Pain Management at Neuroscience Center in Fort Walton Beach

Pain Management focuses on the pharmacologic and interventional management of both acute and chronic pain.

Our pain management specialist uses an array of advanced techniques and procedures, including drug therapies, injections, implants and regional nerve blocks to help patients live better, more comfortable lives.

Pain originating in the back or neck is a common health issue – at least 50 percent of Americans will complain of lower back pain at some point in their life, and it is the second most common reason for a visit to a primary care physician. Pain originating in the back and neck can restrict mobility and interfere with normal functioning. It can be acute and come on suddenly and intensely, or chronic, lasting for weeks, months, or even years.

At the White-Wilson NeuroScience Center, we provide integrated, multidisciplinary treatment for neck and back pain, tailored to each patient's specific needs. Teams of specialists including neurologists, neurosurgeons, pain management specialists, and physical therapists focus solely on spinal problems and implement the best solutions for the patient.

Surgical Treatment for Neck and Back Pain

Depending on the source of the pain, doctors typically begin treatment for neck and back pain with activity modification, physical therapy, and muscle relaxants and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to help get pain and inflammation under control. Inflammation and pain are linked because chemicals that stimulate nerve endings are released during the inflammatory process; NSAIDS reduce both pain and inflammation. In some cases, doctors may also prescribe narcotic pain medication, antidepressants (because some people with chronic pain are also depressed), or anti-convulsants (which help control or prevent abnormal increases in brain electrical activity that can occur in people with chronic pain).

For longer lasting or more difficult to treat pain doctors may also use:

Epidural steroid injection and selective nerve root block, in which doctors inject an anti-inflammatory medication and pain relief directly to the source of the problem within the spine to relieve back, leg or other pain and in some cases as a treatment for specific types of disc herniations.
Radiofrequency nerve ablation, a procedure that temporarily deactivates nerves that are often the source of back pain.
Peripheral nerve stimulation, a technique in which doctors place electrodes along the path of peripheral nerves to control pain. If patients benefit from a temporary course of stimulation, doctors implant a permanent electrode connected to an internal battery pack.

Surgical Treatment for Neck and Back Pain

In patients who have not responded to less invasive treatment, who have an identifiable structural abnormality that can be effectively corrected, or who have chronic severe pain, nerve damage, and loss of bladder and bowel control, doctors consider neck or back surgery. Common surgical procedures for neck and back pain include:

Microdiscectomy: In some patients, a herniated disc can be surgically repaired to restore the normal anatomic structure.
Discectomy or Laminectomy: In these procedures the disc that is causing pain or the bone placing pressure on the spinal cord is removed.
Spinal Fusion: In this procedure surgeons stabilize the vertebrae using metallic devices and bone from another part of the body, a bone bank, or artificial bone.

Our doctors are at the forefront of learning new surgical techniques to treat neck and back pain. Surgical innovations used at our NeuroScience Center include:

Minimally invasive spinal surgery: Many spinal procedures can be performed with less injury to muscle, ligaments, and bone with equal or even better outcomes for our patients.
Computer navigation for spine surgery: Advancements in intraoperative imaging and navigation systems make spine surgery safer.
Artificial disc implantation: Artificial discs are designed to provide support for the vertebrae while permitting a range of motion.

Our Pain Management Specialist

David H. Creamer, M.D.
Board Certified Pain Management
863-8182

Chris H. Patel, M.D.
Board Certified Pain Management
863-8182

Fort Walton Beach 850.863.8100 | Destin 850.269.6400 | Niceville 850.897.4400

White-Wilson Medical Center, PA
White-Wilson.com