Pain Management in Aberdeen

The majority of our patients at Albyn Hospital visit with back pain or neck pain – and the most common treatments, following appropriate examination and investigations, are physiotherapy. In some patients, no treatment is needed, and they simply visit us to seek the reassurance from a specialist that nothing is wrong.

We also offer interventions, which includes diagnostic injections for back and neck pain; this helps us find out where the pain is coming from.

Facet and Sacroiliac Joint Injections

Back pain can be due to various different reasons, and the injections we use here at Albyn are for facet joints. For pelvic pain, we use injections for sacroiliac joints.

Facet and sacroiliac joint injections are done in theatre, which involves coordination with the team there. Our Consultant will also coordinate x-rays for these patients.

Epidural for Pain Relief

We may need to consider other interventions for some patients, such as an epidural, where we inject some steroids into the epidural space, for pain relief.

As with all medical procedures, there are a few risks. For epidural specifically, these include:

• Failure of the epidural
• Worsening pain
• Low blood pressure
• Headache
• Problems emptying the bladder
• Temporary weakness in the arm or leg
• Backache
• Infection around the spine
• Short-term nerve injury
• Long-term nerve injury.

Other treatments are available besides epidural, too, especially for patients who have had surgery on the spine.

These patients may develop pain, specifically nerve pain in their legs, because of the initial pathology or because of the surgical process.

Radiofrequency Denervation

Another common treatment is radiofrequency denervation procedure, which offers longer lasting pain relief – sometimes for up to two years. During this procedure, a needle is inserted into the back, while the patient is under local anaesthesia.

The radiofrequency waves responsible for heating the tip of the needle destroy the nerve endings, with the aim of the treatment being to stop the nerves sending pain signals to the brain. This can lessen a patient’s pain considerably.

During your consultation appointment, our Consultant in Pain Medicine at Albyn will take a look at your referral letter, from either the GP or a Consultant.

He will then go through your presenting symptoms, usually your pain history, before taking a full medical history and examination. He will also look at what impact the pain this has on you.

If necessary, investigations such as MRI scans or blood tests will be needed, and you will always be informed of this and you will be given plenty of time to have a think if you are happy going down this route.

Treatment options can be in the form of:

• Analgesics
• Injection treatments
• TENS machine
• Other therapies including physiotherapy
• Complimentary therapies like acupuncture may work in some patients.

 

• Expert assessment from an experienced Consultant in Anaesthesia and Pain Medicine. You will see the same same consultant throughout the entirety of their treatment journey.
• A multidisciplinary clinic. Your consultant is supported by a number of other healthcare professionals such as nurses and physiotherapists. This multidisciplinary team approach ensures you will receive support and treatment from the most appropriate specialist throughout your time with us.
• Our state-of-the-art imaging facilities include Xray, CT, MRI and ultrasound.  These diagnostic imaging procedures can all be easily arranged if required. Our Radiologists work closely with our consultants to provide an accurate diagnosis as soon as possible.
• Treatment plans tailored to meet your individual health needs.
• You can book an initial consultation online with most of our consultants.
• *97.0% of patients said their overall experience of our service was good or very good.

^{*During the period of January to December 2023 Albyn Hospital received 2,170 completed Inpatient/Day Case patient surveys.}

For anyone considering a pain management consultation, our Consultant in Pain Medicine offers several slots at his clinic – and you can book an appointment online. 

Alternatively, you can contact our friendly team on 01224 595993