Samuel G Oltman, ND, RMSK
“Do the treatments hurt?” This is a common and valid question. At Cascade Regenerative Medicine we prioritize patient comfort. We have the technical expertise and the respect for your experience to utilize all available options to minimize your discomfort. There are many ways that we’re able to do this for patients and we always find the appropriate combination for each patient by communicating clearly about their individual situation.
Local Anesthetic
Local anesthetic (numbing medicine at the area being treated) is the routine standard of care with most injection therapies. Yet, some clinics do this incorrectly: they won’t wait long enough for the medicine to take effect or they won’t inject it in the right location, creating unnecessary pain. This is easily avoided with experience and expertise. We also offer topical numbing cream as yet another option to decrease any discomfort.
Ultrasound-Guided Nerve Blocks
Nerve blocks are an advanced way to numb an area of the body by injecting anesthetic around specific nerves. This must be done ultrasound-guided and can only be done well by someone like myself with an RMSK credential that has expertise in ultrasound-guided procedures. This can’t be done for every part of the body, but is an extremely important tool for the most sensitive areas like feet, hands, elbows, and shoulders, numbing all the discomfort of a procedure.
Nitrous Oxide Sedation
Nitrous oxide, or “laughing gas”, is a substance that is inhaled through a medical mask in order to slightly alter the consciousness of the patient, reducing anxiety and pain. It is commonly used in dental procedures, is extremely safe, and easy to administer while having a treatment done. Its effects are short-term and out of your system after only about 2 minutes and patients dose themselves by deciding how much to breathe in. This is an excellent way to make the whole procedure seem like it goes by quickly.
Medication
As a provider with a full DEA license, I can prescribe any appropriate medication pre- and post-procedure that can help make it more comfortable. This could be an anti-anxiety medication to take before or a couple of opioid tablets for afterwards. The vast majority of patients do not need this, but it provides us yet another option to increase your comfort.
Listening, Clear Communication, & Respect
Listening, communicating clearly, and respect have fallen by the wayside in healthcare today as the system becomes increasingly monolithic and algorithm-based. At Cascade Regenerative Medicine, we’re new school in our treatment technology and old school in our treatment of people. It’s why we make time to spend with patients– it’s not only about the diagnosis and the treatment. It’s about those things AND respecting your experience of pain, effectively communicating a plan that you are on-board with, and listening to your questions and concerns. You can see clearly in our patient reviews that this is something that we work tirelessly on and something that patients recognize from their first visit.
Lastly, we provide all of the above measures at no additional charge– they are just a part of your treatment.
Getting injection treatments is not always easy. We know that, have experienced it ourselves, and respect patients’ concerns in this area. We do not take it lightly. While some soreness is expected afterwards, the treatment itself should not be a negative experience. We have the technical expertise to do advanced procedures for your comfort and the emphasis on the whole person that prioritizes your experience. We know you will see the difference from your first visit. Come see what top-level orthopedic care looks like and schedule with us today.