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Advances in pain management make it possible to reduce or even eliminate chronic pain through a variety of minimally invasive and noninvasive methods.
Our multispecialty team at Coastal Spine, with five New Jersey locations, includes pain management specialists and services dedicated to solving pain, restoring mobility, and improving overall quality of life.
Here are five effective nonsurgical treatments our team often prescribes for managing pain without surgery.
1. Physical therapy
Physical therapy is a cornerstone of nonsurgical pain management. It focuses on improving strength, flexibility, and mobility, often reducing pain by addressing its root cause.
Our physical therapy team customizes exercises and stretches to meet individual needs, targeting specific areas of discomfort. Your therapist may also employ manual therapy, therapeutic massage, and modalities like heat or cold therapy to relieve your symptoms.
We can also develop a strategy to prevent future injury with improved posture, routine spine- and joint-friendly exercise, good workplace and home ergonomics, and other healthy habits that keep you moving pain-free.
2. Medications
Over-the-counter medications can help manage chronic pain. Common options include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to reduce inflammation and pain.
Topical creams or patches can help deliver pain relief directly to the affected area. Antidepressants or anticonvulsants may help with nerve pain that’s resistant to traditional medications.
It’s crucial to use these medications under medical guidance to avoid liver damage and other side effects related to chronic use.
3. Injection therapies
Injection therapies offer targeted relief for many types of chronic pain. These treatments are particularly effective for arthritis, back pain, and nerve pain.
Common injection options include:
- Corticosteroid injections to reduce inflammation in joints or soft tissues
- Trigger point injections
- Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy to advance healing and reduce pain
- Epidural steroid injections to reduce inflammation and spine-related pain
Depending on the condition, these treatments provide relief that lasts weeks to months.
4. Radiofrequency ablation
Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) uses controlled heat generated by radio waves to block pain signals from targeted nerves.
RFA offers sustained relief for conditions such as:
- Chronic back or neck pain
- Arthritis-related joint pain
- Sciatica
- Pain from degenerative disc disease
This in-office treatment offers exceptional pain relief for six months to two years.
5. Regenerative medicine therapies
Regenerative medicine therapies harness the body’s natural healing abilities to repair and regenerate damaged tissues. These therapies can reduce inflammation, promote tissue healing, and alleviate pain.
These cutting-edge treatments, delivered via injection, include PRP therapy and stem cell therapy for joint pain, tendon injuries, and degenerative conditions like osteoarthritis.
Finding the right combination
Chronic pain management is not one-size-fits-all. Here at Coastal Spine, we develop comprehensive treatment plans that may combine several nonsurgical options to meet your needs and circumstances.
For instance, your pain specialist may recommend an injection-based therapy to reduce inflammation and pain so that you can participate more fully in a physical therapy program.
Or, because it can take several weeks to realize the full benefits of regenerative medicine therapies, you may benefit from short-term medications.
Schedule a visit at Coastal Spine today to identify which therapies are best suited for your specific condition. Call the office or request an appointment online.
