Interventional Pain Management for Spine Conditions
When neck, back or leg pain comes from nerve irritation, inflammation or structural spine issues, targeted *interventional pain procedures* can be a key part of your care. Dr. Jeffrey A. Moore works with interventional specialists and uses the latest image-guided techniques to reduce pain, confirm diagnoses, and guide whether surgical or non-surgical treatment is best.
- Image-guided injections
- Radio-frequency ablation (nerve blocks)
- Nerve root monitoring
- Pre-surgical pain planning
Some patients discover that targeted pain treatment may allow them to avoid surgery altogether. Others find that it helps clarify whether surgery is the right next step.
What Are Interventional Pain Procedures?
Interventional pain management includes a range of image-guided procedures designed to target nerves, joints, and soft tissues of the spine. These procedures can help:
- Relieve nerve irritation or inflammation causing pain.
- Confirm which specific nerve or structure is producing symptoms.
- Bridge the gap between non-surgical care and potential surgery.
Some of the more common procedures include epidural steroid injections, selective nerve root blocks, radio-frequency ablation, and intra-articular joint injections.
Common Interventional Spine Procedures
Interventional pain management may be part of Dr. Moore’s comprehensive spine program — often in collaboration with pain-management colleagues. Here are some commonly offered interventions:
A steroid is injected around the spinal nerves to reduce inflammation and relieve pain from leg or arm symptoms.
An injection placed near a specific nerve root to both reduce inflammation and confirm that the nerve is the source of your symptoms.
Uses heat via a nerve-stimulating probe to “turn off” a nerve transmitting chronic back or neck pain (often from facet joints or small nerves).
A physician injects medication into the small joints of the spine (facet joints) to relieve pain stemming from arthritis or degeneration.
A trial may be placed under local anesthesia to evaluate for spinal cord stimulation in select patients with persistent leg or back pain.
Occasionally used to identify if a specific disc is the source of long-standing back pain when other tests are inconclusive.
Your Role & What to Expect
Interventional procedures are often done on an outpatient basis and recovery is typically faster than major spine surgery. After the procedure:
- You may have mild soreness at the injection site for 24-48 hours.
- You’ll follow pain-relief and activity instructions from your team.
- Physical therapy or home-exercises may be recommended to support lasting benefit.
- If your pain decreases significantly, continuing non-surgical care may be reasonable; if not, Dr. Moore will discuss whether surgery is indicated.
These techniques are designed to be part of a broader spine care plan — not a stand-alone “cure” in every case.
Ready to Address Nerve-Driven Spine Pain?
If you’re dealing with leg, arm, or back pain that might be coming from nerve irritation or a subtle spinal condition, a consultation with Dr. Moore can help you understand whether interventional pain management — alone or in combination with surgery — is a right step for you.
- Review of your imaging and prior treatments.
- Discussion of interventional, non-surgical, and surgical options.
- A personalized plan based on your spine, goals, and pain pattern.