Treatment at a pain clinic can include injections of pain medication and anti-inflammatory drugs in to the areas of the spine that are affected. The pain doctors do this very carefully and under the guidance and assistance of an anesthesiologist, and often with the use of X-ray guidance in the ambulatory operating room. The pain clinic generally has an ambulatory, or mini operating room nearby or in another location, for this purpose. The pain clinic doctors have vast experience in these techniques. Often these epidural, or facet joint injections are done two to three times for optimal pain relief results. Many patients experience relief from their chronic back pain with this treatment over the course of about one month.
Other treatment options include the use of medications. Opiate drugs are sometimes used to treat the moderate to severe pain of degenerative disc disease. Patients histories, especially considering the other medications they may be taking, are reviewed by the pain doctors. The pain doctors work with the patient and can prescribe medications to help reduce and manage their pain. Adjustments in dosage and type of medication can be customized to each patient. Since some opioid medication can be sedating and addicting, the pain doctors review the patient's history, age, and other medical problems. Small doses are easily tolerated, but depending on the patient's pain levels, can be adjusted accordingly.