Services

The Pain Management Specialists
Our team of experienced pain management specialists include anesthesiologists, interventional radiologists, doctors of pharmacy, advanced practice nurses, clinical psychologists, dietitians, physical and occupational therapists who help treat or manage both chronic and acute pain. Pain management is helpful for patients who are having surgery or patients who have chronic, sometimes painful conditions. Pain management specialists at Akron General Medical Center work with other physicians - specialists and primary care doctors - to treat diagnosed sources of pain related to:

• Arthritis
• Fibromyalgia
• Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)
• Pain related to end-of-life diagnosis
• Cancer
• Nerve
• Back
• Post-amputation
• Sickle cell disease
• Pain after trauma or surgery
• Wounds related to diabetes
• Other conditions

Treatment Options
Treatment for chronic pain depends on the source and the patient. Each plan of treatment is highly individualized, depending on patient needs and preferences. Episodic pain, which may be caused by surgery or an unhealed wound, can usually be managed with medications on a short-term basis. Pain that is related to a chronic condition can usually be managed with a combination of therapies, which may include physical therapy, occupational therapy, psychotherapy, medication or procedures. Psychotherapy is often very helpful for patients and their families in managing and coping with chronic pain.

Types of pain management procedures offered at Akron General Medical Center and at The Surgery Center at Akron General Health & Wellness include:

• Nerve Blocks
  Facet Nerve Block
  Celiac Plexus Block
  Stellate Ganglion Block
• Trigger Point Injections
• Patient-controlled analgesia pumps (PCA's)
• Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS)
• Radiofrequency ablation
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy

Procedures done by anesthesiologists in pain management:

• Peripheral nerve blocks
• Epidural steroid injections
• Facet blocks
• IV regional blocks
• Sacro-Iliac joint injections
• Coccyx joint injections
• Trigger point injections

Compassionate Palliative Care
Often called supportive care, palliative care is care that improves the patient's quality of life and includes managing pain. It can be given for cancer, sickle cell disease, hemophelia, end of life issues or multiple disorders to relieve symptoms of the disease or to reduce discomfort caused by treatment. Palliative medicine offered at Akron General Medical Center is provided by the Petrus Group, an independent group of oncology physicians. The Pain and Palliative Care Clinic is offered at Akron General's Health & Wellness Center - West, Suite 200C on Tuesday and Friday mornings.

Palliative care may use medication, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery to ease pain or discomfort caused by disease or treatment. Patients should keep their doctors and care providers informed of symptoms they may be having. Together, they can decide what options work best for the individual.

For some families, palliative medicine will include hospice care. It is a unique program for patients with limited life expectancy to help the patient and their family with end of life decision-making, meeting life's goals, enhancing family relationships and promoting comfort. Hospice care is provided by a specially trained team of caring health professionals and volunteers who strive to keep patients and their families comfortable, at peace and in control of their lives during a changing time.

Referral Information
Patients must be referred to the Pain Management program by their physicians. Patients can be seen at the pain clinic Tuesdays and Wednesdays at Akron General Medical Center by appointment. The pain management team is available to see hospital patients Monday through Friday. Patients may have most outpatient pain management procedures done by an anesthesiologist at The Surgery Center at Akron General Health & Wellness. More specialized procedures are done by interventional radiologists Akron General Medical Center. Patients must be referred by their physicians to a pain management specialist for treatment. If you don't have a physician, call Akron General's free Need-A-Physician referral service at 330-344-AGMC (2462).

Some pain management physicians at Akron General Medical Center are a part of Anesthesiology Associates of Akron, Inc., a group of physicians specializing in anesthesiology and pain management or the Petrus Group, a group of oncology physicians who also offer pain management. Patients undergoing pain management procedures or therapies should expect to receive separate statements from Akron General Medical Center and for services provided by your anesthesiologist, anesthesiologist group or oncology group since most anesthesiologists and oncologists are not employees of Akron General Medical Center, but are independent practitioners.