Interventional Pain Management — Treating the Whole Person.
Pain isn’t just physical. It’s a complex interaction of nerves, spine, brain, mood, and memory. At WVU Medicine Camden Clark, we use evidence-based, non-opioid medical management and targeted procedures to relieve pain, restore function, and help you get back to life — without unnecessary surgery or long-term narcotics.
Personalized Plans. Measurable Relief.
Our team coordinates medication management, image-guided injections, and integrative therapies based on your diagnosis and goals. We focus on outcomes you can feel: less pain, more movement, better sleep, and a faster return to work and daily activities.
Conditions We Treat
- Chronic back, neck, shoulder, and knee pain
- Chronic abdominal pain
- Spinal stenosis
- Herniated disc
- Degenerative disc disease
- Chronic hip pain and osteoarthritis
- Musculoskeletal pain
- Neuropathy (including diabetic neuropathy)
- Sacroiliac (SI) joint dysfunction
- Myofascial pain
- Cancer-related pain
- Cervicogenic headache and other head pain
- Migraine headache
- Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN)
- Sciatic pain
- Failed back syndrome (pain after back/spine surgery)
- Vertebral compression fractures
- Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)
- Neuralgia
- Peripheral vascular disease
Options Beyond Opioids — and Often Beyond Surgery.
We match the least-invasive, most effective intervention to your specific pain generator — then track your results. Many patients improve with image-guided injections, nerve blocks, or ablation, combined with rehab and lifestyle changes.
What to Expect & Procedures We Offer
Read this before your visit. It covers pre-procedure instructions, when to call us, and quick overviews of our most common interventional therapies.
Pre-Procedure Instructions (Read First)
Bring a driver for any injection; your procedure will be canceled without one. You must be free of active infection; call (304) 865-5530 to reschedule if you become ill or are on antibiotics. Take routine meds (pain, BP, heart) unless told otherwise. Blood thinners (e.g., Plavix, Coumadin, Lovenox, etc.) require specific instructions — notify us in advance. Diabetes: check glucose the morning of the procedure and more frequently for 2–3 days after (steroids can raise glucose). Fasting: no solid food for 6 hours; clear liquids allowed up to 2 hours before.
Epidural Steroid Injection (ESI)
A corticosteroid medication (with or without anesthetic) is placed into the epidural space to reduce inflammation around spinal nerves. Goals include reducing pain, improving function, and in some cases avoiding surgery.
Stellate Ganglion Block
A local anesthetic injection that temporarily interrupts sympathetic nerve activity in the neck to support diagnosis and reduce pain, often improving blood flow and function. Repeat treatments may be needed.
Lumbar Sympathetic Block
A local anesthetic injection that temporarily interrupts sympathetic nerve activity in the lower back to reduce pain and improve blood flow to the legs. You remain awake; the procedure typically takes about 25 minutes with short monitoring afterward.
Diagnostic Facet Nerve Block
Used to determine if pain is coming from facet joints. If the block provides relief, it may confirm the diagnosis and help determine whether radiofrequency ablation (rhizotomy) could be effective.
Therapeutic Facet Nerve Block
A mixture of anesthetic and corticosteroid used to reduce facet joint inflammation and pain, improve function, and support longer-lasting relief. Relief patterns may guide whether ablation is appropriate.
Trigger Point Injection
A small amount of medication injected into tight muscle “knots” to reduce pain and restore function. Patients may need stretching and/or physical therapy afterward for best results.
Sacroiliac (SI) Joint Injection
A diagnostic and therapeutic injection into the SI joint using anesthetic and corticosteroid to reduce inflammation and confirm the pain source. Results may guide future treatments such as ablation.
Celiac Plexus Block
An injection that temporarily interrupts sympathetic nerve activity in the abdomen to reduce pain and improve function, often used for severe abdominal or cancer-related pain. Repeat treatments may be required.
Rhizotomy (Radiofrequency Ablation)
A procedure that uses radiofrequency heat to interrupt nerves transmitting pain. Goals include reducing pain and improving function. The procedure typically lasts about 25 minutes with short monitoring afterward.
Track Results. Adjust Quickly. Maximize Function.
We ask patients to track the degree and duration of relief after procedures. That information guides next steps — whether that’s therapy progression, a different injection approach, or radiofrequency ablation.