Joint Pain

Pacific Pain Physicians

Interventional Pain Management Specialists located in Santa Barbara, CA & San Luis Obispo, CA

Joint pain is common and can be short-lived or an ongoing problem. No matter how often you experience joint pain, if it’s keeping you from your everyday activities, the expert team at Pacific Pain Physicians in Santa Barbara, California, can help. The pain specialists offer a number of treatments to help reduce your pain and restore joint health. For management of your joint pain, call the office today or request an appointment online.

Joint Pain Q & A

What is joint pain?

Joint pain refers to any discomfort you’re experiencing in the bones, cartilage, ligaments, tendons, or muscles that make up your joints. The pain can range from a dull ache to severe sharp pain. You may only develop joint pain after overuse, or the pain may be chronic.

If you’re experiencing knee or shoulder joint pain, whether on occasion or all the time, the team at Pacific Pain Physicians can help identify the source of your pain and get you the relief you need.

What causes joint pain?

Arthritis, which refers to pain and inflammation of the joint, is the most common cause of joint pain. There are several different types of arthritis, but most people develop arthritis from the general wear-and-tear damage that occurs to the cartilage as you get older, leading to bone-on-bone contact. This type of arthritis is referred to as osteoarthritis.

Other common causes of joint pain include:

Arthralgia
Rheumatoid arthritis
Bursitis
Tendinitis
Gout
Sprains
Dislocation
Fracture
Rotator cuff tear
Shoulder impingement
Ligament or tendon tear

To determine the underlying cause of your joint pain, your specialist at Pacific Pain Physicians conducts a comprehensive evaluation that includes a review of your medical history and symptoms, physical exam, blood work, and diagnostic imaging, such as an X-ray or MRI.

How is joint pain treated?

Your specialist at Pacific Pain Physicians creates an individualized treatment plan for your joint pain depending on the underlying cause, your symptoms, and your overall health.

Treatment may include:

Rest and ice
Anti-inflammatories
Physical therapy
Joint injections

The specialists at Pacific Pain Physicians also offer platelet-rich plasma (PRP) to treat knee and shoulder joint pain. PRP is an innovative treatment that utilizes your body’s own natural healing properties to improve the health of your diseased or damaged tissue and relieve your pain.

Your specialist at Pacific Pain Physicians creates your PRP from a sample of your own blood that’s been placed in a centrifuge to separate the liquid plasma from the platelets and growth factors responsible for healing. By injecting the concentrated healing properties directly into your joint, it helps your body create new healthy tissue to restore joint function and health.

For management of your joint pain from the pain specialists, call Pacific Pain Physicians today or schedule an appointment online.

What we offer