Pain Management

When pain persists beyond normal healing, it can interfere with daily activities, mobility, and quality of life. Pain management physicians specialize in diagnosing and treating chronic pain conditions affecting the spine, joints, muscles, and nerves, including back and neck pain, arthritis, sciatica, herniated discs, spinal stenosis, and postsurgical pain.

At Southern California Orthopedic Institute (SCOI), our specialty pain management doctors use advanced treatments such as image-guided injections, nerve blocks, radiofrequency ablation, medication management, and other minimally invasive procedures to reduce pain and help patients return to their normal activities. SCOI’s pain doctors also work closely with spine specialists, orthopedic surgeons, rehabilitation physicians, and physical therapists to help patients find relief and improve function.

Experience Excellence in Pain Management

At SCOI, our specialty pain management program combines physician expertise, advanced diagnostics, image-guided procedures, and coordinated orthopedic care to create treatment plans tailored to each patient’s condition and goals.

Physician Expertise

Our board-certified, fellowship-trained pain management physicians are nationally and internationally recognized for their leadership and expertise in diagnosing and treating chronic orthopedic and musculoskeletal pain involving the spine, joints, muscles, and nerves. Their advanced training provides deep expertise in pinpointing the source of pain and the most effective treatment plan.

Advanced Diagnostics and Technology

We utilize a range of diagnostic tools to help identify the source of pain. SCOI offers on-site MRI and digital X-rays, and access to CT scans. Diagnostic injections may also be used to determine whether symptoms originate from a specific joint, nerve, facet joint, sacroiliac joint, or spinal structure.

Coordinated Orthopedic Care

SCOI’s integrated orthopedic model gives patients access to pain management physicians, spine specialists, orthopedic surgeons, sports medicine physicians, rehabilitation specialists, and physical therapists within one coordinated practice.

Unlike standalone pain clinics, SCOI provides direct access to orthopedic specialists, advanced imaging, rehabilitation services, and surgical expertise within the same organization, allowing for seamless coordination of care when treatment needs evolve.

Individualized Treatment Plans

No two patients experience pain the same way. Treatment recommendations are based on the source of pain, symptom severity, medical history, activity level, and long-term goals.

When To See a Pain Doctor

You should consider scheduling an evaluation if pain persists, worsens, or begins interfering with everyday life. Common reasons patients seek care include:

• Persistent burning, tingling, or nerve-related pain
• Pain even when you’re not bearing weight on or using the affected joint
• Pain that disrupts sleep or worsens at night
• Pain when bending or flexing a joint
• Shooting or stabbing pain that appears unexpectedly

Early evaluation can help identify underlying conditions before symptoms become more difficult to manage.

Painful Conditions We Treat

Pain specialists treat a range of injuries and conditions, including:

• Arthritis
• Cervical Radiculopathy
• Chronic back pain
• Chronic muscle or joint pain
• Chronic neck pain
• Complex regional pain syndrome, reflex sympathetic dystrophy
• Headaches
• Herniated discs
• Sciatica
• Spinal nerve pain
• Sports-related injury pain
• Postsurgical pain
• Degenerative disc disease
• Spinal stenosis

Treatment Options for Pain

At SCOI, we provide these common nonsurgical treatments and interventions:

• Epidural steroid injections
• Facet joint injections
• Sacroiliac joint injections
• Diagnostic spinal injections
• Joint injections
• Nerve blocks
• Trigger point injections
• Selective nerve root blocks
• Radiofrequency ablation
• Medication management when appropriate
• Physical therapy coordination

Many procedures are performed using image guidance to improve precision. On occasion, surgery may be required to deal with severe pain when nonsurgical treatments fail. SCOI’s pain management team works closely with specialty orthopedic and spine surgeons to ensure continuity of care.

Pain Management vs. PM&R: What’s the Difference?

While both specialties help patients improve quality of life, they focus on different aspects of treatment and recovery.

Specialized Orthopedic Pain Management in 9 SoCal Locations

SCOI’s joint pain specialists provide in-house imaging, diagnostics, physical therapy, and interventional pain procedures. With locations throughout Southern California, expert pain care is never far away.

Imagine life with less pain. SCOI’s pain management team can help you take the next step. Request an Appointment.