Pain can be caused by diseases of the spine, joints, muscles or nervous system, by injuries or by other health problems. When pain lasts, keeps coming back or interferes with everyday life, it is important to find its cause and choose the right treatment. At Baltic American Clinic, pain treatment includes consultations with specialist doctors, interventional procedures and, if needed, medical rehabilitation.
Consultations with neurologists, neurosurgeons, orthopaedic and trauma surgeons and other specialists.
Pain-relieving procedures used according to medical indications.
Taking into account the cause and duration of the pain and its effect on everyday life.
If needed, pain treatment is combined with restoring movement.
When should you seek treatment for pain?
Pain is the body’s signal that can warn of tissue damage or disease. Sometimes, however, it lasts longer than expected and becomes a health problem in its own right.
By duration, pain is divided into:
- Acute pain. Most often caused by an injury, inflammation, surgery or other tissue damage. It usually eases as the damaged tissue heals.
- Chronic pain. Lasts or recurs for more than three months. It may be related to an ongoing disease, changes in the nervous system or other factors.
A consultation is recommended if:
- The pain does not go away, keeps coming back or gets worse.
- Pain makes it hard to move, work, sleep or rest.
- The pain spreads to your arms, legs or other parts of the body.
- You also have numbness, tingling or muscle weakness.
- Pain persists after an injury or operation.
- Previous treatment has not helped enough.
- Constant pain is affecting your emotional well-being and quality of life.
Important. A sudden, extremely severe headache, chest pain with shortness of breath, new weakness of the limbs, or back pain with loss of bladder or bowel control can be signs of dangerous conditions. In such cases, call the emergency number 112 immediately.
Which causes of pain and conditions do we treat?
Back and lower back pain
Back pain can be caused by changes in the structures of the spine, muscle overload, injuries, or inflammatory or degenerative diseases. Sometimes the pain is felt only in the back; in other cases it spreads to the buttocks, legs or other parts of the body.
Common causes of back pain:
- Herniated intervertebral disc. Disc changes can irritate or compress nerve roots, causing pain, numbness or weakness. In the lower back the pain can spread to the leg, in the neck to the arm.
- Degenerative changes of the intervertebral discs. Disc changes related to age or other factors can be one of the causes of back pain, although not all such changes cause symptoms.
- Spinal stenosis. Narrowing of the spinal canal can compress nerve structures. In the lower back this sometimes causes leg pain, numbness or weakness, especially when walking.
- Changes of the spinal joints. Degenerative changes of the small spinal (facet) joints can cause local pain and limited movement.
- Spinal curvatures. In some cases spinal deformities can be associated with muscle overload and pain.
- Inflammatory spinal diseases. Some forms of arthritis can cause long-lasting back pain and stiffness.
- Spinal tumours and other rarer diseases. Although less common, they can also cause back pain and need specific investigation.
Neck pain
Neck pain can be acute or chronic and can start suddenly or build up gradually. It is often related to muscle tension, long periods in an awkward posture, or changes of the spinal joints or intervertebral discs.
Possible causes:
- Muscle tension and overload. Pain can get worse after long periods of desk work, computer use or sleeping in an awkward position.
- Degenerative changes of the cervical spine. Changes of the discs and joints can cause pain and limited neck movement.
- Compression of nerve roots. Pain can spread to the shoulder, arm or hand, sometimes with numbness or muscle weakness.
- Neck injuries. A sudden head movement, a fall or a road accident can damage muscles, ligaments or other tissues.
- Arthrosis of the neck joints. Degenerative joint changes can be associated with pain and stiffness.
Head and facial pain
Head and facial pain can be related to neurological diseases, nerve damage, sinus inflammation or disorders of the jaw joint.
Migraine
Migraine is a recurrent headache disorder with attacks of moderate or severe pain. The pain can come with nausea and sensitivity to light and sound, and some patients have an aura before an attack.
Trigeminal neuralgia
This is severe, brief, stabbing or electric-shock-like pain, usually on one side of the face. Attacks can be triggered by touching the face, talking, chewing or brushing the teeth.
Sinusitis
Acute or chronic inflammation of the paranasal sinuses can cause facial pressure and pain, usually together with nasal congestion or discharge. Not every pain in the face or forehead is related to sinusitis, so it is important to find the real cause of the symptoms.
Temporomandibular joint disorders
Disorders of the jaw joint and chewing muscles can cause pain in the jaw, temples or ears. Sometimes there is clicking of the joint, limited mouth opening or difficulty chewing.
Other causes of headache
Headache can be caused by tension-type headache, disorders of the neck structures and other neurological or general health conditions. Treatment depends on the diagnosis.
Joint pain
Joint pain can occur at any age. It can be caused by degenerative diseases, inflammation, injuries or damage to the tissues around the joint.
Common causes:
- Osteoarthritis. Changes of the joint tissues can cause pain, stiffness and limited movement.
- Inflammatory joint diseases. For example, rheumatoid arthritis, which may cause joint swelling, pain and morning stiffness.
- Joint injuries. Damage to ligaments, menisci, cartilage and other structures can cause acute or long-lasting pain.
- Disorders of tendons and surrounding tissues. The pain may come not from the joint itself but from the tendons, muscles or bursae around it.
Nerve pain
Neuropathic pain is caused by damage to or disease of the somatosensory nervous system. It may feel like burning, tingling, shooting pain, numbness or increased sensitivity to touch.
