Pain Management Care
When you’re in pain, it’s hard to think of anything else. The expert pain management team at Atrium Health can help. Our doctors are board certified in pain management and anesthesiology or neurology. We treat thousands of patients each year with conditions ranging from arthritis to sciatica and can help you find the right pain treatment plan.
Helping patients better manage their pain is what we do every day. We’re here for you when you need us. Don’t wait in pain any longer.
New patients
Make an appointment with our pain specialists.
Current Atrium Health Pain Management Patients, please contact your clinic directly.
Why choose Atrium Health for pain management care?
- Convenient care and quick relief. With same-day and next-day appointments at 12 locations around Charlotte, NC, it’s easy to get the care you need, when you need it.
- Expert care and experience. Our highly trained and caring experts know how to treat pain. We’ve been helping patients for over 30 years.
- Your partner to find relief. Our pain specialists treat every condition from new aches to chronic pain. We listen, help you understand treatment options and create a care plan just for you.
- Complete pain support. We care for the whole you, including your physical and mental health. If more specialized care is needed, we offer fast access to Atrium Health’s award-winning team of specialists.
Conditions and injuries we treat
No matter how or where your pain began, we can provide relief. From migraines to shingles to back pain, we treat a wide range of conditions that cause pain.
- Arthritis: Painful swelling of one or more joints.
- Back and neck pain: Back and neck pain can have many causes, from herniated discs to spinal cord injuries to stenosis.
- Cancer-related pain: Pain that comes from cancer itself or the surgery, treatments and tests involved.
- Chronic pain: Ongoing pain that lasts more than 6 months. Some common examples are frequent headaches, nerve damage pain, low back pain and musculoskeletal pain (pain in the bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments or nerves).
- Fibromyalgia: Widespread muscle pain and tenderness. Often includes fatigue and altered sleep, memory and mood.
- Migraines and other headaches: The pain can range from mild to severe. Migraines tend to cause pain on one side of your head. Symptoms include nausea, seeing spots or flashing lights, and sensitivity to light or sound.
- Musculoskeletal and joint pain: Musculoskeletal pain affects the bones, muscles, ligaments, tendons and nerves. It can be in one area or widespread in the feet, hands, shoulders, hips, etc. Joint pain is discomfort, aches and soreness in any of the body's joints.
- Nerve pain: Also called neuralgia or neuropathic pain, the pain can feel like stabbing, burning or tingling.
- Post-surgery pain: Can be caused by the damage done to tissue by a surgical incision (cut), the procedure itself, the closing of the wound or any force that's applied during the procedure.
- Sports injuries and weekend warrior pain: Sports injuries are often caused by overuse, direct impact or the use of force. This pain is sometimes called weekend warrior pain. It can happen to people who do intense physical activity mostly on weekends, when their bodies aren't regularly used to it.
- Work-related injuries or occupational injuries: Any injury or condition that happens while on the job.
Treatment Options
When you see us for care, you gain access to the best pain management options available for your specific condition or injury. We offer many types of treatments such as injections (shots), medicines, physical therapy and more. We take a holistic approach to care, focusing on your mental as well as your physical health. This may help when other methods haven’t worked in the past.
Here are some of the treatments we offer:
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Aromatherapy
A holistic treatment in which patients breathe in essential oils from plants to promote healing.
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Botox
A medicine that can help relax and relieve muscle-related pain and improve range of motion.
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Compounding creams
Creams applied directly to the skin to relieve pain and swelling.
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Dorsal root ganglion therapy
A stimulation therapy to help manage hard-to-treat chronic pain, often in specific areas of the lower body, like the foot, knee, hip or groin. Uses mild electrical pulses through the skin to help injured muscles or nerves.
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Epidural steroid injections
A shot that delivers anti-inflammatory (helps with swelling) medicine directly into the spine.
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Joint injections
A shot given into a joint to reduce pain and increase range of motion. These are most often used for knees, hips and shoulders.
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Massage
Moving (by rubbing or kneading) the body's soft tissues.
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Medication and medication management
A plan to help you take your medicines the right way for the most relief.
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Medical equipment
Examples include braces and trigger point canes (a massage tool used to relieve muscle tightness, aches and pains).
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Mental health support services and counseling
Dealing with pain can affect your mental health as well as your physical health. We offer referrals to behavioral health providers.
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Nerve block injections
Shots that can relieve pain by blocking pain signals coming from a nerve or group of nerves. There are specific types of nerve block injections based on the location of the pain.
