Patient Education

South Hills Pain & Rehab Assoc., Inc would like to be your partner in health care. Feel free to ask your questions and share your concerns with us. We will work with you to develop a wellness program for the care and treatment you need.

We welcome you to our practice and look forward to caring for you.

South Hills Pain & Rehab Assoc., Inc provides a full range of medical services including the following:

Electromyogram

An electromyogram (EMG) is a diagnostic test that measures the electrical activity of muscles during contraction and at rest. The test is used to determine the cause of muscle weakness, twitches, numbness or paralysis. EMGs help to differentiate symptoms caused by traumatic injury from those caused by neurological disorders. ...

Nerve Conduction Study

Nerve conduction study (NCS), also known as a nerve conduction velocity (NCV) test, enables the diagnosis of possible nerve damage by measuring the speed with which an electrical impulse travels through a nerve. This test, often performed in conjunction with electromyography (EMG), allows the doctor to differentiate nervous system issues from musculoskeletal ones, and is invaluable in helping to establish the source of nerve damage, information that can be vital to effective treatment. Nerve conduction studies may be used to diagnose specific causes of nerve damages, including: substance abuse, nerve compression or various types of neuropathy. ...

Sacroiliac-Joint Steroid Injections

Sacroiliac-joint steroid injections help to diagnose and relieve lower-back pain caused by problems with one or both of the sacroiliac joints, which connect the spine's base (sacrum) to the pelvis's ilium bones. If one or both of the sacroiliac joints is inflamed (sacroiliac-joint dysfunction), a patient can experience pain in the buttocks and lower back that worsens when running or standing. Sacroiliac-joint dysfunction can be caused by osteoarthritis, traumatic injury, pregnancy, inflammatory joint disease, or underlying structural abnormalities. ...

Facet-Joint Injections

Facet-joint injections are both a minimally invasive treatment for back pain caused by inflamed facet joints, and a diagnostic tool for determining whether facet-joint inflammation is a source of pain. Four facet joints connect each vertebra to the vertebra above and below it. A facet-joint injection, administered into either the joint capsule or its surrounding tissue, combines a long-lasting steroid and a local anesthetic. ...

Trigger-Point Injections

Trigger-point injections treat pain in areas that have developed trigger points, which are knots of muscle that form when muscles contract and but cannot relax. Trigger points are caused by injury to or overuse of the affected muscle; they can also be caused by stress and anxiety. They can irritate the nerves around them, which causes pain in other areas of the body. The chronic pain brought on by trigger points can also decrease the affected muscle's range of motion. ...

Lumbar Sympathetic Nerve Block

A lumbar sympathetic nerve block is administered to both diagnose and treat pain in the lumbar (lower) region of the spine. It is used to determine whether the lumbar sympathetic nerves, which carry pain impulses from the lower extremities, are the cause of the pain, and, in some cases, serves to eliminate that pain altogether. During the procedure, medication is injected into or around the lumbar sympathetic nerves on one side of the body. ...

Epidural Steroid Injections

By reducing inflammation, epidural steroid injections (ESIs) are used to temporarily relieve lumbar (lower back), cervical (neck), thoracic (mid-spine) and sciatic-nerve pain. ESIs contain cortisone and an anesthetic, and are delivered directly to the epidural space, which is the area between the spinal cord and the outer membrane that covers the brain and spinal cord (the dura). As a result, they provide more effective and faster pain relief than oral medications. ...

Bursal Sac Injections

A bursal sac is filled with fluid that provides a cushion between muscles/tendons and bones to decrease friction and irritation. There are bursal sacs around most of the body's joints. When a bursal sac gets infected or inflamed, it can lead to a painful condition called "bursitis." Although often caused by repetitive movement or overuse of a joint during sports or intense physical activity, bursitis can also result from injury, or arthritis of a joint. ...

Myofascial Pain

Myofascial pain syndrome is a chronic condition in which trigger points (muscle knots) develop in certain muscles, usually ones that have been injured or overused. Jobs and recreational activities that involve repetitive motions, in which muscles repeatedly contract, are common causes. Trigger points can also be caused by stress and anxiety. Myofascial pain is most common in middle-aged adults, although people of any age may be affected. ...

Myofascial Release

Myofascial release is a form of therapy designed to relieve chronic and acute pain through special, targeted massage that aims to reduce tightness within the fascia, a sheet of connective tissue below the surface of the skin. Tightness within the fascia can restrict a patient's range of motion or cause the patient to favor one side of the body. The goal of myofascial release is to relieve pain and allow the patient to regain range of motion. ...

Cervical Medial-Branch Block

A cervical medial-branch block is an injection administered to diagnose and treat neck, upper-back, shoulder and facial pain, and headaches. The procedure is designed to both relieve symptoms and diagnose their source. By deadening pain signals in the medial-branch nerves (which transmit pain signals from the facet joints to the brain), it is possible to determine whether a particular facet joint (which connects two vertebra) is the source of the pain. ...