It can be caused by:
- Damage to or compression of nerve roots. For example, in radiculopathy.
- Compression of peripheral nerves. Including carpal or cubital tunnel syndromes.
- Peripheral neuropathies. Nerve damage that can be related to various diseases.
- Nerve damage after injuries or operations.
- Neuralgias. For example, trigeminal or post-herpetic neuralgia.
Muscle and myofascial pain
Muscle pain can be related to overload, long-term tension, injuries or movement disorders.
In myofascial pain, the pain can be felt in the muscles and surrounding areas, sometimes linked to tender points in the muscles. When assessing this pain, it is important to identify the factors that keep it going and choose suitable movement and treatment measures.
Pain after injuries and operations
After an injury or surgery, pain can persist because of tissue healing, inflammation, limited movement or nerve damage.
If the pain lasts, gets worse or prevents you from returning to everyday activities, further investigation and an individual treatment plan are needed.
Which pain treatment methods are used?
Treatment methods are chosen according to the cause of the pain, its intensity and duration and the patient’s health.
Medication
The doctor chooses or adjusts medicines, taking into account the pain mechanism, the results of previous treatment and possible side effects.
Interventional pain procedures
When there are medical indications, therapeutic injections and nerve blocks may be used. Their aim is to reduce pain when well-chosen conservative treatment is not effective enough or when a targeted effect on a specific anatomical area is needed.
Physiotherapy (therapeutic exercise)
Individually chosen exercises help to restore movement, strengthen muscles, improve coordination and increase tolerance of physical exertion.
Physical therapy procedures
Depending on the indications, various physical therapy procedures may be used as part of comprehensive treatment.
Therapeutic massage and manual therapy
In some cases they can help to reduce muscle tension and improve movement. These measures are chosen according to the diagnosis and your individual condition.
Medical rehabilitation
When pain is related to movement disorders, pain treatment can be combined with an individual rehabilitation programme.
Surgical treatment
If a cause of pain that requires surgery is found, for example significant compression of nerve structures, a consultation with a neurosurgeon or another surgeon may be recommended.
Not every patient needs interventional procedures or surgery. The treatment approach depends on the diagnosis and individual medical indications.
How does pain treatment work?
Doctor’s consultation
When the pain started, where it is, how strong it is, what it is like and how it affects your everyday life are discussed. Previous tests, the medicines you take and treatments you have had are reviewed.
Finding the cause of the pain
A clinical examination is performed. If needed, further diagnostic tests or consultations with other specialists are ordered.
An individual treatment plan
Depending on the diagnosis, medication, interventional or other treatment is chosen. If needed, medical rehabilitation is included in the plan.
Assessing the results of treatment
Changes in pain intensity, movement, sleep and everyday activity are monitored. If needed, the treatment plan is adjusted.
How to prepare for the consultation
- Describe your pain. When it started, where you feel it, whether it spreads to other parts of the body, and what makes it worse or better.
- Bring previous test results. If you have MRI, CT, X-ray or other test reports.
- Prepare a list of the medicines you take. It is especially important to mention painkillers and medicines that affect blood clotting.
- Tell us about previous treatment. Which procedures you have had and what effect they had.
- Mention other conditions and allergies. This matters when choosing a safe treatment method.
If an interventional procedure is planned, you will be told individually about any additional preparation. Do not stop taking your medicines on your own.
When may pain treatment procedures not be suitable?
Certain interventional procedures may be postponed or replaced with others if:
- There is an acute infection or fever.
- Blood clotting disorders have been found or anticoagulants are being taken.
- There is an allergy to the medicines planned for use.
- Your health is unstable.
- The chosen procedure is not suitable for the cause of pain found.
Contraindications are assessed individually for each specific procedure.
Frequently asked questions
Which doctor should I see about pain?
The choice of specialist depends on where the pain is and what it is like. For headache, neuralgia or numbness a neurologist may be needed; for compression of nerve structures in the spine, a neurosurgeon; for joint pain, an orthopaedic and trauma surgeon or a rheumatologist. When pain limits movement, a consultation with a physical and rehabilitation medicine doctor may be useful.
Can chronic pain be cured?
It depends on its cause. In some cases pain can be eliminated completely, in others it can be significantly reduced and everyday functioning improved. The aim of chronic pain treatment is not always complete disappearance of the pain.
Does a nerve block remove the cause of the pain?
Not necessarily. Nerve blocks can reduce pain, but their effect and purpose depend on the specific diagnosis. Some blocks are also used for diagnostic purposes.
Can pain be treated without surgery?
Yes. In most cases non-surgical treatment methods are used first. Surgery is considered when appropriate medical indications are found.
Can pain treatment help if tests show no clear cause?
Yes. Pain assessment is not limited to imaging tests. Your symptoms, the results of the clinical examination and the effect of pain on your everyday life are taken into account.
Can pain treatment be combined with rehabilitation?
Yes. Pain treatment and medical rehabilitation can be combined when the aim is not only to reduce pain but also to restore movement and physical capacity.
Can long-term use of painkillers cause addiction?
Some medicines, especially opioid painkillers, can cause addiction. Other painkillers used for a long time can also have side effects, so treatment must be reviewed with your doctor regularly.
Price of pain treatment
The price of pain treatment depends on the doctor’s consultation, the diagnostic tests needed and the treatment procedures prescribed. Prices are set according to the Baltic American Clinic price list in force.
If additional interventional procedures or medical rehabilitation are needed, their need and the expected costs are discussed during the consultation.