How do I arrange an appointment with Dr. Krishna?

Appointments can be arranged by contacting Dr. Krishna’s secretary (Jo Creedy) on 07703292692. Please leave a message if the secretary is not available to take your call.
Alternatively, please send an email to clinic@painspa.co.uk or simply fill the ‘Get in Touch’ form available on our website: www.painspa.co.uk.

Do I need a referral letter from my GP?

A referral letter from your GP or any other specialist involved in your treatment would be helpful but is not an absolutely necessity.

What do I need to bring to my clinic appointment?

Please bring a list of medications (ideally a copy of your prescription) and results of any investigations such as scans or blood tests done recently.
Please bring copies of letters from consultations with other specialists if related to your current problem.

What will happen at my first appointment?

You will be seen by Dr. M Krishna, Consultant in Pain Medicine. Our Pain Nurse may also be present during the consultation. The consultation is likely to last up to 45 minutes. Dr. Krishna will conduct a comprehensive review including taking a detailed history, medication review, examination and organising relevant investigations if appropriate. Finally, he will formulate a detailed management plan, which will be communicated to your GP through a clinic letter. A copy of the letter will be sent to you and to any other relevant specialists involved in your management.

If I need injection treatment will I be able to have this on the same day as the initial appointment?

This is possible in some cases but it depends on a number of factors:
For some injections like botox, we need to order the drug on a ‘named patient basis’ and hence it may not be available on the same day.
If you undergo injection treatment we strongly advise that you are accompanied by a responsible adult who can drive you back to your home.
Some injections require fluoroscopy (X-ray) guidance and hence cannot be performed on the same day.
You can discuss this with our secretary prior to your appointment.

Can I eat and drink before my pain procedure?

You can eat and drink as usual prior to your injection treatment, provided you are not having any sedation for the procedure. Dr. Krishna would have discussed this with you during the initial appointment.
Most procedures are done without sedation and hence no starvation is required.

What about driving after the procedure?

You are advised not to drive for up to 24 hours after the injection or longer if you feel unsafe. You will need some one responsible to take you home.

When can I go back to work?

You can generally return to work the next day but you should avoid heavy work and strenuous activity for up to 48 hours.

What anaesthetic is offered if I need injections?

Most of the procedures are performed under local anaesthetic and you will be fully awake during the procedure. Dr. Krishna will numb the skin and deeper tissues with a local anaesthetic to minimize the discomfort during the procedure.
Rarely, sedation may be needed for certain treatments, in which case you will need to be starved for 6 hours prior to the procedure. You should not have any solids or liquids during this time. However, clear liquids such as black coffee, black tea, dilute squash or water are allowed for up to two hours before the procedure. Milk should be considered as a solid and hence should not be consumed for up to 6 hours before the procedure.

I normally take medication to thin my blood. Do I need to stop these before I can have my injection?

You should always make us aware of any blood-thinning medications you have been prescribed. For some procedures, these medications may need to be stopped for a length of time. Dr. Krishna will discuss this in more detail during the initial consultation.
Please do not stop any medications without prior medical advice.
As a general guide, warfarin should be stopped for 5 days, clopidogrel for 7 days, Rivaroxaban & Apixaban for 2 days, and dabigatran for 3 days.

Is there any thing else that I need to inform the doctor about prior to my treatment?

You should always tell the doctor if you are pregnant or likely to be pregnant.
You should inform the doctor about any blood-thinning medications that you might be taking. This includes Aspirin, Clopidogrel, Warfarin, Heparin and some of the newer ones like Rivaroxaban, Apixaban, dabigatran and so on.
Finally always inform the doctor about your allergies, especially latex, iodine, and to any other medications.

Do you see insured patients?

Dr. Krishna is registered with all major insurance companies. Please make sure you obtain prior authorization from your insurance company before any consultation and treatment. Otherwise, you will be liable to pay the full fee incurred.

Do you see overseas patients in your clinic?

Dr. Krishna sees patients from all over the world. Patients have visited us from many countries including America, Canada, India, Hongkong, Sweden, Spain, France, Guyana, Morocco, Netherlands, Greece, New Zealand, Italy, Switzerland, Slovenia, Brunei, Denmark, Ireland, and Saudi Arabia, to name a few.

Can you organise an interpreter if I need one?

If you give us enough notice, we will try our best to organise an interpreter. You will need to pay for the interpreter services but we will tell you in advance the cost of their services. Alternatively, some of our overseas patients have used Google translator with good success.

Where is your clinic located?

We provide clinic consultations and treatments at 2 locations in Bristol:
1. The Willow surgery, Hill House Road, Downend, Bristol, BS16 5FJ
This is an evening clinic, running from 1800hrs to 2000hrs. Dr. Krishna is available at this clinic on Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday evenings.
2. Nuffield (Chesterfield) Bristol Hospital, 3 Clifton Hill, Bristol BS8 1BN
Dr. Krishna is available for consultation at this hospital on Tuesday & Thursday AM. Clinic times are 0800-1300hrs.
Dr. Krishna performs ultrasound-guided injection treatments at both the above locations. Fluoroscopy guided (Xray) injections are only available at the Nuffield Hospital.

How far are you from the train station and the airport?

The nearest train station to The Willow surgery is Bristol Parkway, which is 4.5 miles or about 20 minutes drive. The nearest train station to The Nuffield (Chesterfield) Bristol Hospital is Bristol Temple Meads, which is 2.0 miles or about 10 minutes drive. Please note that the drive can be longer in peak traffic hours, so please give enough time for your journey.

Bristol airport is 7.5 miles or 20 minutes drive from The Nuffield (Chesterfield) Bristol Hospital. The Willow surgery is 16 miles from Bristol airport and it takes 35-40 minutes to reach us by taxi. In peak traffic, the journey times will be longer.

Are there any hotels located close to the Willow surgery?

The following hotels are located near the Willow Surgery:

Premier Inn Emersons Green, 200/202 Westerleigh Rd, Emersons Green, Bristol BS16 7AN Phone: 0871 527 8162

The Langley Arms, Guest Ave, Emersons Green, Bristol BS16 7GA,  Phone: 0117 957 3512

Holiday Inn, Filton Rd, Winterbourne, Bristol BS16 1QX                       Phone: 0871 942 9014

Please click the link below for more hotels near the Willow Surgery:

https://bit.ly/2rfdEHc

Please click the link below for hotels near the Nuffield (Chesterfield) Bristol Hospital:

http://www.roomguide.co.uk/landmark/bristol-nuffield-hospital-the

Do you offer evening appointments?

Yes, we offer evening appointments. Please discuss your requirements with our secretary. We work fairly flexibly to suit the requirement of our patients.

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