Whether you’re dealing with a migraine headache or neuropathy in your feet, our skilled pain management team offers comprehensive care for pain conditions from head to toe.
Medically reviewed by David Copenhaver, M.D. and Ravi Prasad, M.D. on Nov. 02, 2024.
Everyone feels pain at some point – whether from a stubbed toe, broken arm or something more serious. Acute pain comes on suddenly, often from an injury, and then goes away. Chronic pain persists for months or sometimes years after the original injury has healed. Some chronic pain has no clear cause.
At UC Davis Health, experts at our Division of Pain Management treat all types of pain. You benefit from comprehensive treatments at our Pain Management Center. We help restore your ability to live, work and play with as little discomfort as possible.
Pain is an unpleasant sensation your nervous system picks up on and responds to. Pain symptoms vary depending on the cause and affected area.
Everyone experiences pain differently. You may experience:
Chronic pain can lead to physical and emotional issues, such as:
Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are common causes of joint pain, neck pain and inflammation.
Muscle strains, herniated (slipped) discs and degenerative spine conditions are primary causes of back pain.
Certain cancers and cancer treatments can cause pain in your bones, nerves, soft tissues or near cancer tumors.
Chronic headaches and migraines can cause severe head pain.
Nerve damage from diabetes, neurological diseases, injuries and other conditions can cause nerve pain (neuropathy).
Nerve and muscle (neuromuscular) diseases, muscle strains and conditions like fibromyalgia cause pain.
Many conditions can cause pain. Our team may recommend one or more of these tests to pinpoint what’s causing your pain:
Pain treatments vary depending on the cause and symptoms. At the UC Davis Health Center for Advancing Pain Relief, we're always exploring new ways to manage and prevent pain symptoms. We offer comprehensive treatments that address the full impact of pain on your life.
Ablation uses heat from radio waves to stop nerves from sending pain signals to your brain.
We offer specialized pain services for patients who have pain from cancer or cancer treatments.
Our doctors inject steroids, nerve-blocking medications, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications and botulinum toxins to ease joint pain.
Nerve stimulators (neurostimulators) are surgically implanted devices that send electrical impulses to disrupt pain signals. Some devices help strengthen specific muscle groups. We offer dorsal root ganglion stimulation, peripheral nerve stimulation, spinal cord stimulation and multifidus muscle stimulation.
Our team manages prescription pain medications that provide you relief. We also place pain pumps underneath your skin to deliver pain medicine directly into your body.
Our doctors surgically place spacers between vertebrae in your spine to take pressure off your nerves and ease back pain.
Our physical therapists help you correct muscle weaknesses or imbalances that may contribute to pain.
Psychotherapy (talk therapy), biofeedback and other behavioral health therapies can help change your response to chronic pain. These therapies also help with depression and anxiety brought on or worsened by pain.
You can’t always prevent conditions that cause pain. However, these steps can minimize some risk factors.
Excess weight puts pressure on joints, worsening pain.
Activities like walking, swimming and yoga are easy on your joints and muscles.
Use good form when lifting heavy objects or performing repetitive movements.
Standing and sitting straight eases pressure on your spine and joints.
51MAmericans have chronic pain
#1Cause of long-term disability in the U.S.
Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: “Chronic Pain Among Adults – United States, 2019-2021”
National Pain Advocacy Center: “About Pain”
As Sacramento's No. 1 hospital, you'll benefit from unique advantages in primary care and specialty care. This includes prevention, diagnosis and treatment options from experts in 150 specialties.
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