Day of Surgery

Thank you for choosing the Chattanooga Pain Surgery Center for your upcoming pain management procedure. We’re looking forward to treating you.

 Preparing for your Procedure

Please arrive 1 hour before your scheduled procedure. Doing so allows us time to verify your medical information and provide you with information concerning your procedure. It also allows you time to meet briefly with the physician performing your procedure and ask him any questions you may have.

 Before Your Procedure 

  • DO NOT eat or drink anything for eight hours prior to your procedure.
  • DO NOT plan on going to work after your procedure is complete.
  • If you have diabetes, you may have an increase in your blood sugar levels.
    NOTE: It is your responsibility as the patient to inform CPSC and your physician that you have diabetes before your procedure.
  • Wear loose, comfortable clothing.
  • Plan on a responsible friend or family member driving you home after your procedure. Although there are exceptions, most patients receive sedating medications for their operation/injections. These medications alter the body’s ability to function. You cannot take a taxi home alone. If you do not have a responsible adult to take you home, your procedure will be cancelled.
  • Bring a list of any medications/herbal supplements you’re taking and their dosages, as well as any allergies you have to food or medications.
  • Continue taking your pain medications (codeine and related medicines) up to six hour prior to your procedure. Other types of medications (i.e. blood pressure, cholesterol or heart) can be taken as normal, including on the day of your procedure, with sips of water.
  • Call us at (423) 648-4525 and ask to speak with one of our admissions nurses if you:
    • Have diabetes
    • Are being treated with blood thinners (Plavix, Coumadin or Heparin)
    • Are sick from another medical illness or infection
    • May be pregnant
    • Have a fever
    • Have questions of any kind

 After Your Procedure 

  • Follow your physician’s orders for medications.
  • Return to your normal diet unless otherwise directed.
  • Wait to return to work and to resume all of your previous activities (including physical therapy and driving) until the day AFTER your procedure.
  • Be prepared to have numbness after your procedure lasting several hours.
  • Don’t be surprised if you have local soreness at the injection site for one or two days following your procedure. If you do experience soreness, apply a covered ice pack to the site for 20 minutes, three times a day.
  • You may notice an improvement in your usual pain within 2-3 days if you received steroids in your injection. It may take as long as 10-14 days for the medication to fully take effect. Although most patients do not experience any side effects from steroids, the following are possible:
    • Sweating
    • Flushing
    • Palpitations
    • Increased heart rate
    • Insomnia
    • Anxiety
    • Headache
    • Menstrual changes
    • Upset stomach
    • Frequent urination
    • Slight fever with flu-like symptoms

Please call us at (423) 648-4525 if you experience any of these side effects for longer than 3 days.

 Insurance and Billing 

  • Please bring your insurance card(s), any related forms you might have and a personal identification card with you.
  • If you are a Medicare patient, make sure you bring your card with you.
  • Once your insurance has been verified, you will be required to pay your co-pay on or before the day of your appointment.
  • If you are a self-pay patient, we require that you pay for your service on or before the date of your appointment. We accept MasterCard, Visa and Discover.
  • We will bill your insurance on your behalf; however, anything not covered by your insurance will be your responsibility to pay. If you have questions about financial arrangements, please call us at (423) 648-4525.

We at the Chattanooga Pain Surgery Center will do our best to work with you to make appropriate financial arrangements; however, these arrangements must be finalized before the date of your appointment and approved by our Business Manager. Please call us at (423) 648-4525 with questions or for additional information.