Does Pain Control Your Life?
When pain interferes with the quality of your life, restricting activities and, perhaps, causing depression, you may wish to consider the services of the Cleveland Clinic Pain Management Center at Hillcrest Hospital.
Our goal is to alleviate or ease your pain and to teach you how to manage it so you can return to a normal, productive life as soon and as much as possible.
Although some patients seek our services for short-term or acute pain, usually caused by an injury or surgery, most of our patients suffer from long-term or chronic pain, which does not always have an easily identifiable cause.
At the Pain Management Center, your care will be managed by the Center's medical director, who is a board-certified physician in anesthesiology and pain management. Other physicians consulting on your care may include a specialist in physical rehabilitation and in psychology. The medical staff is supported by a team of skilled and experienced care providers, including registered nurses and physical and occupational therapists. This team approach means that you will receive comprehensive, specialized care in one convenient location.
Range of Services
The Pain Management Center treats the following types of pain:
What to Expect at the Center
Throughout the entire treatment process, the Center will communicate your progress to your referring and/or family physicians. As you near the end of your treatment plan, we will ensure that you have the information and instructions necessary to manage your condition.
Insurance and Appointments Fees and Insurance
Pain Management Center services usually are covered by most major insurance plans as well as Workers' Compensation, Medicaid and Medicare. Since some insurance carriers may require a referral from your primary care physician, be sure to check with your insurance advisor before scheduling an appointment. If your plan does not cover pain management services, you will be responsible for those charges.
To Make an Appointment
If you are experiencing pain, ask your physician to refer you to the Cleveland Clinic Pain Management Center at Hillcrest Hospital. To schedule an appointment, call 440.312.7246.
For more information about our pain management program, please visit Cleveland Clinic's Pain Management site.
Assessment and Treatment
- During your first visit, a board-certified pain management specialist will perform a thorough assessment. Diagnostic tests may include:
- Diagnostic nerve block to identify the exact source of pain
- Thermographic imaging to asses the integrity of peripheral circulation
- Discography (a radiologic guided procedure) to determine if the pain is originating from the intervertebral discs
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to create detailed pictures of specific internal structures
- Computerized axial tomography (CAT) scans taken at different angles to show a detailed view of internal organs
- Psychological testing
- Diatary and nutritional analysis
After Your Diagnostic Evaluation
A treatment plan will be developed and reviewed with the team of experts assembled to address your needs and will be shared with your family physician. Your treatment may include:
- Therapeutic nerve blocks - local anesthetic injections given near a specific nerve or group of nerves to relieve pain
- Spinal drug delivery systems - a computerized pump that delivers opiates, local anesthetics and other pain medication continuously into the spine to control the intractable pain.
- Spinal cord stimulation - a small implantable device that stimulates the spinal cord to treat pain and improve circulation
- Spinal endoscopy - a small fiberoptic scope used to evaluate the spinal nerve roots and administer medications
- Intradiscal electrothermal therapy - to treat chronic pain originating from the intervertebral discs
- Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) - a small external device that delivers electric impulses to nerve endings to stop pain
- Acupuncture - a medical practice which involves inserting fine needles into the skin at specific points in the body to relieve chronic pain
- Bioelectric treatment - a precise dose of bioelectric currents is administered through electrodes placed on the skin to cause a biological change and interrupt pain signals.
- Psychological counseling
- Physical and occupational therapy
- Dietary and nutritional counseling