Nerve Pain Treatment in Lafayette, LA
Nerve pain can feel burning, shooting, electric, stabbing, or unusually sensitive. It may remain in one area or travel along a nerve into the arm, hand, leg, foot, chest, or other part of the body. Some patients also experience tingling, numbness, weakness, or pain from light touch.
At Interventional Pain Specialists in Lafayette, our team evaluates the origin of nerve-related symptoms and develops a personalized treatment plan based on the affected nerve, underlying condition, examination findings, diagnostic information, previous care, and individual goals.
Led by Albert Gros, Jr., MD, a physician board-certified in anesthesiology and pain medicine, we provide minimally invasive, image-guided treatments for qualifying patients with spinal nerve irritation, peripheral nerve pain, post-surgical pain, and other chronic neuropathic conditions.
Nerve Pain Care at Our Lafayette Clinic
Interventional Pain Specialists – Lafayette
1101 S. College Rd., Suite 200
Lafayette, LA
Phone: (337) 362-8101
Interventional Pain Specialists focuses on identifying pain arising from the spine, joints, and nerves and using targeted, minimally invasive treatments when appropriate. We offer care for patients in Lafayette and surrounding Acadiana communities.
What Does Nerve Pain Feel Like?
Nerve pain often feels different from ordinary muscle soreness or joint pain. The symptoms may follow the pathway of a specific nerve or affect the hands, feet, arms, or legs more broadly.
Patients may describe:
- Burning pain
- Electric-shock sensations
- Sharp or shooting pain
- Tingling or pins and needles
- Numbness
- Unusual sensitivity to touch
- Pain from clothing, bedding, or light pressure
- Weakness in an arm or leg
- Reduced grip strength
- Difficulty balancing or walking
- Pain that worsens at night
- Symptoms following a particular nerve pathway
Peripheral nerve disorders can affect sensation, strength, coordination, and balance, depending on which nerves and nerve fibers are involved.
Types of Epidural Steroid Injections
These terms are related but should not be used interchangeably.
Nerve Pain
Nerve pain, also called neuropathic pain, broadly describes pain caused by irritation, compression, injury, or dysfunction of a nerve. It may involve one nerve, a spinal nerve root, or several nerves.
Peripheral Neuropathy
Peripheral neuropathy refers to damage or dysfunction involving nerves outside the brain and spinal cord. It commonly begins in the feet or hands and may be associated with diabetes, nutritional deficiencies, medications, autoimmune conditions, infections, trauma, or other causes.
Sciatica
Sciatica usually describes pain caused by irritation of a nerve root in the lower spine. Symptoms often travel from the lower back or buttock into one leg.
A patient with sciatica may have nerve pain, but not every person with nerve pain has sciatica. Similarly, a person with peripheral neuropathy may have burning feet or numb hands without spinal nerve compression.
When Should You See a Nerve Pain Specialist?
Consider scheduling an evaluation when nerve-related symptoms:
- Continue for several weeks
- Repeatedly return
- Interfere with sleep, work, driving, or exercise
- Cause persistent burning, shooting, or electrical pain
- Travel into an arm or leg
- Include numbness or tingling
- Affect grip strength, walking, or balance
- Began after an injury or surgery
- Have not improved sufficiently with initial treatment
- Continue after spine surgery
- Affect a clearly defined area supplied by one nerve
- Become progressively worse
Persistent tingling, pain, numbness, or weakness should be medically evaluated so the cause can be identified and potentially reversible conditions are not overlooked.
Conditions That Can Cause Nerve Pain
Nerve pain is a symptom rather than one diagnosis. Treatment depends on what is affecting the nerve and where the problem occurs.
Compressed Spinal Nerves
Spinal nerves may become irritated or compressed by herniated discs, spinal stenosis, foraminal narrowing, degenerative changes, bone spurs, inflammation, or previous spine surgery. Neck nerve compression may cause arm or hand symptoms, while lower-back nerve compression may affect the buttock, leg, foot, or toes. These conditions differ from generalized peripheral neuropathy, which affects multiple nerves.
