Meet Your Pain Doctor Serving Gravette, 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.

At your consultation, Dr. Irwin will consider how your symptoms have changed over time and whether your exam and imaging point to the same source of pain. If he recommends a procedure, he’ll explain what it targets, what you can expect afterward and how you’ll review your response together. Learn more about Dr. Stephen Irwin.

Chronic Pain Conditions We Evaluate

Lower Back Pain

Tell Dr. Irwin where you feel the pain and what you were doing when you first noticed it. Pain that builds while you’re standing may behave differently from pain that comes on when you bend or sit. It also helps to know whether it stays in your back or spreads into your buttock or leg.

Neck Pain

Neck pain can make it hard to turn your head while driving, work at a computer or find a comfortable position at night. If you also notice pain, tingling or numbness in your shoulder, arm or hand, tell Dr. Irwin where it starts and which movements change it.

Sciatica and Radiating Leg Pain

Sciatica can cause pain that travels from the buttock down the leg, sometimes with tingling or numbness. Describe how far it travels and whether it comes on during a drive, while walking or after standing in one place. These details help guide the exam.

Herniated Discs and Spinal Stenosis

A herniated disc or narrowing around the spinal nerves can contribute to pain in the back, neck, arms or legs. Dr. Irwin reviews imaging alongside your symptoms and examination. If you need to stop walking because of leg pain and sitting helps it settle, mention that pattern at your visit.

Sacroiliac Joint Pain

Sacroiliac joint pain may be felt low in the back or near the buttock. It can overlap with symptoms from the hip or lower spine. Dr. Irwin may ask what happens when you climb stairs, stand up from a chair or shift your weight, then examine whether the joint may be involved.

Joint and Muscle Pain

If a specific movement brings on pain, show Dr. Irwin where you feel it and explain what happens after you stop. For example, pain that occurs every time you reach overhead gives him a different starting point from soreness that develops later in the day.

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, describe which symptoms improved, which remained and when you noticed any new pain.

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. Your evaluation may also lead to a recommendation for medication management, bracing or a referral for physical therapy. The plan depends on your symptoms, exam and response to previous care.

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 suggests 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 back or neck pain, a facet joint injection or medial branch block may help evaluate that possibility. After a diagnostic block, he may ask you to track how you feel during a movement that usually triggers the pain.

Radiofrequency Ablation

Radiofrequency ablation uses controlled heat to interrupt pain signals carried by selected nerves. Dr. Irwin may discuss this option when diagnostic blocks suggest those nerves contribute to your pain.

Sacroiliac Joint Injections

A sacroiliac joint injection places medication into the joint. How your symptoms change afterward can help Dr. Irwin assess whether the joint is contributing to the pain and decide what to discuss at follow-up.

Nerve Blocks

A nerve block places medication near a selected nerve. Depending on your condition, it may help identify whether the nerve is involved or help manage symptoms. Ask what changes to watch for afterward and when to report them.

Spinal Cord Stimulation

Spinal cord stimulation may be considered for some patients with persistent nerve-related pain. Eligible patients can try temporary stimulation and review their response before deciding whether to pursue a permanent device.

Trigger Point Injections

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

In-Office Procedures, Sedation and Payment Options

In-Office Care and Sedation

Many pain management procedures can be performed at our Rogers office. In-office sedation is available for most spinal procedures when appropriate. If a previous injection was difficult, or if you have questions about staying comfortable, bring that up at your consultation. Dr. Irwin can explain the options for the procedure you’re considering.

Insurance and Self-Pay

NWA Interventional Pain works with most insurance plans and offers self-pay options. An office-based procedure may cost less out of pocket than having the procedure at a hospital or surgery center. Your costs depend on the service, the setting and your coverage. When you call, have your insurance information ready so our team can help you check network participation, referral requirements and prior authorization.

When to See a Pain Doctor Near Gravette, AR

Consider an evaluation when pain routinely interrupts sleep, makes it hard to get through work or limits how far you can walk. A visit may also be helpful if symptoms return after treatment or begin traveling into an arm or leg.

Think about one thing you’d like to do more comfortably. If standing long enough to cook dinner is difficult, for example, note how long you can stand before you need to sit and where the pain starts. That gives you and Dr. Irwin a specific limitation to discuss as you consider your options.