The needle in a haystack: appropriate use of interventional techniques in the management of chronic pain.
Management of chronic pain is often difficult. Interventional approaches, such as joint injections and nerve blocks, can reduce dependence on opioid therapy, polypharmacy, and long-term costs; they can also dramatically improve pain control and function. However, interventional techniques must be used ethically and judiciously as part of a comprehensive approach to patient-centered care.
Department of Anesthesiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA. wblau@aims.unc.edu
William S
WS
Blau
D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D058542:Implantable Neurostimulators / Q000009:adverse effects; D007267:Injections / Q000009:adverse effects; D009407:Nerve Block / Q000009:adverse effects; D059408:Pain Management / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000941:ethics / Q000379:methods*; D061028:Trigger Points