Peripheral Nerve Entrapment
A peripheral nerve may become compressed near muscles, ligaments, joints, or scar tissue. Symptoms usually follow the affected nerve and may include burning, shooting pain, numbness, tingling, or sensitivity.
Nerve Injury After an Accident
Nerves may be stretched, bruised, compressed, or damaged after accidents, falls, workplace injuries, sports injuries, repetitive strain, or trauma. Treatment depends on whether the nerve remains compressed, has sustained damage, or continues sending pain signals after healing.
Post-Surgical Nerve Pain
Persistent nerve pain after surgery, including spine surgery, may result from nerve irritation, scar tissue, entrapment, or direct nerve injury. Peripheral nerve blocks may be considered for localized postsurgical pain, while spinal cord stimulation may be an option for carefully selected patients with persistent neuropathic pain after spine surgery.
Localized Neuralgia
Neuralgia refers to pain along a specific nerve. Depending on the nerve involved, symptoms may affect the back of the head, chest wall, groin, thigh, knee, or leg. Conditions including occipital neuralgia, intercostal neuralgia, ilioinguinal neuralgia, meralgia paresthetica, and genicular nerve pain may require targeted evaluation.
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) may develop after injury, surgery, fracture, or trauma. Symptoms may include burning pain, sensitivity to touch, swelling, changes in temperature and skin color, stiffness, and reduced movement. CRPS requires careful evaluation because its symptoms can overlap with those of other nerve and musculoskeletal conditions.
How We Evaluate Nerve Pain
Our evaluation helps determine whether symptoms are nerve-related, which nerve or nerve root may be involved, what may be causing irritation or damage, and whether an interventional treatment may be appropriate.
Symptom Review
We discuss where symptoms began, whether they follow a specific pattern, and whether the pain feels burning, shooting, stabbing, or electric. We also evaluate numbness, tingling, weakness, sensitivity to touch, symptom triggers, prior injuries or surgeries, treatments attempted, and the impact of symptoms on daily activities.
Medical History
We review conditions such as diabetes, previous injuries, spine or joint problems, surgeries, medications, nutritional deficiencies, autoimmune or metabolic conditions, toxin exposure, and family history of neurological disorders.
Physical and Neurological Examination
Our examination may assess sensation, strength, reflexes, balance, coordination, range of motion, areas of tenderness, pain patterns, and movements that reproduce symptoms.
Diagnostic Testing
Based on your symptoms and suspected cause, we may recommend MRI or CT imaging, blood tests, electromyography (EMG), nerve conduction studies, or other neurological tests. These tests can help identify nerve damage, inflammation, metabolic conditions, compressed nerves, and other potential causes of pain.
Diagnostic Nerve Blocks
A targeted nerve block may help determine whether a specific peripheral nerve or spinal nerve root is contributing to symptoms. Temporary improvement after numbing the suspected nerve can provide diagnostic information and help guide future treatment.
Personalized Treatment Planning
Once the affected nerve and likely cause are identified, your provider discusses the findings and available treatment options with you. Recommendations are based on your diagnosis, symptoms, and overall goals, not a one-size-fits-all approach.
Nerve Pain Treatment Options in Lafayette
Nerve pain treatment depends on the source of symptoms. Our approach focuses on reducing pain, improving function, and addressing the cause when possible.
Epidural Steroid Injections
Epidural steroid injections deliver anti-inflammatory medication near irritated spinal nerves. They may be considered for nerve pain caused by cervical or lumbar radiculopathy, herniated discs, or radiating arm or leg pain.
Selective Nerve Root Blocks
A selective nerve root block targets a specific spinal nerve near its exit from the spine. It may help identify the source of radiating pain and guide treatment when multiple spinal levels may be involved.
