CMC Pain Management Services

• Acute & Chronic Pain Management

  What are acute pain and chronic pain?

  Acute pain is short-term pain that heals over time. Acute pain resolves within six months, usually because the body fully heals itself. Some common causes of acute pain include surgery, cuts, broken bones, sprains, and burns.

  Chronic pain is longer-lasting. While acute pain always has an underlying diagnosable and treatable cause, chronic pain can be caused by an issue with the way your body sends pain signals.  It can also outlast the condition that caused it in the first place, resulting in pain for years, decades, or more if left untreated. Chronic pain can be caused by conditions like migraines, fibromyalgia, arthritis, and cancer.

  Treatments for acute and  chronic pain

  Nerve blocks

  If a specific group of nerves causes your pain, it can be directly addressed with a nerve block.  Injecting the targeted area with either pain-relieving or anti-inflammatory medication brings treatment right to the root cause of your pain, giving you effective relief. Nerve blocks can be temporary, designed to treat acute pain and then wear off, or long-lasting.

  Radiofrequency ablation

  Radiofrequency ablation can safely and therapeutically destroy select nerves that send pain signals to your brain. This procedure is minimally invasive and the results last six months to several years.

  Pain injections

  If there’s no specific group of nerves to target to alleviate your pain, pain injections can still bring you fast, effective relief. These steroid-based injections treat pain and inflammation, helping alleviate your discomfort. The duration of the pain relief from these injections depends on your specific body. Some people get pain relief for a few weeks, while others don’t experience the return of their pain for years.

  Medical pain management

  CMC Pain Management specializes in finding you safe, effective medication to treat your pain. some options are:

  • Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
  • Muscle relaxants
  • Anticonvulsants
  • Carefully monitored opioids

  To learn more about available treatment options, contact CMC Pain Management at 843-839-4598.

• Cancer Pain

  Cancer pain often results from cancer cells destroying tissues within your body or tumors pressing on bones, nerves, or organs. Tumors can release chemicals in your body responsible for lasting pain.  Cancer treatments, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery, can also cause pain.

  The extent of your pain depends on the type of cancer you have, its severity, the types of treatment you are undergoing, and your pain tolerance.  Types of pain and discomfort experienced could be:

  • Sharp
  • Burning
  • Achy
  • Dull
  • Constant
  • Intermittent
  • Mild
  • Moderate
  • Severe

  Treatment Options

  A review of your medical history, symptoms, blood and imaging tests, as well as a complete exam, will be used to determine the best cancer pain treatment plan for your personalized needs. 

  Treatments that may be recommended are:

  Steroid injections

  Injecting cortisone or another steroid at strategic points within your body helps reduce inflammation and cancer pain without a lengthy recovery time.

  Nerve blocks

  A nerve block is a local anesthetic your pain management physician injects near or into a nerve to prevent pain messages along nerve pathways from reaching your brain.

  Conservative treatments

  Many patients prefer holistic cancer pain treatments over medications, especially for mild cancer pain. If this is the case for you, your doctor might recommend massage therapy, physical therapy, acupuncture, meditation, or other relaxation techniques.

  To learn more about cancer pain and available treatment options, contact CMC Pain Management at 843-839-4598.

• Neuropathy

  If you experience numbness, pain, or weakness in your extremities, it could be neuropathy. The good news is that neuropathy is usually very manageable with treatment.

  What is neuropathy?

  Neuropathy, also called peripheral neuropathy, is a condition that affects the functioning of the nerves in your body’s peripheral nervous system. These are the nerves that run from your central nervous system out to control your arms, legs, hands, feet, and more. 

  When these nerves don’t work the way they should, they impact your life in a variety of ways. You might lose motor skills or sensation, or you might feel pain in your extremities. 

  What does neuropathy feel like?

  Pain from neuropathy often feels like burning, tingling, or stabbing. If you often feel prickling sensations in your extremities or experience weakness, loss of muscular control, or sensitivity in your arms or legs, you could be living with neuropathy. 

  Fortunately, the diagnosis and treatment you need are available at CMC Pain Management in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

  Treatment Options

  How neuropathy is treated depends on its cause. Making lifestyle changes to eat more healthily can help certain types of neuropathy, while others require physical therapy or medication. 

  At CMC Pain Management, our provider talks with you about your treatment options so you can decide what’s right for you. 

  If medication is required, we will work with you to find the right prescription and dosage to alleviate any pain and protect your quality of life. We’ll tailor medication, such as anticonvulsants, to your body and symptoms. 

