The Pain Management Center at Saint Francis Medical Center helps people suffering from acute and chronic pain. With a specially trained staff on hand, the Pain Management Center reviews your medical and family health histories, identifies your source of pain and provides the most effective method of pain relief for you. Treatments may require multiple visits and can include:

Nerve blocks
Local anesthetic or steroids are used to treat a variety of chronic pain conditions, including nerve damage, narrowing of the spinal canal, postsurgical scars and nerve damage from diabetes. They may also be prescribed during pain emergencies in adults, including postoperative pain, pain from pelvic and lower-extremity trauma, cancer-related pain, and a variety of other types of acute and chronic pain.

Radiofrequency lesioning
Radiofrequency lesioning is a safe, proven means of interrupting pain signals that run between the source of the pain and the brain. This procedure heats a small volume of nerve tissue to interrupt pain signals from that specific area.

Spinal cord stimulation
Tiny electrical signals are used to stimulate the spinal cord and interfere with the transmission of pain signals to the brain, reducing pain sensations.

Intraspinal drug infusion therapy
A small implantable pump administers small doses of medication directly to the spinal cord to block pain. Intraspinal drug infusion requires much smaller doses of medication for pain relief than oral or intravenous methods. Patients may have fewer side effects and greater pain relief.

The Pain Management Center is nationally recognized for its commitment to delivering high quality care. In September 2007, the Pain Management Center was reaccredited by the American Academy of Pain Management (AAPM) in the category of Small Multidisciplinary Clinic. Originally awarded accreditation as a Modality Clinic in 2003, Saint Francis is home to the region's only pain center accredited by the AAPM, and one of only two in the state. This accreditation means the Pain Management Center has demonstrated its ability to deliver high quality, comprehensive care using a variety of practitioners with expertise in different types of pain management, and is continually improving its program. Pain Management Center physicians include:

Stephen M. Brennan, MD
Jeffrey S. Steele, MD
Andrew F. Walker, MD
Jason D. Oberle, MD

With a physician referral, many insurance companies and Medicare cover part or all of the cost of pain treatment. Check with your insurance carrier about coverage.

For more information on Saint Francis' Pain Management Center, call 573-331-5329 or 866-331-5329, or e-mail sfmc@sfmc.net.