Peripheral Nerve Blocks
Peripheral nerve blocks place medication around a specific nerve outside the brain and spinal cord. They may be considered for localized nerve pain, nerve entrapment, or post-surgical nerve symptoms.
MILD Procedure
The MILD procedure may be considered for selected patients with lumbar spinal stenosis and neurogenic claudication, using a minimally invasive approach to address tissue contributing to spinal canal narrowing.
Spinal Cord Stimulation
Spinal cord stimulation uses an implanted device to modify pain signals. It may be considered for carefully selected patients with chronic neuropathic pain that has not improved with less invasive treatments.
Radiofrequency Ablation
Radiofrequency ablation uses controlled heat to interrupt pain signals from selected nerves. It may be considered when diagnostic blocks confirm that specific nerves contribute to the pain.
A Targeted Approach to Nerve Pain
Two patients may both describe burning or electric pain but require very different care. For example:
- One patient may have a compressed spinal nerve caused by a herniated or bulging disc.
- Another may have a peripheral nerve trapped near scar tissue.
- Another may have persistent nerve pain after surgery.
- Another may have diabetes-related polyneuropathy.
- Another may have a localized neuralgia affecting one specific nerve.
For this reason, our team evaluates each patient’s symptoms, physical examination, medical history, and available testing to identify the source of the pain before recommending the most appropriate treatment plan.
Why Choose Us for Nerve Pain Treatment in Lafayette?
- Experienced Interventional Pain Care
Dr. Albert Gros has more than two decades of experience in anesthesiology and interventional pain management. He is board-certified by the American Board of Anesthesiology and the American Board of Pain Medicine. - Diagnostic and Therapeutic Nerve Blocks
We offer targeted nerve blocks that may help identify the source of pain while also providing symptom relief for appropriately selected patients. - Image-Guided Procedures
Imaging guidance helps the provider direct treatment toward the intended spinal nerve, peripheral nerve, joint, or other anatomical structure. - Personalized Treatment Planning
Recommendations are based on the location and cause of the nerve pain, previous treatments, diagnostic findings, health history, and functional goals. - Minimally Invasive Options
We specialize in image-guided treatments for spine, joint, and nerve pain, including injections, nerve blocks, radiofrequency procedures, and spinal cord stimulation. - Focus on Daily Function
The goal is not only to lower pain intensity but also to help patients sleep, move, work, drive, exercise, and complete daily activities more comfortably.
Meet Albert Gros, Jr., MD
Anesthesiology and Pain Management Specialist
Albert Gros, Jr., MD, leads care at Interventional Pain Specialists. He earned his medical degree from Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans and completed his anesthesiology residency at Ochsner Clinic Foundation.
Dr. Gros is board-certified by the American Board of Anesthesiology and the American Board of Pain Medicine. His experience includes epidural steroid injections, nerve blocks, spinal cord stimulation, and other interventional treatments.
What to Bring to Your Appointment
Bring information that may help the team understand the pattern and possible cause of your symptoms:
- Photo identification & insurance card
- Current medication list
- Relevant medical records
- MRI, CT, or X-ray reports (and copies of imaging, if available)
- Physical therapy records
- Details of previous injections or prior spine surgery
- Referral or authorization documents, if required
- Questions you’d like to discuss
Insurance Information
We accept most insurance providers, including:
Coverage, referrals, prior authorization, deductibles, and out-of-pocket expenses vary by plan. Contact the Lafayette office and your insurance provider before treatment to confirm your benefits.
Lafayette office: (337) 362-8101
When Nerve Symptoms Require Urgent Medical Attention
A routine pain-management appointment is not appropriate for every neurological symptom. Seek immediate medical evaluation for:
- Sudden numbness accompanied by weakness or paralysis
- Sudden difficulty speaking, confusion, dizziness, or severe headache
- Rapidly worsening weakness
- New inability to walk or maintain balance
- New loss of bladder or bowel control
- Numbness around the groin or saddle area
- Weakness affecting both legs
- Severe symptoms following significant trauma
- Rapidly ascending weakness or numbness
- Fever with severe spinal pain and neurological symptoms
These symptoms may indicate a serious neurological or spinal emergency and should be evaluated without delay.
