A primary care doctor is an excellent resource for ongoing medical support. In addition, it is wise for a family to partner with a primary care provider for general medical services, such as annual checkups, illnesses, and more.
But there are times when health conditions go beyond the generalized support you can receive from a primary care provider. For example, if you are experiencing chronic or severe pain, then it’s likely that your doctor will recommend that you visit a pain specialist.
What should you expect when visiting with a pain management expert? Today, we are sharing an overview of how this process works and what happens when you are referred for pain management services.
Pain Clinics: Helping with Severe and Chronic Pain
It is estimated that 1.5 billion people worldwide and 100 million Americans are living with chronic pain. This pain can interfere with daily activities and even disrupt sleep at night.
How often do you find that the pain makes it hard to concentrate, or you can’t sleep because the pain is waking you up? These signs could indicate that you need to talk to a pain management specialist.
A pain clinic is a healthcare facility that provides services for diagnosing and treating chronic pain conditions. Typically, pain management services are follow-up care after talking to a primary care doctor and exhausting standard resources to address the pain.
An interdisciplinary pain management clinic includes a variety of medical providers to ensure a comprehensive approach for your pain management. For example, a full-service pain management team might consist of:
- Doctors
- Nurses
- Physical therapists
- Psychologists
- Vocational therapists
- Occupational therapists
- Nutritionists
Not only does the care team explore medications and treatment options, but they also design a complete approach to address lifestyle factors and other elements that might be contributing to your pain.
The Goal at a Pain Management Clinic
The purpose of pain management is to help with an overall improvement in your quality of life. It’s hard to live with chronic pain. So, your treatment plan is designed to manage symptoms and help you thrive as much as possible.
Depending on the diagnosis and underlying causes of pain, it might not be possible to eliminate pain altogether. But we have a successful track record helping reduce the symptoms and show patients solutions for coping with the situation.
Ultimately, we want to improve your function to a level where you can participate in all activities you want to enjoy. Also, bringing down your pain levels helps you manage ongoing responsibilities at work and home and makes it possible to live a higher quality lifestyle overall.
Does Pain Management Work?
Most patients who work with a pain management center find that their pain levels decrease. Not only do the symptoms reduce with ongoing treatment, but comprehensive pain management can also help reduce emotional distress and overall stress levels.
The result: it’s easier to complete daily tasks. This holistic, full-body approach is designed to provide immediate relief and reduce the risk of complications and pain in the future.
Tips for Finding a Pain Management Clinic
If you are experiencing chronic or severe pain, what is the best way to find a pain management clinic? While you can find basic information online, it’s essential to research the providers to ensure you receive the quality of care you need.
Often, patients choose pain management clinics by asking their primary care providers for referrals. If you are already working with a medical generalist, ask about information for specialists in your area.
Another option is to reach out to a local medical center or hospital to request a referral to a pain management clinic.
Finally, you can schedule an appointment directly by finding information online about a pain management clinic near your home. For example, search for pain management specialists near me, then call to schedule a consultation so you can learn more about the doctors and available treatments.
How a Pain Management Doctor Differs from a Primary Care Provider
Even if you have already visited with your primary care provider about your symptoms, there are specific reasons why your doctor is referring you to talk to a pain management provider.
A pain management specialist has more than nine years of medical training. Not only do they complete medical school, but they continue their training with another four years of training in rehabilitation, neurology, physical medicine, or anesthesiology. Finally, another year of training is necessary, focusing on pain management specifically.
The training that a pain management expert offers goes beyond the experience and knowledge that is available from a primary care provider. Generalists recognize what they can and can’t provide, then refer patients to specialists on an as-needed basis.
Step-By-Step Process for Pain Management
In the beginning, most primary care doctors use typical pain management medications and physical therapy to help patients with chronic pain. But a pain management specialist is the right approach if you need advanced pain treatment.
Your experience in a pain management clinic might include:
- Diagnosis: The first priority is to identify the underlying causes of your pain. This diagnostic process sets the foundation, so the doctor has quality information to design a personalized treatment plan.
- Initial Treatment: When the treatment plan is designed, the initial goal is to provide immediate relief. For example, medications, injections, and TENS (electrical nerve stimulators) might be used to help you manage the intense pain.
- Advanced Treatment: Now that the immediate pain is managed, the next step is to address issues that might contribute to future pain. A variety of treatments can help by stopping the pain signals and managing symptoms on an ongoing basis.
- Additional Options: When the first treatments don’t work, it might be time to move on to a more intensive line of therapy. Your doctor might recommend solutions to block pain signals, such as a pain pump or regenerative treatments at this point.
What to Look for in a Pain Management Doctor
Choosing a doctor is a personal decision, especially for a specialized situation such as pain management. Here are a few of the most critical factors that optimize the likelihood of having a good experience with your pain management doctor:
- Good communication
- Patient-focused approach
- Quality bedside manner
- In-depth understanding of pain disorders
- Specialized training in pain management
- Experience diagnosing and treating other similar patients
- Use of multiple testing methods to identify the underlying cause of pain problems
- Offers a variety of pain management treatments and procedures
- Modern equipment and skills
Our Pain Management Team Is Here to Help
If you are looking for solutions to manage your chronic pain, our team is here to assist. We understand the challenges you are facing when living with chronic pain. Our goal is to minimize your discomfort and optimize your lifestyle as much as possible.
There is hope when you are living with ongoing pain. We invite you to schedule a consultation so that you can learn more about available treatment options. Our full-service approach offers everything you need for immediate relief and long-term results.
Contact us at Kentuckiana Pain Specialists to learn more about comprehensive pain management solutions. In addition, we provide alternative treatments in the Louisville, Kentucky, area. Call our office at (502) 995-4004.