments. Heavier drugs like opioid pain medications are frequently prescribed for short-term used for severe pain or cancer pain. Intermittently, a pain management doctor will prescribe these types of medications for chronic pain unassociated with cancer.
Originally created to treat depression, antidepressants can be useful for easing specific kinds of pain. Antidepressants can also induce sleep which can be helpful if you are in constant pain.
In many instances, medications by themselves are not enough to treat chronic pain. There are other treatments that may be more effectual than medications. Moreover, medications can be more effective if they are merged with other treatments. Other types of treatment might include:
Injections that consists of a local anesthetic, occasionally joined with a corticosteroid, that can be injected in the area of the nerve-roots or into muscles and joints to reduce muscle spasms, swelling, and irritation. Nerve-blocks consists of a group of nerves, known as plexus or ganglion, that causes pain to a specific body area or organ; injections with local anesthetics might be helpful for blocking pain in that region.
TWO PROGRESSIVE TREATMENTS USED BY THE AUSTIN PAIN CLINIC
Stem Cell Therapy
Scientists believe that your own stem cells might supply the formula to sustaining a high quality of life minus chronic pain. Stem cells are identical biological-cells that can grow into almost any specialized-tissues. New trial studies discussed by researches in science journals have visibly shown that injections of stem cells give better cartilage repair results. Many scientists concur that stem cells provide a legitimate option for treatment of diseases like chronic knee osteoarthritis.
Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy
Platelet Rich Plasma is a progressive restorative medicinal therapy that uses your body’s natural healing methods to heal damaged soft tissue, ligaments, muscles, and tendons. PRP is extracted from your own blood via a blood sample. By extracting a minute amount of plasma with a tremendously high absorption of platelets, the result is Platelet Rich Plasma. The PRP is then injected into the damaged region to encourage healing.
GENERAL INFORMATION AND YOUR PAIN MANAGEMENT AUSTIN TEAM
It is vital to supply the following information to our pain management consultants in Austin , TX prior to beginning treatment:
-The length of time you have experienced pain.
-Did the pain occur suddenly or develop slowly? What were you doing when the pain first began?
-Explain where the pain is located. Does it happen in only one place, or emit from one section of the body to another, or does it occur through the entire body?
-Describe the intensity of the pain. Is it acute, moderate, or mild?
-Explain the feeling of the pain. Is it sharp, burning, stinging?
-Is the pain continuous, or does it vary? Does anything help the pain? Does something make it worse?
-Does your job cause any mental stress? Is physical exertion required?
-Does the pain affect your daily-life? If so, does it hamper your activities, appetite, sleep? Outside of pain control, what are your ambitions during and after treatment?
BASIC QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR PAIN MANAGEMENT DOCTOR
Answers to the subsequent questions may be beneficial prior to beginning any pain treatment.
-What is my diagnosis?
-Will any additional procedures or tests be needed to verify my diagnosis?
-What medications are on hand to control my pain? Are there any side effects?
-Are there any other treatment options available? How do they differ?
-What treatment do you suggest? What proportion of patients reacts to this treatment? What are the advantages and risks of this treatment?
-What is the objective of the suggested treatment? For example, is it increased function or mobility, improved daily living, pain relief?
-Is there a financial interested on your part in the treatment you are recommending? For instance, will you be receiving any payment from the pharmaceutical company that produces the suggested medications?
-Are the prescribed medications acknowledged by the FDA to care for my particular condition?
CHRONIC PAIN CAUSES
Long-term disease or sickness, continuing conditions, and injuries are the most widespread causes for chronic pain. Other causes may consist of damage to the peripheral or central nervous system and vascular conditions. Long-term sicknesses that could result in chronic pain include multiple sclerosis, inflammatory disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, degenerative diseases like osteoporosis or osteoarthritis, and cancer.
Cancer patients frequently encounter chronic-pain caused by tumors that penetrate and squeeze organs or bones and by treatment that causes edema or tissue swelling. Continuing conditions that may be the reason for chronic pain include peripheral neuropathy such as carpal tunnel syndrome, migraine headaches, and ear infections. Initial injuries like a sprain, along with back pain, heel pain, and Achilles tendonitis may also become chronic.
Chronic pain that is the result of damage to the central nervous system like the spinal cord, brainstem, or peripheral nervous system is known as neurogenic pain. Central pain syndrome, trigeminal neuralgia, and phantom pain are various types of neurogenic pain.
Central pain syndrome is a neurological-condition brought on by harm to the central nervous system. It can happen in patients who have encountered spinal-cord injury, stroke, brain injury, or multiple sclerosis. It is identified by a continuous pain normally expressed as a cutting, aching, or burning sensation and short bursts of sharp pain. Central pain syndrome could arise years after injury to the central nervous system.
Trigeminal neuralgia, also known as “douloureux,” is a condition that results from damage to the fifth-cranial nerve or the trigeminal nerve. This condition is distinguished by severe, stabbing pain on one side of the cheek or jaw, usually lasting several seconds and returning throughout the day. Swallowing, chewing, touching the face, brushing the teeth, or talking can set off an attack. Trigeminal neuralgia may persevere for days, months, or weeks, go away, and reappear perhaps months or even years later.
