Most pain management specialists are seen by referral from a physician. Any patient who feels it is appropriate should consult his or her physician about a pain management program.
Pain management specialists are most often called upon to treat:
- Severe back pain
- Challenging chronic pain
- Failed back surgery syndrome
Patients should keep in mind that there are many varieties of pain management programs to explore. This process can be confusing or frustrating at times, but the important point is to work proactively with one’s health professionals and not to give up if one initially encounters an unsatisfactory result.
While this process can be a significant challenge for patients enduring intense pain, once patients find an approach that they are comfortable with, it is likely that their condition and pain levels should improve.
What Does a Pain Specialist Do?
Unlike acute pain, which is generally caused by a sensation in the nervous system designed to alert a person to a possible injury or ailment and the need to get it treated, chronic pain lasts much longer.
Sometimes it may start as acute pain in the form of a sprained back or serious illness that continues much longer than it should. In other cases it might be due to an ongoing condition. Still other patients have pain despite no evidence of an injury.
Diagnoses the cause of patient pain
Diagnosing the exact cause of patient pain is the first step to finding a treatment that works. A pain management doctor is specialized in the many causes of pain, and the underlying conditions leading to pain.
Patient lower back pain could be due to a herniated disc or spinal stenosis. It could be related to sciatica. Or, patient pain could be due to a degenerative condition like arthritis or degenerative disc disease.
Discusses potential therapies
After diagnosing patient pain, a pain management doctor will review available therapies for patient condition and find the one that works best for you.
Great pain doctors will use interventional or pharmaceutical treatments in conjunction with complementary therapies. For many patients, using complementary therapies can reduce the amount of medication you have to take or the procedures you have to undergo.
Patient pain management plan may include a variety of complementary therapies, including:
- Massage
- Weight loss
- Acupuncture
- Physical therapy
- Exercise
- Yoga
- Diet changes
- Chiropractic care
- Meditation
care for mental and physical concerns
Unfortunately, for many patients, visiting a pain management doctor won’t provide full relief from pain. As one pain management doctor writes:
Because of the burden of chronic pain, a good pain doctor will work with you to continue treatments that relieve patient symptoms. They’ll also introduce therapies that help to relieve the mental burden of chronic pain, such as talk therapy or meditation.
Pain Control by Specialty
While acute pain usually improves with time, chronic pain can linger and may even require intervention. How a pain specialist chooses to proceed with pain control depends greatly on his background and expertise. Pain specialists can come from a wide variety of specialties:
Anesthesiologists.
Anesthesiologists can offer nerve blocks, trigger point injections, and oral medications. They may also be able to implant devices like stimulators and pumps.
Neurosurgeons.
These specialists can often do spine or nerve surgery, procedures related to the spinal cord or brain, and disk replacement or spine fusion surgeries, among other pain treatment techniques. They may also provide nerve blocks, implantable devices, and oral medications.
Physiatrists.
Physiatrists are rehabilitation physicians who use various kinds of therapy including physical, recreational, and occupational therapy, and focus on exercise and movement. Some may also do nerve blocks, implant stimulators, and possibly medication pumps.
In addition to prescribing oral medications, psychiatrists may offer cognitive behavioural therapies, family counselling and group therapy, hypnosis, and biofeedback, among other therapies. Many psychiatrists focus on how the patient reacts to pain and issues related to how the pain is affecting the quality of life.