  To learn more about neuropathy and available treatment options, contact CMC Pain Management at 843-839-4598.

• Headaches & Migraines

  At some point we’ve all experienced a headache. But if head pain and migraines are a regular part of your everyday routine, you don’t have to live with the discomfort. Our experienced pain management physician at CMC Pain Management located in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, offers simple treatments that relieve headache and migraine pain so you can resume everyday activities pain-free.

  Headaches and migraines might appear suddenly or gradually. They can be short lived or last longer than a day.  There are numerous factors that can contribute to them, including gender.  Women are three times more likely to suffer from migraines.

  Other possible contributors could be:

  • Concussions or other head trauma
  • Stress or anxiety
  • Dehydration
  • Eating certain foods
  • Taking some medications
  • Caffeine or caffeine withdrawal
  • Hormonal changes in women
  • Changes in sleeping patterns
  • Alcohol or tobacco use
  • Certain health conditions

  Treatment Options

  Lifestyle changes

  Making lifestyle changes can help reduce your risk of developing a migraine or headache. Examples include getting enough sleep, losing weight if you’re overweight, getting regular exercise, making dietary changes, and stress-reduction strategies like massage or meditation.

  Chiropractic care

  Realigning your spine using chiropractic adjustments often helps relieve chronic headache and migraine pain. We do not have chiropractor care in house but can refer patients to care.

  Alternative treatments

  In addition to massage, other alternative headache and migraine treatments include acupuncture, deep breathing exercises, physical therapy, and taking herbal or other dietary supplements.

  Medications

  Taking certain medications eases headache pain and reduces your risk of experiencing a migraine.

  To learn more about available treatment options, contact CMC Pain Management at 843-839-4598.

• Spinal Cord Stimulation

  With a minimal procedure, spinal cord stimulation is a treatment that can help alleviate your discomfort before you have to resort to full-scale back surgery. Spinal cord stimulators are small devices that can be implanted in your body to block pain signals in your spine, delivering relief from chronic back pain. Introducing a spinal cord stimulator to your body can lessen the need for pain management medications while ensuring you sleep better and move comfortably through your day. 

  How does a spinal cord stimulator work?

  These small devices send low-level electrical signals to electrodes strategically placed along your spine. The generator that creates those electrical signals is also implanted in your body, usually in your upper buttocks. 

  To control your spinal cord stimulator, you have a remote control. Whenever you feel back pain, you use this remote to activate the generator to send electrical impulses along your spine. 

  This prevents pain signals from reaching your brain, delivering pain relief when you need it. Most spinal cord stimulators allow you to adjust the intensity of the electrical signals they send, helping you best manage your pain. 

  Some spinal cord stimulators modulate your pain sensations into a tingling sensation most patients describe as pleasant. 

  If you’d rather feel no sensations, newer devices offer sub-perception stimulation. These devices block any sensation, preventing both pain and the tingling caused by traditional spinal cord stimulators. 

  To learn more about spinal cord stimulation and whether this treatment may be right for you, contact CMC Pain Management at 843-839-4598.

• Radiofrequency Ablation

  Radiofrequency ablation is a treatment that leverages the latest advancements in medical technology to bring you direct, safe pain relief.  CMC Pain Management uses this treatment to directly address the nerves that cause your pain, bringing you comfort while minimizing the risk of side effects and complications. 

  Radiofrequency ablation is effective in treating three types of pain:

  • Neck pain
  • Back pain
  • Arthritic pain resulting from joint degeneration

  How does radiofrequency ablation work?

  During radiofrequency ablation, your dedicated pain management specialist directs an electrical current into the nerve tissue that causes your pain. This heats the targeted area of tissue, hindering its ability to create and send pain signals. 

  Ablating, or destroying, targeted nerves using this radiofrequency current is a highly effective way to put a stop to chronic back, neck, and joint pain. 

  The results from radiofrequency ablation usually last at least six months and can extend for years, delivering you long-term pain relief with virtually no side effects. 

  With virtually no downtime or serious side effects, radiofrequency ablation is an ideal pain management solution for patients with a variety of pain types. To learn more about radiofrequency ablation and whether this treatment may be right for you, contact CMC Pain Management at 843-839-4598.

• Other Services

  Neck Pain Management

  Back Pain Management

  Knee Pain Management

  Shoulder Pain Management

  Hip Pain Management

  Nerve Block

  Epidural Injection