And how can you get started with treatment?
Pain management is the term used to describe the medical specialty that focuses on treating a range of pain types including acute (sudden and severe, but usually only lasts a short time—a few hours to six months), chronic (mild or severe pain that persists for longer than six months), and sub-acute (pain that falls somewhere on the spectrum between acute and chronic).
At Pain Treatment Specialists, Dr. Youmna DiStefano—an anesthesiologist and interventional pain medicine physician—provides pain management in the form of minimally invasive, same-day outpatient procedures as well as a number of complementary modalities and healing elements that treat the psychosocial and emotional aspects of pain.
A Holistic Process that Begins With an In-Depth Evaluation
Because each patient’s case is unique, the first step is always a thorough and personalized evaluation. This approach ensures an accurate diagnosis and gives Dr. DiStefano a solid foundation on which to design a customized treatment plan. We don’t make any assumptions because the same condition can actually present very differently in different patients. This is why initial steps always include an in-depth review of an individual’s medical history, a focused physical, and—if needed—additional diagnostics such as a neurological examination, CT (computed tomography) scan, MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan, or a spinal injection for the purposes of collecting information about nerves.
The goal is to get as complete a picture as possible of each patient’s condition as well as any and all contributing factors including genetics, injuries, and traumatic events. Sometimes, it’s helpful for a patient to keep a “pain journal” that documents the location, intensity, and duration of pain along with details about any related symptoms, environmental or behavioral triggers, and any actions that help to lessen or increase the pain.
Personalized Treatment Plans
Since each patient’s pain and situation are so unique, the appropriate treatment is often comprised of a personalized combination of solutions applied in a holistic way. When choosing treatments, we do everything we can to understand the source and type of pain, and also consider other factors including overall health (physical and mental) and any situational concerns related to family, availability, or general preferences.
The types of treatments we offer fall into three categories:
Minimally Invasive Pain Interventions
We offer a wide range of options including epidural injections, facet injections, PRP and stem cell injections, and many others. These outpatient procedures typically offer a substantially faster recovery, reduced physical and emotional stress, and less risk of infection and complication than traditional types of surgery.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
As part of her comprehensive approach to patient support, Dr. DiStefano also incorporates elements of psychotherapy as a way to uncover underlying issues, assist with healthful behavior modification, and give patients additional tools for coping with pain. This part of treatment is so integrated that it can become almost invisible, but is a critical part of successfully engaging and empowering patients to take on a proactive role in their treatment.
Alternative Modalities and Lifestyle Recommendations
In addition to the clinical treatments, Dr. DiStefano also provides guidance on how to use different types of complementary modalities such as meditation, yoga, and acupuncture to best effect. She also offers insight into the value of actively engaging
Ready to learn more?
If you’d like additional information, you can:
- read our full list of available treatment options
- explore whether you are a candidate for pain management
- review our list of frequently asked questions
Or, please feel free to reach out to us directly. We’d be happy to answer any questions you have.