Interventional Pain Management

Toronto Poly Clinic > Medical Services > Interventional Pain Management

Interventional pain management is an important pillar of our multidisciplinary pain management program. Only physicians with sub-speciality training or change of scope of practice to interventional pain can perform these procedures at our clinics. Different injections and procedures are used in this group of treatments for pain management. Toronto Poly Clinic has a highly equipped and modern X-Ray and Ultrasound procedure room for image guided procedures. Advanced image guided procedures are performed at our clinic.

Image Guided Injections

Steroid Epidural Injections

Done under the guidance of a fluoroscopy machine (portable X-Ray), an Epidural steroid injection is a common treatment option for many of our patients. Image guided steroid epidural injections can be used to treat many forms of low back pain and leg pain.

The main goal of an epidural steroid injection is to offer some pain relief.

Radio Frequency Nerve Ablation (RFA)

Radiofrequency ablation uses an electric current to heat up a small area of nerve tissue to stop it from sending pain signals. It can provide lasting relief for people with chronic pain, especially in the lower back, neck and arthritic joints.

Stellate Ganglion Block

A stellate ganglion block is an injection of local anesthetic (numbing medicine) to block the sympathetic nerves located on either side of the voice box in the neck. An injection at these nerves may reduce symptoms such as pain, swelling, color, sweating changes in the upper extremity and may also improve mobility.

Nerve Block Injections

Nerve Blocks

Nerve blocks, or neural blockades, are procedures that can help manage many different types of pain. The aim is to block pain from specific nerves. Often, a numbing agent is used with or without a corticosteroid to provide pain relief.

Nerve blocks can provide pain relief, allowing the patient to rehabilitate the muscles and parts of the body that were previously not being used due to the pain. This allows for muscle and core strengthening, which in turn also serves to decrease pain.

Benefits

Nerve blocks can be used to manage chronic, or long-term, pain. Nerve blocks ease pain by offering immediate relief.

Nerve blocks can help people who have chronic pain function better in their daily lives, allowing them to go to work, exercise, and return to doing daily tasks.

Common uses for nerve blocks

Nerve blocks are commonly used to manage pain that comes from the spine, as well as debilitating pain that affects the arms, legs, neck, and buttocks.

  • Headaches, including migraines and occipital neuralgia
  • Chronic regional pain syndrome, or CRPS
  • Low back pain
  • Severe facial pain, like trigeminal neuralgia
  • Arthritis pain
  • Neck and shoulder pain
  • Sciatic pain

Cortisone

Cortisone is an anti-inflammatory medication that can be injected into joints and soft tissues to decrease inflammation and reduce pain. This can be helpful for a variety of conditions, including arthritis and inflammation around a tendon (tenosynovitis).