Physical Therapy Evaluation & Oversight

A comprehensive evaluation by a licensed physical therapist is an important step in diagnosing the cause of your abdominal pain and developing an effective treatment plan. You may not think of physical therapy as a treatment for abdominal pain, but at Southern Pain and Spine, our physical therapists are specially trained in rehabilitation techniques that can effectively address many different causes of abdominal pain.

In addition to providing expert evaluation and guidance, our physical therapists also oversee all aspects of your care, working closely with our team of pain management specialists to ensure you're receiving the most effective treatment possible.

Home Exercise Program Development & Oversight

After a thorough evaluation, the rehabilitation specialists at Southern Pain and Spine will work with you to develop a personalized home exercise program. This program will be designed specifically to address the cause of your abdominal pain and help you find relief.

Your home exercise program will be an important part of your overall treatment plan, and our physical therapists will provide close oversight to ensure you're doing the exercises correctly and seeing the results you want.

TENS, Compound Topicals, Biofeedback, and Meditation

In addition to physical therapy and exercise, Southern Pain and Spine offers a number of other leading-edge treatment options for abdominal pain. These include:

• TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation): A safe, non-invasive way to provide relief from pain by stimulating the nervous system
• Compound topical medications: Custom-formulated medications that are applied directly to the skin for maximum pain relief
• Biofeedback: A technique that uses sensors to help you become more aware of your body's response to stress so you can learn to control it
• Meditation: A guided mind-body technique that can help you relax and manage pain

Psychological Evaluation

For some patients, abdominal pain may be caused or aggravated by psychological factors such as stress, anxiety, or depression. In these cases, it's important to address the psychological component in addition to the physical causes of pain.

At Southern Pain and Spine, we offer comprehensive psychological evaluation and counseling services. We'll work with you to identify any psychological factors that may be contributing to your pain, and they'll provide guidance and support as you learn how to manage these factors.

Trigger Point Injection

Trigger points are painful knots or nodules in your muscles that form after injuries, muscle overuse, stress, or poor posture. You can physically feel them when pressing on your muscle, an action that usually causes radiating pain. 

Trigger point injections are used to improve muscle pain in many areas, including the abdomen. They work by introducing a local anesthetic or corticosteroid medication into the painful tissue. These injections help reduce inflammation in the area. As the local anesthetic wears off, the contracted muscle tissue will often release and provide immediate pain relief. 

The entire process for trigger point injections just takes a few moments. In addition, if you have multiple trigger points you’d like injections, this can be taken care of during the same appointment.

Botulinum Toxin for Spasm

In some cases, abdominal pain may be caused by muscle spasms, which happen when the muscles tighten involuntarily. Botulinum toxin (which you might know by the brand name Botox) is a safe, FDA-approved treatment that can effectively relax the muscles and relieve pain.

Southern Pain and Spine offers botulinum toxin injections as part of our comprehensive approach to abdominal pain management. Our team of pain management specialists has extensive experience administering this treatment, and your stomach pain specialist will work with you to ensure you're getting the maximum benefit.

TAP Block

If you're scheduled for surgery to treat abdominal pain, you may be a candidate for a TAP block. TAP stands for transversus abdominis plane, and a TAP block is a safe, minimally invasive procedure that involves injecting a local anesthetic into the nerves that supply feeling to the abdomen.

A TAP block can provide significant pain relief after surgery, and it can also help reduce the amount of pain medication you need. Southern Pain and Spine offer TAP blocks as part of our comprehensive approach to post-surgical pain management without unnecessary medications.

Intercostal Nerve Block

If you're experiencing pain in your chest or ribs, you may be a candidate for an intercostal nerve block. An intercostal nerve block safe, minimally invasive procedure that involves injecting a local anesthetic into the nerves that supply feeling to the chest and ribs, which are also known as the intercostal region. This anesthetic numbs the nerves and provides relief from pain.

Southern Pain and Spine offers intercostal nerve blocks as part of our comprehensive approach to managing abdominal pain. An intercostal nerve block offers significant pain relief for many patients, and it can also help reduce your dependence on opioids as you recover.

Thoracic Epidural 

A thoracic epidural steroid injection (TESI) is a minimally invasive procedure that can provide significant pain relief for patients with abdominal pain. A TESI involves injecting a local anesthetic and steroid medication into the epidural space in the spine. This anesthetic numbs the nerves in the thoracic area, providing the necessary pain relief.

Southern Pain and Spine offers TESIs as part of our comprehensive approach to managing abdominal pain. A TESI is a safe, minimally invasive procedure that can provide significant pain relief for many patients, and often allows patients to recover without becoming dependent on opioids.

Celiac Plexus/ Splanchnic Plexus Block

A celiac or splanchnic plexus block is a minimally invasive procedure that can provide significant pain relief for patients with abdominal pain.

• A celiac plexus block involves injecting a local anesthetic into the celiac plexus, which is a collection of nerves that supply feeling to the abdomen. 
• A splanchnic plexus block involves injecting a local anesthetic into the splanchnic plexus, which is a collection of nerves that supply feeling to the abdominal organs. 

Both celiac and splanchnic plexus blocks are safe, minimally invasive procedures. Like other regional anesthesia techniques, they can help reduce the amount of pain medication you need. Southern Pain and Spine offers celiac and splanchnic plexus blocks as part of our comprehensive approach to managing abdominal pain without unnecessary medications.

Spinal Cord Stimulation

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) involves placing a small device in the epidural space in the spine, which is located outside the spinal cord. This device sends electrical impulses to the spinal cord, which blocks the feeling of pain. SCS is a safe, minimally invasive procedure that can provide significant pain relief for many patients and often allows patients to recover without becoming dependent on opioids.

Southern Pain and Spine offers SCS as part of our comprehensive approach to managing abdominal pain, and we have a team of highly trained and experienced physicians who are experts in this leading-edge procedure.