Phantom pain or “ghost pain” is a type of neurogenic pain that takes place in paralyzed patients or as a result of a limb amputation. Chronic pain may also be caused by vascular conditions that decrease the blood flow to a region of the body. Vascular headache is one of the most popular types of headache.
Chronic pain that has nothing to do with a physical disease or injury, or other physical basis is known as “psychogenic pain.” This type of pain is also called pain disorder with psychological factors. Mental and emotional disorders may cause, intensify, or extend pain. Stomach pain, back pain, muscle pain, and headache are the most popular types of psychogenic pain. Physicians and mental health specialists collaborate to treat patients with this type of disorder.
HOW PAIN SCALES CAN AFFECT TREATMENT
Pain scales will help you rate the amount of pain you are experiencing so it can be conveyed to a pain management doctor, health professionals, or even your family. It is a self-reporting pain measurement so many patients are weary of its correctness. For example, a patient may ask what does a “4” feel like or convey doubt about the whole pain-scale mechanism altogether. What one might call a “5” another might call a “2.” However, the value is in the ratings themselves. If you say that this week your pain is “3” and the following week you feel that your pain is a “5”, that means the symptoms are worsening. Nonetheless, there are various types of pain scales, visual, numerical, and verbal.
-Verbal Rating Scales
Verbal pain scales utilize words to describe pain. Words like no-pain, mild-pain, or moderate-pain, and severe-pain, are used to illustrate pain levels. A score from “0 to 3” is allocated to each of the word pairs and is used to gauge the pain level.
-Numerical Rating Scales
A numerical-scale with the range of “0 to 10” is another type of pain scale that is used. The words “no-pain” are written next to the “0“, and the most awful pain is next to the “10.” You are asked to select a number from “0 to 10” that best represents your level of pain.
-Visual Analogue Scales
Visual analogue scales or VAS, utilize a vertical or horizontal-line with words that express “no-pain” at one end and “worst-pain” at the other end. You are asked to make a mark along the line that points to your level of pain.
Wong-Baker FACES Pain-Rating Scale
Many people are familiar with the Wong-Baker pain scale faces. Number “0 to 5” are placed underneath five faces, each depicting a different degree of pain with “0” being a happy face and “5” indicating a crying face. The face pain scale is especially good for children who may not have the verbal skills to convey their pain level.
-Fundamentals of Pain Scales
The above mentioned pain scales center on the severity of your pain; however, they do not really go into the gray areas of pain. Characteristics such as throbbing, dull, sharp, bearable, unbearable, or annoying are not indicated. However, there are questionnaires created just for that purpose. The questionnaires collect better detail concerning your pain than what pain scales can offer.
You will discover a pain scale in every one of our pain management offices. When you are asked the degree of your pain, you can be absolutely honest and not fret over whether you gave the correct answer. The value of the pain scale is evaluated week-to-week or per doctor-to-doctor visit.
DEALING WITH CHRONIC PAIN
-Work with your Austin Pain Management Doctor to Create a Treatment Plan.
Overall, chronic pain treatment depends on the cause and needs of each patient. While total pain relief is not possible every time, many types of chronic pain can be managed.
-Ask your Austin Pain Clinic if an Exercise Program would help.
The right exercise can enhance overall health, improve feelings of wellbeing, fortify muscles, and decrease the risk for injuries. Exercises may include yoga, tai-chi, swimming, and walking. Physical therapy may also help ease some types of chronic pain.
-Try other Types of Therapy
For some individuals, chronic pain can be eased with relaxation behavior modification therapy, massage therapy, biofeedback, hypnosis, medication, and acupuncture
-Speak with your Pain Management Doctor Austin about OTC Medication to Control Chronic Pain
Over the counter medications such as ibuprofen, aspirin, and acetaminophen, usually should not be used longer than 10 days unless directed by your doctor. These medicines can cause serious side effects and should be taken only as directed. It is crucial that any patients given any medications follow the treatment exactly as prescribed.
-Inquire about Prescription Pain Medications
When OTC medications like pain relievers and traditional treatments are not working, prescription medications may be used to ease chronic pain. Opioids, muscle relaxants, anti-inflammatory, including adjuvant drugs like antidepressants may also be prescribed by your pain management doctor.
-Think about other Treatment Choices
Depending on the reason for your pain, some types of chronic pain react to neuro-stimulation, trigger point injections, TENS or transcutaneous electrical-nerve stimulation, or corticosteroid injections. Speak with your pain management doctor concerning these particular treatments.
-Gather the Facts Concerning Surgery
For some individuals and some types of chronic pain, surgery is an option. Procedures like joint replacement to treat severe arthritis pain, discectomy to treat specific back pain, subtraction of a tumor that causes pain, and cordotomy, which can be utilized in severe cases of lower body pain. Our Austin pain therapy clinic offers cutting edge techniques in Stem Cells and Platelet Rich Plasma harvesting and injection as fully viable alternatives to traditional surgery.
At Capitol Pain Institute, your pain management specialist plays a vital role in arranging additional care such as rehabilitation programs, psychological therapy, and physical therapy in order to offer you a comprehensive treatment plan with a multidisciplinary approach to the treatment of pain.
Contact us now to start your journey to a pain-free life!
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