Chronic Pain Specialist
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Pain & Anesthesia Care
Pain Management Physician & Physical Therapy Specialist located in New Brunswick, NJ
As many as 50 million American adults experience chronic pain daily. Without proper diagnosis and treatment, chronic pain can negatively affect your quality of life and keep you from the activities you love. At Pain & Anesthesia Care in New Brunswick, New Jersey, pain management physician Garen Gajian, MD, uses minimally invasive treatments to treat and relieve chronic pain. To schedule an appointment, call the office or book a consultation online today.
Chronic Pain Q&A
What is chronic pain?
Everyone experiences aches and pains from time-to-time, either due to injuries, general wear-and-tear, or underlying health problems. The pain usually subsides as your body heals. Chronic pain is different in that it continues to send pain signals to your brain, even after your recovery.
Pain becomes chronic if it lasts for three months or longer. For some people, chronic pain is sharp and stabbing; it results in a dull ache for others. Chronic pain can occur every day or be intermittent. Regardless of your symptoms, it’s important to seek out professional medical help if you experience chronic pain.
What are some common types of chronic pain?
Chronic pain occurs for a variety of reasons. Pain & Anesthesia Care regularly diagnoses and treats chronic pain caused by:
- Migraine headaches
- Surgery
- Fibromyalgia
- Temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ)
- Traumatic injuries
- Musculoskeletal problems
- Cancer
- Arthritis
He also treats chronic pain caused by nerve damage, also known as neurogenic pain.
Who is at risk of chronic pain?
Chronic pain affects people of all ages, races, and genders. Certain factors may increase your risk, including being overweight or obese, playing sports or working a physically demanding job, or having a history of accidents and injuries.
How is chronic pain diagnosed?
To diagnose chronic pain, your Pain & Anesthesia Care provider conducts a physical and neurological exam, asks about your symptoms and lifestyle, and reviews your medical history. During your exam, he gently observes the area causing you pain for redness, warmth, or swelling. He also tests your range-of-motion, strength, and flexibility.
If these measures don’t provide enough information to make a diagnosis, your provider might order laboratory tests or an X-ray or MRI to gain further insights.
How is chronic pain treated?
Treatment of chronic pain depends on the severity of your symptoms and the underlying cause. Whenever possible, Pain & Anesthesia Care recommends conservative, integrative, and minimally invasive approaches. Your provider might recommend:
- Radiofrequency procedures
- Sympathetic nerve blocks
- Major joint injections
- Peripheral joint blocks
- Epidural injections
- Facet joint injections
- Spinal cord stimulation
- Peripheral nerve stimulation
You might benefit from one or several of these treatment methods. Ultimately, the goal is to ease discomfort, encourage mobility, and improve your quality of life.
If you’re living with chronic pain, schedule an appointment at Pain & Anesthesia Care. Call the office to speak with a team member or book a consultation online today.
