Sponsored by: The Spine Center at Bone & Joint Clinic of Baton Rouge

As a musician and avid sports fan who has experienced back pain himself, Dr. Matthew Neumann of The Spine Center connects with his patients and understands their desire to continue doing the things they enjoy without discomfort. At The Spine Center, Dr. Neumann specializes in injection therapy to reduce pain with a focus in treating pain originating from the spine. 

“Doctors are still humans, and we have similar hobbies and interests. Being able to do things outside of work – social events, playing golf – you can’t do that if you’re in pain,” Dr. Neumann says. “Music for me is an outlet; it’s something I enjoy doing for fun. If I’m having pain, my performances can suffer.”

A patient suffering from back and neck pain may have already tried anti-inflammatory medications and discovered they don’t provide enough relief. That patient may want to explore a more lasting, non-invasive treatment. At The Spine Center, Dr. Neumann meets with those patients to discuss whether they may be a good candidate for spinal injections to diagnose and relieve their pain.

Spinal injections can diagnose and treat the source of pain in a patient’s legs, back, neck or arms by administering a dose of medication to the precise source of the pain. Spinal injections for pain treatment may provide long lasting pain relief.

When used for treatment, spinal injections are typically one element of a comprehensive therapeutic plan, including an exercise regimen with stretching and weight training to strengthen supportive muscles and improve mobility.

Some common spinal injections include epidural injections to treat pain from herniated discs or pinched nerves/sciatica (radiculopathy), facet joint injections to treat pain from degenerative and arthritic conditions, and sacroiliac joint injections to reduce pain in the lower back and buttocks.

Spinal injections offer an alternative to spine surgery. Successful injections may last months to years depending on a patient’s medical condition and may be repeated up to three to four times per year to keep the pain manageable.

Dr. Neumann says one of his measurements of successful pain management is whether the patient is able to return to the things they enjoy doing, whatever those activities may be. Goals for the treatment plan will be different for each individual patient. For example, goals for a patient training to run a marathon will differ from a patient simply wishing to walk around the block with grandchildren.

If you are wondering if you are a good candidate for spinal injections to relieve low back pain, call 1-833-SPINEBR or visit spinecenterbr.com  to make an appointment for a thorough evaluation.