Frequently Asked Questions
Appointments and Getting Started
What insurance do you take?
The office accepts most insurance plans with rare exceptions, including Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, and most commercial insurers. Call 720-455-3775 if you are unsure whether your plan is accepted.
Do I need a referral from my primary care provider?
Some insurance plans require a referral, while others allow you to schedule directly. Call the front desk and they will check your specific plan. If a referral is needed, your PCP can fax it to 720-455-3776.
How quickly can I be seen?
Most new patients are seen within two weeks of referral. Procedures are typically scheduled within one week of the initial consultation. For patients with acute compression fractures or new disc herniations, the team can arrange faster access - mention this when you call.
Can a surgeon refer me directly for an injection without a separate consultation?
Yes. If a surgeon or other referring provider sends a patient specifically for an injection, the team can often schedule the procedure within one week of the referral.
Do you accept TRICARE and VA referrals?
Yes. The office accepts TRICARE and works with Veterans Affairs community care referrals. Call the office to verify coverage under your specific plan.
Do you offer telehealth or video appointments?
Telehealth is not offered for the first visit because a face-to-face examination is needed to evaluate your pain. Telehealth may be available for some follow-up visits.
Imaging and Records
Do I need an MRI before my first appointment?
An MRI is helpful but not required for the first visit. Dr. Carrera's team can evaluate you and determine whether imaging is needed based on your history and examination. If you already have an MRI, bring the disc or let the office know where it was done.
Do I need to bring a disc of my MRI?
The team has access to imaging from Health Images, University of Colorado Hospital (UCH), SimonMed, Salud Family Health, Touchstone, and Penrad. Images can be requested from Skyridge, OCC, OpenSided MRI of Denver, and Open MRI of Pueblo. For other facilities, we strongly encourage you to obtain a disc and printed radiologist report.
I am transferring from another pain doctor. What should I bring?
Request records from your previous pain office ahead of time, especially procedure notes from past injections. Other offices can take weeks to fax records, and having this information at your first visit helps the team build your treatment plan faster.
About Procedures and Injections
Will the injections hurt?
Most patients rate the discomfort from injections between 1 and 4 out of 10 depending on the procedure. The team uses small needles and local anesthetic to keep procedures as comfortable as possible. Patients frequently say the anticipation was worse than the actual injection.
What is the difference between a medial branch block and a facet joint injection?
Both are used for facet joint-related pain, but they target different structures. A facet joint injection places steroid medication inside the joint to reduce inflammation. A medial branch block numbs the nerves outside the joint to confirm they are the pain source - this is the diagnostic step before radiofrequency ablation (RFA), which provides longer-lasting relief.
What is the difference between an epidural and a cortisone shot?
Both use corticosteroid medication, but they target different areas. An epidural steroid injection delivers medication into the space around the spinal cord and nerve roots to treat nerve-related pain like sciatica. A steroid injection (cortisone shot) is injected directly into a joint, bursa, or tendon to treat localized inflammation like knee arthritis or hip bursitis.
How long does radiofrequency ablation (RFA) last?
Most patients experience 6 to 18 months of relief per treatment, with an average of about 8 months. Because the treated nerves gradually regenerate, the procedure can be repeated. More on the RFA page.
What is PRP and is it covered by insurance?
PRP (platelet-rich plasma) uses concentrated healing factors from your own blood to treat joint and tendon pain. It is a cash-pay procedure and is not covered by most insurance plans. The office offers PRP at competitive rates.
Are procedures done in the office or at a surgery center?
Many injections - including epidurals, nerve blocks, facet joint injections, and steroid joint injections - are performed in the in-office procedure suite, which typically means lower out-of-pocket costs for patients. More complex procedures like kyphoplasty, spinal cord stimulator trials, and Intracept are performed at the outpatient surgery center in the same building.
Clinical Questions
Should I see a spine surgeon or a pain specialist first?
In most cases, it makes sense to see an interventional pain specialist first. Most surgeons want patients to try conservative and procedural treatments before considering surgery. If surgery turns out to be the right option, Dr. Carrera's team works closely with spine surgeons and will coordinate a referral.
Do you prescribe opioid medications?
Dr. Carrera's practice focuses on interventional procedures and non-opioid medications. This is not an opioid management practice. The team can evaluate whether procedural treatments might reduce or eliminate the need for pain medications.
What conditions do you treat?
Dr. Carrera's team treats spine, joint, and nerve pain. This includes, but is not limited to: back pain, neck pain, sciatica, arthritis, disc herniations, spinal stenosis, facet arthritis, compression fractures, sacroiliac joint dysfunction, bursitis, CRPS, neuropathy, whiplash, spondylolisthesis, degenerative disc disease, and failed back surgery syndrome.
Areas Served
What areas do you serve?
Dr. Carrera's team sees patients with spine, joint, and nerve pain from across Colorado. Most patients come from Castle Rock, Castle Pines, Lone Tree, Parker, Highlands Ranch, Centennial, Denver, Monument and Palmer Lake, Colorado Springs, and surrounding areas.