What Our Patients Say
Professional Associations And Memberships
Schedule a Nerve Pain Evaluation in Lafayette
Burning, shooting, tingling, or electric pain can interfere with sleep, movement, concentration, work, and everyday life. Because nerve pain may originate from the spine, a localized peripheral nerve, an injury, surgery, or a broader medical condition, identifying the source is essential before choosing treatment.
Contact Interventional Pain Specialists in Lafayette to discuss your symptoms and explore a personalized care plan.
Interventional Pain Specialists – Lafayette
1101 S. College Rd., Suite 200
Lafayette, LA
Phone: (337) 362-8101
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of doctor treats nerve pain?
Treatment depends on the cause. A pain management specialist may evaluate nerve pain related to spinal compression, injury, surgery, localized neuralgia, or chronic neuropathic pain. Patients with systemic or unexplained neuropathy may also require evaluation by a primary care physician, neurologist, endocrinologist, or another specialist.
How can I tell whether my pain is nerve-related?
Nerve pain is often described as burning, electric, shooting, tingling, or unusually sensitive. It may follow the path of a nerve and can be accompanied by numbness or weakness. However, symptoms alone cannot confirm the cause.
Is nerve pain the same as neuropathy?
No. Nerve pain is a broad symptom. Neuropathy describes disease or damage affecting one or more nerves. A person can have nerve pain from a compressed spinal nerve without having peripheral neuropathy.
Can a pinched nerve cause burning or electric pain?
Yes. Compression or irritation of a spinal or peripheral nerve may cause burning, shooting, tingling, numbness, or weakness along the nerve’s pathway.
Do you treat peripheral nerve pain in Lafayette?
We evaluate localized peripheral nerve pain and offer peripheral nerve blocks for eligible patients. These blocks may be used for diagnostic evaluation, symptom relief, or both.
What is the difference between a peripheral nerve block and a nerve-root block?
A peripheral nerve block targets a nerve outside the brain and spinal cord, often in an arm, leg, shoulder, chest wall, knee, or other localized area. A selective nerve root block targets a spinal nerve near the point where it exits the spine.
Can nerve blocks permanently cure nerve pain?
A nerve block does not necessarily cure the underlying condition. Relief may be temporary, and the diagnostic information gained from the procedure may help guide longer-term care. Duration varies according to the medication, nerve, diagnosis, and individual response.
Can you help with nerve pain after surgery?
We evaluate selected patients with post-surgical nerve pain. Depending on the location and cause, options may include a targeted peripheral nerve block, another interventional spinal procedure, rehabilitation, or spinal cord stimulation for certain chronic conditions.
Can spinal cord stimulation help nerve pain?
Spinal cord stimulation may be considered for carefully selected patients with persistent neuropathic pain that has not responded adequately to other treatments. Evaluation and a temporary trial are generally required before permanent implantation.
Will I need an MRI or a nerve conduction test?
Not every patient needs the same tests. An MRI may be helpful when spinal compression or another structural problem is suspected. EMG and nerve-conduction studies may be used to evaluate nerve and muscle function. Blood tests may be needed when a metabolic, nutritional, or systemic cause is possible.
Can damaged nerves heal?
Some nerve injuries improve, but recovery depends on the cause, severity, location, duration, and whether ongoing compression or disease is present. Treatment may focus on correcting the underlying cause, supporting recovery, and reducing symptoms.
Do I need a referral?
Referral and authorization requirements vary by insurance plan. Contact the Lafayette clinic or your insurance provider to determine whether a referral or prior authorization is required.
How do I schedule a nerve pain appointment in Lafayette?
Call (337) 362-8101 or complete the appointment request form through our website to schedule your consultation.