Pain Management
South Shore Neurologic Pain Management Group, our multidisciplinary pain management program, integrates traditional and alternative approaches for the management of long term pain. Our treatment modalities include Neurology, Interventional and non-interventional procedures, Chiropractic, Physical Therapy, and Acupuncture. Dr Philippe Vaillancourt, certified in Neurorehabilitation and Pain Management, supervises our Pain Management Group. Our goals are to offer the most effective treatment options for people suffering from long term pain through both conventional and alternative therapies; thereby reducing our patients' pain level, to allow them to return to their normal activities without continuous dependency on pain medication.
What determines the type of treatment I will receive at South Shore Neurologic Pain Management Group?
There are three stages to the treatment process:
- Assessment: Your treatment plan is individually designed based on your pain consultation, which will include an assessment of your pain history, relevant medical history, and a comprehensive examination of constitutional, musculoskeletal, and neurologic systems. Treatment recommendations may include one or several of our pain management programs. If you have any risk factors, our team will diligently work around them to create treatment plan that meets your needs.
- Treatment: During treatment, your progress will be closely monitored and periodically reviewed at our weekly Multidisciplinary Staff Conference. If you are not progressing satisfactorily, recommendations for change of treatment modality will be considered.
- Re-evaluation: Depending on the extent and severity of your condition, re-evaluation occurs after 3-6 Medical Pain Management treatments, 10-12 Acupuncture treatments, and 10-16 Manual Therapy treatments (physical therapy/chiropractic). Progress is evaluated using your subjective report of improvement and objective measures found during your re-evaluation. Recommendation for further treatment or possible changes will be based on your measured improvement and residual pain.
Are medications prescribed?
During the initial phase of treatment, medication may be required as a supportive measure, or to facilitate your ability to enter a functional rehabilitation program. However, the goal of South Shore Neurologic Pain Management Group is to formulate a treatment program to reduce your pain through the employment of our treatment modalities to a level which will allow you to resume normal activities without continuous reliance on pain medication.
What is the treatment program at South Shore Neurologic Pain Management Group?
Our treatment program is organized into three divisions:
- Medical Pain Management: Medical Pain Management includes injection of muscle trigger points, peripheral and paravertebral nerve blocks, ligament injection (prolotherapy), articular (joint) injections, epidural steroid injections, transforaminal injections (selective nerve blocks), medial branch nerve blocks, radiofrequency ablations, occipital nerve blocks, sacroiliac joint injections, and other interventional pain procedures.
- Manual Therapy: Manual Therapy includes chiropractic and physical therapy, utilizing various manual treatment modalities such as joint mobilization and manipulation, soft tissue stretching, myofascial release, ultrasound and TENS electrotherapy. Training programs include functional rehabilitation, spinal stabilization, strength and endurance training, aerobic conditioning, balance therapy and postural re-education.
- Acupuncture: Acupuncture is effective in the treatment of headache, musculoskeletal and arthritic pain and pain from nerve injury (neuropathy). It is also used for detoxification during withdrawal from dependency on narcotic pain medication and smoking. Acupuncture is frequently used in combination with other treatment modalities to enhance the therapeutic response.
Medical Staff:
Philippe Vaillancourt, M.D.
Ralph Mangels DC
YuQuing Ye
Related Links:
American Academy of Pain Medicine
Information on educational programs, a membership directory, career opportunities, and internet resources.
- www.painmed.org
American Pain Society – American Pain Society
The American Pain Society is a multidisciplinary educational and scientific organization dedicated to serving people in pain.
- www.ampainsoc.org