What is a nerve doctor specialist? | What do you call a doctor who treats nerve injuries?
July 12, 2019
A nerve doctor specialist is another name for a doctor who has trained in the field of nerve conditions and treatment. Many doctors train in this area including neurologists, anesthesiology pain doctors, and neurosurgeons. Nerve specialists are able to diagnose the cause of your nerve pain, and provide different types of treatment to fix not only the pain, but the underlying problem as well.
What is a nerve doctor specialist?
“Nerve doctor specialist” is an umbrella term used to define a range of doctors that focus on treating nerve conditions. This can include neurologists, anaesthetists, pain doctors and neurosurgeons. These people may use their specialized knowledge to work together on a patient to provide care throughout the entire process of fixing a nerve condition, from diagnosis to treatment. As a patient, the appropriate nerve doctor specialist (or specialists) will work with you to understand the cause of your nerve pain, and develop a tailor-made treatment plan that eases your discomfort, and ideally fixes the cause of the problem. They will provide you with the pain treatment you require, and where necessary, work with you on an ongoing basis to ensure that you are getting the most out of your treatment.
All nerve doctor specialists are trained to work with the human nervous system. The nervous system is the network of nerves that run throughout your body. These nerves are what send signals to different parts of the body, allowing you to move and feel sensation. There are two main parts of the nervous system – the central nervous system, and the peripheral nervous system. The central nervous system is comprised of all of the nerves in the spine and the brain, while the peripheral nervous system is all of the nerves that are everywhere else in the body. The peripheral nervous system (PNS) connects the central nervous system (CNS) to important parts of the body, so that messages can be sent between major organs and the brain. It is a complex system, and just like anything within the body, things can go wrong, leading to feelings of constant pain.
What type of treatments can a nerve doctor specialist provide?
There are many different types of pain that can be caused by issues with nerves, and therefore a range of treatments have been developed in order to deal with all of these. A lot of these treatments do not require invasive surgery, and are considered better alternatives to pain relief than options such as oral medication. The majority of these treatments focus not only on reducing the pain that is felt by a nerve condition, but also fixing the nerve issue itself where possible.
Steroid Injections
Steroid injections can be used to reduce neck and back pain. Also known as a cervical epidural steroid injection, the injection is placed in the spine, in the painful area, to reduce inflammation and the feeling of pain. This type of treatment is ideal for a pinched nerve, because it provides the nerve with adequate space in the spinal cord, reducing the pressure and therefore the feeling of pain. While mainly used to treat pain in the spine and neck region, it can also be used to target pinched nerves in the wrist, shoulder, hip or knee.
Genicular Nerve Block
This is a type of treatment that prevents pain signals from reaching the brain, effectively stopping you from feeling pain. Also known as a G block, is a type of treatment that is focused on reducing pain that is felt in the knee joint. A nerve doctor specialist will inject local anesthetic into the genicular nerve to numb the area. This is a potential treatment option for a number of knee-related conditions, such as arthritis and swollen joints, and provides immediate relief.
Thermal Radiofrequency Ablation
Radiofrequency ablation is a type of treatment that uses heat to kill off nerve endings that are causing ongoing pain. A needle is inserted into the nerve or cluster of nerves that are causing pain, and the tip of the needle is heated. The heat damages the nerve endings, preventing them from sending pain signals to the brain. A nerve doctor specialist can successfully administer this type of treatment to the knee or back, providing relief for up to twelve months. This type of treatment is ideal if you have worked with a neurologist before, and no other type of treatment is providing you with long-term pain relief from a chronic condition.
When should I see a nerve doctor specialist?
You should make an appointment to see a nerve doctor specialist if you have any type of ongoing pain that stems from a nerve condition. Even if you do not know what is causing the pain, a specialist can help you to diagnose and understand it. After the cause of your nerve condition has been determined, they can provide you with appropriate treatment, and ongoing support afterwards where necessary.
At Pain Treatment Specialists, our belief is that pain stemming from nerve conditions should not necessarily be managed by constantly taking prescribed narcotics. This method of treatment does not fix the root cause of the pain and it can cause other health concerns of its own, such as an opiate addiction. We also believe that surgery is not always the best option to treat nerve issues, and there are many non-invasive procedures that can be attempted first that achieve the same (if not better) result. We focus on understanding what is causing your ongoing pain, and then providing alternative treatments to ensure that you can return back to your normal life free of health concerns as soon as possible.
Our team is comprised of Ivy-League educated physicians who have specialised in treating pain. They are patient-oriented, and their goal is to provide the best care possible in our state of the art facilities, with the newest and safest technology in pain medicine. Our pain doctors are experts in diagnosing a variety of health conditions, and providing the appropriate corresponding treatment. We operate as part of the VIP medical group, who are the leading vein treatment and pain doctors in New York and New Jersey. We operate out of many different clinic locations in NY and NJ, making it easy to find a nerve doctor specialist that is close to you.
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