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Nerve block medicines
Used to relieve pain. These medicines block the pain signal coming from a nerve or part of the body. An example is lidocaine patches.
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Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
Used to treat inflammation. Examples include Advil, Motrin and Aleve.
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Occupational therapy
Care that helps injured or disabled patients develop, recover and improve the skills needed for daily living and working. Learn more.
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Peripheral nerve stimulator
A treatment for chronic pain in the limbs. It can provide long-term relief of nerve and musculoskeletal pain conditions.
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Physical therapy
Care that helps ease pain and improves function, movement and overall quality of life. Learn more.
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Platelet-rich plasma therapy
Uses injections of a patient’s own platelets (blood cells that help blood clot) to speed up healing of injured tendons, ligaments, muscles or joints.
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Radiofrequency ablation
Uses heat from alternating current to target specific nerves. This temporarily turns off the pain signals on those nerves.
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Rehabilitation
Condition-specific and injury-specific care to help you regain the highest level of functioning. Learn more.
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Spinal cord stimulator
A device that helps treat chronic pain. Electrodes (like those in a pacemaker) are placed in the spine. Low levels of electrical pulses help change pain signals.
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Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS)
A therapy that uses a low voltage electrical current to provide pain relief.
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Trigger point injections
Treat muscle pain, trigger points or knots that form when muscles don’t relax. These injections are done most often around the neck, mid back and low back.
Patient care - what to expect at Atrium Health
Whether you’re talking to our office staff, sharing your pain symptoms with our providers or looking for a referral, we take the time to fully understand your needs so we can offer you the best possible care. We’ll also work with your insurance company to help you get the best coverage.
Here’s what you can expect from our team of experts:
- Team approach. Our doctors, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, physical therapists, referral partners and office staff work closely together. Our goal is to provide you a seamless experience.
- Treatment near your home or work. We offer treatment at 12 locations in the greater Charlotte, NC, area so you can get the care you need – quickly and conveniently.
- Treatment plans designed for you. To create the very best plan for you, we take the time to fully understand your unique needs and tailor your care to manage your pain. Our holistic approach to patient care means we can provide behavioral health services if needed.
- Advanced pain management. We use the latest technology to provide the most effective care and offer advanced treatments that are safe. With our range of treatment options, many of our patients don’t need surgery.
Your first appointment
Here’s what we need from you at your first appointment:
- Current medical records. Please ask your doctor to email or mail these to us.
- A list of medicines, vitamins and supplements you are taking. Please bring any current medicine bottles with you to your first appointment.
- X-rays, scans or ultrasounds related to your diagnosis (health problem). Please ask your doctor to email or mail these to us.
- Health insurance information.
- Completed new patient forms.
Our Providers
We’re dedicated to offering you the very best pain management care. Meet our team.
Frequently asked questions
We accept most medical insurance, including Medicare. All costs related to your medical services are billed to your insurance company.
All our doctors are board certified in 2 areas – pain management as well as anesthesiology or neurology. They have also completed fellowships in their chosen fields.
Our pain management experts will review your medical history and examine you to find the cause of your pain. We then create a personal care plan tailored to your specific condition. After your first appointment, we begin treating your pain. Most patients find relief from a mixed treatment approach.
In many cases, our patients can avoid surgery. We use injections, medicines and the latest therapies to relieve your pain.
Not in every case. If medicines such as opioids or narcotics are needed to ease a patient’s pain, we follow strict Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines. Patients must also follow our medicine policies. We understand that opioid overuse is a serious problem. We closely watch patients with an opioid prescription to keep them safe.
Yes. We refer (send) you to specialists as needed for your care. The process is fast and seamless.
Patient Resources
Below are some of the departments and facilities we team up with and may refer (send) you to. Together, we’ll provide the best possible approach to relieve your pain.
Atrium Health Musculoskeletal Institute
Atrium Health Musculoskeletal Institute offers specialized care for every musculoskeletal condition affecting your bones, muscles, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, joints and other connective tissues.
Learn moreAtrium Health Carolinas Rehabilitation
Whether you’re working to improve your range of motion or your ability to talk, Atrium Health Carolinas Rehabilitation will help you every step – and sound – of the way. They offer a wide range of condition-specific programs and services to help you or a loved one regain the highest level of functioning.
Learn moreAtrium Health Neurosciences Institute
Atrium Health Neurosciences Institute provides the region’s most comprehensive care for brain, spine and nervous system disorders. They combine the latest treatments with advanced research and highly respected specialty programs.
Learn more