There have been many times where pain whether in the back area, neck, joints, or knees, has left a limiting scenario on my daily function. Pain in any of these areas can have a major psychological effect on whether or not a person accomplishes the tasks they have to do. In many cases these tasks may be mundane or trivial, such as, going to the post office to mail your bills or going to the store for groceries, but the pain may influence the decision of not doing these tasks. The longer people ignore the pain, the more intense the psychological effect, which in the long run, doesn't help people feel good about themselves.There is help at your local wellness, chiropractic, or pain management center. The following summaries are minimally invasive pain management treatments that have been proven to have a positive effect on patients searching for pain relief.
Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS):
SCS is a slightly invasive procedure designed to implant a non-obtrusive system into the patient's body. This system is similar to a modern day pacemaker. SCS delivers small streams of electrical impulses to the spinal cord targeting pain. The patient is given a remote to control the frequency
and strength of SCS as needed.
Sacroiliac Joint Injections (SI):
SI's are a trial and error procedure of pain location and management. A mild anesthetic is injected into 
different areas of the sacroliac joint which is located at the lower base of the spine. If the patient feels relieved from specific injections, problematic areas along this joint of the spinal cord become more recognizable. If the patient feels mild to no relief from specific injections, the doctor will concentrate on other possibilities of pain causation. SI's offer temporary relief of pain but may result in longterm diagnosis of pain management.Medical Branch Blocks:
Scientific research has suggested that specific back pains are caused by medial branch nerves. A medial branch block is an injection that interrupts the signal between the medial nerve and pain sensation. This is a nonsurgical, semi-permanent procedure.
Manipulation Under Anesthesia (MUA):
This type of procedure is common for a variety of chronic back and neck conditions. The doctor is able to manipulate pain ridden areas that are corroded with damaged tissue while the patient is sedated. Through a series of stretches, kinesthetic movements, and massage, the doctor and
associates are able to break up the tissue afflicted areas.
Radio Frequency Neurolysis (RFN):
RFN is a way of determining which nerve endings along the spinal cord are damaged and causing the patient pain. By locating these destructive nerves through a series of injections and x-ray technology, the doctor is able to pinpoint areas of nerve damage. Once these locations have been determined the doctor uses radio frequency neurolysis to destroy damaging nerve cells resulting in relief from chronic back pain. 
For patient education videos and more information about pain management, visit the New Jersey Center of Spine and Pain Management.
