Neurosurgery

Pain Management

At Mount Sinai’s Department of Neurosurgery, we offer solutions to people who suffer from chronic and painful conditions of the brain, spine, and peripheral nerve. Our pain management doctors generally start with non-surgical treatments, such as drug therapy, physical and occupational therapy, injections, electrical stimulation, acupuncture, and biofeedback. If these options do not provide relief, your pain management doctor may recommend that you see a neurosurgeon.

Our neurosurgeons specialize in traditional and advanced procedures to treat patients with chronic pain. We first determine the source of your pain, then develop a targeted, individualized treatment plan. We work closely with pain management doctors to improve your quality of life by combining advanced imaging, clinical expertise, and surgical intervention.

Chronic Pain Conditions

Chronic pain conditions can stem from structural abnormalities of the spine of nerves, though you may experience pain without having such issues. Some of the most common chronic pain conditions are:

Neurosurgical Pain Management Treatments

If your pain lasts longer than three months, and interferes with your ability to lead a productive and comfortable life, we may consider whether surgery can help. We can use traditional surgery to correct any detected structural abnormality that contributes to the pain. If we cannot identify a structural problem that we can correct, we can change (or modulate) your nerve activity through neuromodulation. Traditional surgeries for chronic pain include:

Neuromodulation can reduce pain by delivering electrical current or medicine to your nerves. Examples of neuromodulatory surgeries are:

We do surgeries with either an open or a minimally invasive approach, depending on the individual situation. We work with your pain management doctor as we design your treatment plan.

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