CHRISTUS Southeast Texas - LiveWell

1. 2. 3. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, more than 76 million Americans have experienced some type of pain lasting more than a day. Pain is also the most common cause of visits to the doctor and long-term disability in the country. "Whether pain comes on as a sudden ache or persists as a long-term, chronic discomfort that just won't go away, it can keep you from doing the things you enjoy," says Sassan Ehdaie, MD, Board-certified Interventional Pain Management Specialist and Anesthesiologist and Medical Director of the CHRISTUS Pain Management Center – St. Elizabeth. "If pain isn't addressed, it can also impact your mental well-being." A PERSONAL SOLUTION Our goal is to find the cause of pain and correct or manage it by addressing patients' physical and emotional needs. Dr. Ehdaie and his team work closely with those who suffer from migraines, arthritis, back pain, cancer-related pain, shingles, fibromyalgia and other sources of discomfort. During the first visit, the team takes a full medical history and schedules any additional necessary tests. Then, they create a treatment plan and check in with the patient regularly, adjusting the plan as needed. "Pain management is not 'one size fits all,'" Dr. Ehdaie says. "Each person is unique, and so are the solutions. We do not automatically prescribe painkillers. For some patients, physical therapy, counseling and dietary changes help; for others, infusions, medication or surgery might be necessary." Visit www.christushospital.org/painmanagement to make an appointment at the CHRISTUS Pain Management Center – St. Elizabeth. 3 WAYS WE FIGHT PAIN Nearly 30 unique interventional and therapeutic treatments are offered at the CHRISTUS Pain Management Center – St. Elizabeth. These are just a few of the ways we take on pain so you can get back to a high quality of life. If pain keeps you from maintaining a life of fulfillment, a visit with experts at the CHRISTUS Pain Management Center – St. Elizabeth could be the first step on your road to relief. Pain Sassan Ehdaie, MD, Board-certified Pain Management Specialist and Anesthesiologist and Medical Director of the CHRISTUS Pain Management Center – St. Elizabeth "If you've been dealing with pain and it's not going away with the help of your regular physician, a referral to the Pain Management Center could change your life." DISCOGRAPHY Discography is used to diagnose issues with discs of the spine. A contrast dye is injected into the disc, allowing physicians to capture detailed images, identify problems and decide on future treatments. NERVE BLOCKS Strategic injections of nerve- numbing medication block localized pain coming from specific groups of nerves. The CHRISTUS Pain Management Center – St. Elizabeth offers more than 10 varieties of nerve blocks. BOTOX ® This treatment is not just for smoothing fine lines. Therapeutic BOTOX injections can help alleviate migraine headaches by halting muscle contractions and interrupting nerve function. Don't Settle for 4 LiveWell | March/April 2014

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