At some point in time, you may experience one of the two types of physical pain, acute or chronic. Both can affect your outlook, relationships and self esteem.  Acute pain is temporary and related to a specific cause such as a stubbed toe, a fracture, a burn or other injury/illness.  Chronic pain, on the other hand, may last a few months or many years, range from dull to sharp, and change frequently.  But when a part of you is in pain, your whole body reacts.

For those who are hindered by persistent pain, learning ways to control it effectively is the path toward regaining control of your life.  Pain management at Excela Health offers multiple approaches to the control and management of your pain.

Our staff of board certified anesthesiologists and physicians specializing in interventional pain management can help you regain control.  An individualized treatment plan is created to eliminate or decrease pain, helping you cope and improve your quality of life.

Seeking Help

Pain management services are available on an inpatient basis at Latrobe and Westmoreland Hospitals, and on a limited basis at Frick Hospital.   You may also be treated as an outpatient at the Pain Management Centers as Frick, Latrobe, and Westmoreland Hospitals as well as the SurgiCenter at Ligonier and the Norwin Hills SurgiCenter. 

Ask your physician for a referral or call one of our centers for additional information.

Frick Hospital, 724-547-1500
Latrobe Hospital, 724-537-1557
Westmoreland Hospital 724-832-4658
SurgiCenter at Ligonier, 724-238-9573
SurgiCenter at Norwin Hills, 724-861-4106

Causes of Pain

The causes of your pain are as varied as the sensations they produce and can strike any part of your body.  Some typical causes and types of chronic and acute pain are:

Arthritis   
Back pain   
Disc pain   
Cancer pain   
Diabetic pain             
Endometriosis             
Headache   
Shingles pain
Irritable bowel syndrome
Mouth, jaw, face pain
Neck pain
Neuropathy
Radicular pain
Muscular pain
Sympathetic pain

What Does a Pain Specialist Do?

Pain specialists are medically trained experts who examine the reasons for your pain and then begin treatment, either as an outpatient or in the hospital setting.  They:
Work closely with your primary care physician
Review your medical records and x-rays when needed.
Discuss the type of pain you experience in detail
Complete a focused physical examination
Determine a treatment and coping plan

You may also complete a detailed questionnaire about your pain to assess its impact on your lifestyle and interference in daily living activities.

Type of Pain 

Only you can identify and express the type of pain you are feeling.  In many cases, a pain scale, such as the one below, can help you communicate your level of pain, ranging from none to extreme
(graphic)

Treatment

Medication can play a crucial role in controlling pain.  For acute pain, it is often the first treatment choice.  For chronic pain, it may serve as part of a broader treatment plan, which could include:

Exercise   
Behavior change  
Steroid injections  
Surgery   
Physical Therapy
Nerve blocks
Acupuncture
Implantable devices

Developing Your Plan of Care

Studies have shown that a multidisciplinary approach to spine-related disorders can prove beneficial, especially given their complex nature.  We integrate those team members who can address your medical condition most effectively including:

Physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians
Neurosurgeons
Interventional radiologists
Psychiatrists
Anesthesiologists
Pain management specialists
Physical, occupational and behavioral therapists
Dietitians
Nurses and others

Treatment Options

The following non-surgical and surgical treatment options are embraced and used:

Therapist Consultation and Treatment
 
Includes functional capacity evaluation, aquatics, physical therapy, occupational therapy and behavioral therapy.

Interventional Pain Management
 
Includes facet and joint injections; discograms; rhizotomy; kyphoplasty; vertebroplasty; nerve blocks, intradiscal electrothermic therapy (IDET); spinal cord stimulation; implantable pumps for pain or spasticity, and integrative therapies.

Surgical Treatment
 
Includes decompressive laminectomies; surgery for herniated disks, and multiple image-guided spinal fusion techniques.

Pain Management Services
Helping You Regain Control of Your Life

Different Types of Pain

There are two different types of pain - acute and chronic.

Acute pain is temporary. It is related to a specific cause, such as a stubbed toe, a burn, fracture or other injury or disease. Acute pain serves as a message to the body that something is wrong.

Chronic pain may last from a few months to many years. Its cause is often unclear. Chronic pain may range from sharp to dull and may change frequently.

Rarely does pain stay at an even level - it fluctuates. Pain also does not have any boundaries. When a part of you is in pain, your whole body reacts.

Both types of pain can affect a person’s outlook, relationships and self-esteem.

What Does a Pain Specialist Do?

Pain specialists are experts at diagnosing why you are having pain as well as treating the pain itself.

Patients can be treated in the hospital or in an outpatient setting.

Pain specialists will work closely with your primary care doctor.

Review your medical records and x-rays as needed.

Ask you to describe your pain in detail, such as where it hurts, for how long, what makes the pain worse or what makes it feel better.

Likely ask you to fill out a detailed questionnaire that helps to assess the impact that your pain is having on your lifestyle and if it is interfering with your daily activities.

Do a focused physical examination.

Likely order other tests and review their findings to determine cause of pain.

Determine a treatment and coping plan.

Describing Your Pain

Pain is the one thing that only you can identify and express. Many times a pain scale such as the one below is used to help you communicate the level of pain you are experiencing, ranging from none to extreme.

Causes

Pain can strike just about any part of your body - from your head to your toes, from your skin to your internal organs.

The causes are as varied as the sensations they produce. Some common causes and types of chronic and acute pain:

• Arthritis
• Back pain
• Disc pain
• Diabetic pain
• Cancer pain
• Endometriosis
• Headache
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Mouth, jaw, face pain
• Neck pain
• Neuropathy
• Radicular pain
• Muscular pain
• Sympathetic pain
• Shingles pain

Chronic pain sometimes can develop for no apparent reason. Despite repeated tests, your doctor may not be able to link it to an identifiable physical cause or condition. This does not mean that the pain does not exist.

Treatment

Medication can play a crucial role in controlling pain. For acute pain, it is often the first treatment choice. For chronic pain, it may serve as part of a broader treatment package.

This could include:

• Exercise
• Physical therapy
• Behavior change
• Nerve blocks
• Steroid injections
• Acupuncture
• Surgery
• Implantable devices

Comprehensive Pain Management

Pain is an uncomfortable feeling that tells you something may be wrong in your body. It is your body’s way of sending a warning to your brain. When pain persists beyond the time expected for an injury to heal or an illness to end, it can become a chronic condition. No longer is the pain viewed as just the symptom of another disease, but as an illness unto itself.

For those who are hindered by pain, learning ways to control it effectively is the path toward regaining a full life. When pain messages reach your brain, two components determine how you respond. They are physical sensation and your personal makeup. Pain management at Excela Health offers multiple approaches to the control and management of pain. Our program is tailored to meet your individual needs.

Help from Excela Health

Our staff of board-certified anesthesiologists and physicians specializing in interventional pain management can help you regain control of your pain. An individualized treatment plan will be created to eliminate or decrease pain, helping you cope and improve your quality of life.

Pain management services are available on an inpatient basis at Latrobe and Westmoreland hospitals and on a limited basis at Frick Hospital. Patients also can be treated as an outpatient at the Pain Management Centers at Latrobe and Westmoreland Hospitals. Ask your physician for a referral or call one of our pain management centers for additional information:

Latrobe Hospital - 724-537-1557
Westmoreland Hospital - 724-832-4658

Call 911 if you think you have a life-threatening condition.
Information updated hourly.
Patients are seen based on severity. Times cannot be guaranteed at your arrival.