Pain therapy
Pain therapy in Lugano
Diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal pain: specialist visit, in-house ultrasound, ultrasound-guided injections, laser therapy, acupuncture and manual medicine, combined case by case. Injections are done under ultrasound (SGUM qualification), not under CT or fluoroscopy.
- Injections under ultrasound, not under CT or fluoroscopy
- Musculoskeletal ultrasound performed by the specialist (SGUM)
- Together with manual medicine and the rheumatology pathway, when needed
What we treat, by symptom
Knee
Knee osteoarthritis and joint pain: rheumatology visit, hyaluronic acid injections or PRP under ultrasound guidance, intra-articular laser. Guidelines are cautious about hyaluronic acid and PRP: the studies and recommendations are on their pages.
Hip
Hip osteoarthritis: clinical and ultrasound assessment, ultrasound-guided injections, intra-articular laser therapy.
Shoulder
Chronic shoulder syndrome and tendinopathies: ultrasound, ultrasound-guided injections, PRP for tendons, manual medicine.
Back and neck
Disc herniation, sciatica, spinal stenosis, neck pain: ultrasound-guided spinal injections, manual medicine, acupuncture.
Hands, elbow and tendons
Tennis elbow and epicondylitis, bursitis and overuse syndromes: ultrasound, injections, laser therapy.
Headache and migraine
Acupuncture for the prevention of migraine and tension-type headache, performed by the physician.
Widespread chronic pain
Fibromyalgia and myofascial pain: rheumatology assessment and acupuncture, with a shared plan; for myofascial pain also manual medicine.
The routes we follow
Rheumatology visit
Diagnosis and treatment plan: the first visit when the pain is in the joints, back or tendons.
Musculoskeletal ultrasound
Assesses joints, tendons and soft tissues during the visit and guides the injections, with SGUM qualification.
Ultrasound-guided injections
Injections of joints and soft tissues, and spinal injections, with hyaluronic acid or PRP when indicated.
Laser therapy
Local, intra-articular or intravenous laser light, without drugs.
Acupuncture
Needles, needle-free laser or ear acupuncture, performed by a specialist physician.
Manual medicine
Hands-on treatment of joint blockages, muscle tension and trigger points, with SAMM qualification.
The pathway
From the first visit to the plan
Assessment
History and clinical examination. Reports, tests and images already done help set the picture straight away.
Ultrasound, when needed
In-house musculoskeletal ultrasound assesses joints, tendons and soft tissues during the same visit.
Indication
We decide whether a treatment is indicated, which one, where, and whether it belongs in the pathway.
Plan and follow-up
The routes are combined case by case; at follow-up we check progress and adjust the plan.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between pain therapy and rheumatology?
The rheumatology visit frames the disease affecting joints, spine, muscles and bones; pain therapy is the part of the pathway that treats the pain: ultrasound-guided injections, laser therapy, acupuncture and manual medicine. At the practice the same physician performs them, and they are often combined.
Are the injections ultrasound-guided?
Yes. The practice performs them under ultrasound guidance, with SGUM qualification. Details on the musculoskeletal ultrasound page.
Is it covered by insurance?
The practice is RME certified and, in Ticino, bills complementary insurers: with complementary insurance, under certain conditions, the treatment can be reimbursed. Patients with basic insurance only receive a clear cost estimate at the visit and pay directly.
Can I book without going through my family doctor?
Yes. You can book directly. It helps to bring reports, blood tests and radiological images already done: they set the picture straight away. The practice also accepts reports and second-opinion requests via HIN.
What do I bring to the first visit?
Recent reports and tests, radiological images, the list of medicines and, if you have it, your health-insurance card. Everything on the page First visit in Lugano.
Scientific sources
- Kolasinski SL, et al. 2019 American College of Rheumatology/Arthritis Foundation Guideline for the Management of Osteoarthritis of the Hand, Hip, and Knee. Arthritis Care Res. 2020;72:149–162. doi:10.1002/acr.24131
- Knezevic NN, et al. Low back pain. Lancet. 2021;398:78–92. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(21)00733-9
- Katz JN, et al. Diagnosis and Management of Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: A Review. JAMA. 2022;327:1688–1699. doi:10.1001/jama.2022.5921
- Millar NL, et al. Tendinopathy. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2021;7:1. doi:10.1038/s41572-020-00234-1
- Belk JW, et al. Platelet-Rich Plasma Versus Hyaluronic Acid for Knee Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Am J Sports Med. 2021;49:249–260. doi:10.1177/0363546520909397
- Chow RT, et al. Efficacy of low-level laser therapy in the management of neck pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised placebo or active-treatment controlled trials. Lancet. 2009;374:1897–1908. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(09)61522-1
- Vickers AJ, et al. Acupuncture for Chronic Pain: Update of an Individual Patient Data Meta-Analysis. J Pain. 2018;19:455–474. doi:10.1016/j.jpain.2017.11.005
- Linde K, et al. Acupuncture for the prevention of episodic migraine. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016;(6):CD001218. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD001218.pub3
- Rubinstein SM, et al. Benefits and harms of spinal manipulative therapy for the treatment of chronic low back pain: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. BMJ. 2019;364:l689. doi:10.1136/bmj.l689
- Daniels EW, et al. Existing Evidence on Ultrasound-Guided Injections in Sports Medicine. Orthop J Sports Med. 2018;6:2325967118756576. doi:10.1177/2325967118756576
- Macfarlane GJ, et al. EULAR revised recommendations for the management of fibromyalgia. Ann Rheum Dis. 2017;76:318–328. doi:10.1136/annrheumdis-2016-209724
- Deare JC, et al. Acupuncture for treating fibromyalgia. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2013;(5):CD007070. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD007070.pub2
Related treatments
Not sure which treatment is right for you?
For musculoskeletal pain the practice follows several routes, often combined. The specialist visit, with ultrasound when needed, clarifies which one is indicated in your case.
Rheumatology
Diagnosis and treatment plan: the first visit when the pain is in the joints, back or tendons.
Acupuncture
Needles, needle-free laser or ear acupuncture, performed by a specialist physician.
Interventional pain therapy
Ultrasound-guided injections of joints and soft tissues, with hyaluronic acid or PRP when indicated.
PRP for joints and tendons
Plasma prepared from the patient's own blood and injected into tendons and joints.
Laser therapy
Laser light applied locally, in the joint or in the bloodstream, without drugs.
The information on this page is for general information only and does not replace medical advice. The indication, expected benefits and risks of every treatment are assessed individually during the specialist consultation.
Book a visit for pain
Specialist assessment and indication of the most suitable route, with ultrasound when needed.
We accept referrals and second-opinion requests from your physician, via HIN. dr.djordjevic@hin.ch
How to reach us
In Lugano, a short walk from USI and EOC
The practice is centrally located in Italian-speaking Switzerland, also reachable by car and by train from Mendrisio, Bellinzona, Locarno and Chiasso.
By car: the practice's own car park is right in front. By public transport: a short walk from USI.
Address
Via Alessandro Volta 1
6900 Lugano
Opening hours
Monday–Friday 08:00–16:30
Saturday and Sunday closed
Phone
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