Meet Your Pain Doctor Serving Prairie Grove, AR

Dr. Stephen A. Irwin is board-certified in anesthesiology and pain medicine. He completed fellowship training in pain medicine at UT Southwestern and has practiced interventional pain management since 2008.

If you’ve already been through physical therapy, medication changes or injections, tell Dr. Irwin what helped and how long the benefit lasted. He’ll consider that history alongside your exam and any relevant imaging. If he recommends a procedure, he’ll explain what it targets and how you’ll assess your response. Learn more about Dr. Stephen A. Irwin.

Chronic Pain Conditions We Evaluate

Lower Back Pain

Lower back pain can make lifting, standing or getting comfortable at night difficult. Let Dr. Irwin know whether the pain stays in your back or extends into your buttock or leg. Describe what happens when you bend, sit or stay on your feet for a while.

Neck Pain

Neck pain can interfere with driving, working at a computer or finding a comfortable position to sleep. If you also feel pain, tingling or numbness in your shoulder, arm or hand, describe where it starts and whether moving your neck changes it.

Sciatica and Radiating Leg Pain

Sciatica can cause pain that travels from the buttock into the leg. It may also come with tingling or numbness. Note whether symptoms stop above the knee or extend into the calf or foot, and whether sitting, walking or standing changes them.

Herniated Discs and Spinal Stenosis

A herniated disc or narrowing around the spinal nerves may contribute to back, neck, arm or leg symptoms. Dr. Irwin considers imaging findings alongside your exam. If you can walk only a short distance before leg symptoms start and sitting helps them settle, mention that pattern during your visit.

Sacroiliac Joint Pain

The sacroiliac joints connect the lower spine and pelvis. Pain from one of these joints may be felt low in the back or near the buttock. Because symptoms can overlap with pain from the hip or lower spine, the evaluation helps determine whether the joint is a likely source.

Joint and Muscle Pain

Pain that comes on when you climb stairs, rise from a chair or reach overhead can limit everyday activities. Tell Dr. Irwin which movement brings it on, where you feel it and whether it lingers after you stop.

Nerve Pain and Pain After Spine Surgery

Dr. Irwin evaluates persistent nerve pain, complex regional pain syndrome and pain that continues or returns after spine surgery. If you’ve had surgery, tell him whether your current symptoms feel familiar or started in a different area afterward.

Explore the painful conditions we treat.

Interventional Pain Management Treatments

Interventional pain management uses targeted procedures to help identify or treat certain sources of pain. Dr. Irwin considers your symptoms, exam, prior treatment and medical history before discussing a procedure. Your care plan may also include medication management, bracing or a referral for physical therapy.

Epidural Steroid Injections

An epidural steroid injection delivers medication into the epidural space around the spinal nerves. Dr. Irwin may consider it for certain types of arm or leg pain when the evaluation points to irritation of a spinal nerve.

Facet Joint Injections and Medial Branch Blocks

Facet joints are small joints along the spine. If Dr. Irwin suspects they contribute to neck or back pain, a facet joint injection or medial branch block may help evaluate that possibility. After a diagnostic block, he may ask you to record how your pain changes while doing something that usually brings it on.

Radiofrequency Ablation

Radiofrequency ablation uses controlled heat to interrupt pain signals carried by selected nerves. It may be considered when diagnostic blocks indicate those nerves are contributing to your pain.

Sacroiliac Joint Injections

A sacroiliac joint injection delivers medication into the joint. How your pain changes afterward can help Dr. Irwin assess the joint’s role in your symptoms and discuss what to do next.

Nerve Blocks

A nerve block places medication near a selected nerve. Depending on the condition, it may help determine whether the nerve contributes to your symptoms or help manage pain. Ask what to observe and report after the block.

Spinal Cord Stimulation

Spinal cord stimulation may be an option for some patients with persistent nerve-related pain. Eligible patients can try temporary stimulation and discuss how they responded before deciding whether to pursue a permanent device.

Trigger Point Injections

Dr. Irwin may consider a trigger point injection for certain types of localized muscle pain. He’ll assess whether a tender area in the muscle is contributing to your symptoms and discuss how an injection might fit into your care.

In-Office Procedures, Sedation and Payment Options

Sedation for Spinal Procedures

Many pain management procedures can be performed at our Rogers office. In-office sedation is available for most spinal procedures when appropriate. If you’re concerned about discomfort or had a difficult experience with a previous injection, bring it up during your consultation. Our team can explain the sedation options and preparation instructions for your procedure.

Insurance and Self-Pay

NWA Interventional Pain works with most insurance plans and offers self-pay options. Office-based procedures may cost less out of pocket than procedures performed in a hospital or surgery center. What you pay depends on the service, where it’s performed and your insurance benefits. Call with your plan information to ask about network participation, referral requirements and prior authorization.

When to See a Pain Doctor Near Prairie Grove, AR

Consider scheduling an evaluation if pain keeps waking you at night, limits how far you can walk or makes it harder to work despite the care you’ve tried. It can also be helpful to get evaluated when pain starts traveling into an arm or leg or returns after a treatment that previously helped.

Think of one activity you’d like to do more comfortably. If you have to sit down halfway through preparing dinner, tell Dr. Irwin how long you can stand and where the pain starts. A specific example gives you both something concrete to discuss as you consider treatment.