Pain Management

An estimated 70 million Americans suffer from chronic pain. Chronic pain is a major medical condition distinctly different from and more complex than acute pain. Whereas acute pain is a normal sensation triggered in the nervous system to alert the body to possible injury, chronic pain is a state in which pain persists, for many months or years, beyond the normal course required by healing. The effects, both economic and personal, associated with chronic pain can be significant. They include loss of income; debt from costly medical treatment; impaired mobility; and anxiety and depression. ...

Acupuncture

Practiced by Chinese healers for more than 5,000 years, acupuncture is a type of holistic medicine designed to facilitate the proper flow of Qi (ch'i), the life-giving energy that travels through the body's pathways (meridians). By helping Qi to move unimpeded through the meridians, acupuncture provides nourishment to all of the body's cells, muscles, organs, glands and tissues. During an acupuncture session, fine needles are inserted into the body at specific points along the meridians to break up blockages and restore a full, healthy flow of Qi. ...

Massage Therapy

Massage therapy involves hands-on stimulation of the soft tissues of the body to increase blood flow and stimulate the healing process. During massage, skin, muscles, joints and connective tissue are manipulated as a means of reducing pain and stress. Massage therapists are trained professionals who use specific techniques to treat various medical problems. ...

Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS)

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) typically involves implanting an electronic device in the body to help relieve chronic back and leg pain. The device, called a "spinal cord stimulator" or "dorsal column stimulator," sends electrical impulses through wires/electrodes placed near the spinal cord; the impulses block pain signals from reaching the brain. SCS does not cure chronic pain, but usually lessens it by 50 percent and more by replacing a patient's feeling of pain with a tingling sensation. Before implantation, a patient is asked to go through a trial period with an external device; this allows pain levels to be evaluated, and determine whether they decrease when the device is used. ...

Chiropractic Care

Chiropractic care is an alternative healthcare approach that focuses primarily on disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Chiropractors use a hands-on approach to diagnose and treat problems that affect the nerves, muscles, bones and joints by mechanically adjusting the spinal column. Although spinal manipulation is the foundation of chiropractic care, chiropractors, who take a holistic approach to treatment, use many other types of therapy to relieve pain and restore mobility. ...

Back Pain Prevention

At some point in their lives, the great majority of adults will suffer from significant low back pain, usually from an injury at work, at home or at play. Orthopedists, chiropractors, physical therapists, coaches and trainers all have helpful advice regarding back pain prevention. By following their directives, people can minimize the possibility of back injury, and keep themselves healthier in the process. ...

Radiofrequency Neurotomy

Radiofrequency neurotomy is a treatment designed to provide relief from severe pain in the back or neck. It uses the heat generated by radiofrequency waves to interfere with the nerves' ability to send out pain signals. The heat generated by these waves is delivered to targeted nerve areas through special needles that are inserted, just above the spinal area, through the skin. ...

Degenerated Discs

Degenerated discs are a common back problem. The spinal discs, which are soft, gelatinous cushions that separate the vertebrae, wear down during the aging process. Because the discs function as between-the-bones shock absorbers, allowing the spine to bend and twist, this deterioration can result in serious back pain. As discs are damaged or wear away, the amount of space between the vertebrae gets smaller. As the space narrows, joints are placed under greater stress, resulting in further degeneration. ...

Discogram

A discogram is a diagnostic test performed to determine whether a patient's back pain is the result of a spinal-disc abnormality, and, if so, to pinpoint the disc causing the problem. A discogram is performed by injecting a special dye into the patient's spinal disc(s), and using fluoroscopy to view the area in greater detail. The injection creates pressure on the disc and, if the disc is damaged, causes pain. ...

Herniated Disc

A herniated disc (also called a ruptured or slipped disc) is a damaged "cushion" between two bones in the spine (vertebrae). Normally, the gelatinous discs between the vertebrae hold the bones in place and act as shock absorbers, permitting the spine to bend smoothly. When a disc protrudes beyond its normal parameters, and its tough outer layer of cartilage cracks, the disc is considered "herniated." ...

Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that causes fatigue, as well as widespread pain and tenderness in the muscles, ligaments and tendons. People with fibromyalgia have specific tender points on their bodies that are particularly sensitive when pressure is applied. Fibromyalgia is also associated with sleep problems, headaches and trouble concentrating. Women are more likely than men to develop fibromyalgia, as are people between 40 and 60 years old. ...

Cervical Selective-Nerve-Root Block

A cervical selective-nerve-root block is an epidural steroid injection used for treating shoulder, upper back, neck and arm pain. It is also used to determine whether pain is being caused by disc problems or nerve-root inflammation. Although MRI scans and other imaging tests are often helpful in locating the source of pain, they may not be able to identify torn or leaking discs. ...

Sympathetic Ganglion Block

A sympathetic ganglion block is a type of nerve block used in the treatment of severe or chronic pain. It involves the injection of an anesthetic medication that will numb the affected bundle of nerves, a cluster known as a ganglion. These nerves help the body react to stress and are responsible for the fight-or-flight response, a physiological reaction to situations perceived as being dangerous. If the nerves are damaged or compressed in any way, they can produce pain and other symptoms. ...