Interventional Pain Medicine: Navigating Chronic Pain Issues in a Responsible Way

Chronic pain affects millions of people worldwide, often disrupting daily life and diminishing overall well-being. For those living with persistent pain, the search for relief can feel endless, with treatments ranging from lifestyle changes and medications to advanced medical procedures. 

Interventional pain medicine offers a pathway forward—one that focuses on targeted, minimally invasive techniques designed to reduce pain, restore function, and improve quality of life. Yet, navigating this field responsibly means balancing innovation with safety, tailoring treatment to each patient’s unique needs, and ensuring that interventions complement rather than replace holistic care.

Here, Dr. Mohammad Issa—interventional pain specialist at Riverside Medical Group - Orthopedic Specialists—offers helpful insights surrounding this approach and why it is so effective in mitigating chronic pain. 

What Constitutes Chronic Pain?

Chronic pain is defined as pain lasting longer than three months or beyond normal healing time. It affects roughly one in five adults worldwide, with low back pain being the most common type and the leading cause of disability globally. In the U.S., about 50 million adults (20%) report chronic pain, and 7% experience high-impact chronic pain that disrupts daily activities. 

Older adults are most affected—around half of those over 65 live with chronic pain. However, per Dr. Issa, there are multiple other risk factors in play.

“We have patients who undergo surgeries in the past, injuries, individuals with occupations that require repetitive strain and heavy physical labor,” he explains. “In addition to those factors, lifestyle habits can impact the prevalence of chronic pain, such as smoking, lack of activity, as well as mental health conditions like depression and anxiety.”

What Causes Chronic Pain?

Chronic pain can arise from many causes, ranging from straightforward to complex. The most common are musculoskeletal issues such as osteoarthritis (wear and tear), rheumatoid arthritis (autoimmune), herniated discs, spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease, and fibromyalgia. Nerve-related conditions are also frequent sources, including diabetic neuropathy, sciatica, and postherpetic neuralgia—which is pain that occurs after a shingles infection.

Dr. Issa notes that chronic pain can impact nearly every aspect of life—physically, emotionally, socially, and economically. Physically, it often causes fatigue, limited mobility, and sleep disturbances. Emotionally and mentally, it can lead to depression, anxiety, irritability, mood swings, and cognitive issues like brain fog, poor concentration, and memory problems.

“People with chronic pain tend to be a bit socially isolated, and that comes down to the fact they're not enjoying social activities because of the constant pain,” he shares. “There's also something we call the ‘cycle of suffering’ where chronic pain sparks a vicious cycle. It starts with pain, leads to poor sleep, which then leads to fatigue and depression, and that instigates reduced activity and eventually more pain.”

When Does the Pain Require Professional Help?

It’s important to recognize when pain requires more than over-the-counter remedies. If pain persists beyond three months, doesn’t improve with common medications like Tylenol, ibuprofen, or topical creams, or is accompanied by concerning symptoms—such as numbness, tingling, weakness, fever, unexplained weight loss, bowel or bladder issues, swelling, redness, chest pain, or shortness of breath—medical attention should be sought, as these may signal a more serious underlying condition.

How Does Interventional Pain Medicine Help?

Interventional pain medicine uses targeted, minimally invasive procedures to treat chronic pain when medications or physical therapy are insufficient. Common options include nerve blocks and cortisone injections for spinal or nerve-related pain, as well as joint injections for areas like the facet or sacroiliac joints. Trigger point injections can relieve muscle knots, while radiofrequency ablation applies heat to nerve endings to disrupt pain signals from spinal joints. 

For more persistent cases, spinal cord stimulation offers advanced relief by using implanted wires and a battery to interrupt pain signals before they reach the brain, typically beginning with a short trial period. “We’re excited to have a new generation of devices at Riverside that can adjust the signal based on patient position and physiologic activity, such as sneezing or coughing,” says Dr. Issa.

Help Is Available—And Effective

Ultimately, Dr. Issa wants to assure individuals that pain relief is possible. “You don't have to live in constant pain. If you're struggling with chronic pain that's affecting your daily life, know that effective personalized treatments are available and that you're not alone. At our clinic, we specialize in advanced interventional pain therapies designed to reduce your pain, restore your function, and improve your quality of life. Please allow us to help you take the next step towards relief and a better quality of life.”

Learn more about Riverside's Interventional Pain Medicine providers by visiting myrhc.net/painmedicine or calling (815) 802-7090.