A pain management doctor is a medical professional who specializes in treating and managing pain. They will ask questions to better understand your pain. These questions may include describing the location and intensity of your pain, what you do to relieve your pain, and how you feel when you change positions. They may also ask you if you’re losing bladder and bowel control, which can be a sign of an underlying medical problem.
Initially, your doctor may prescribe medications that will relieve your pain. In addition to medication, your doctor may prescribe nerve blocks, epidural steroid injections, or joint injections. Other treatments may include radiofrequency ablation, spinal cord stimulation, or neuromodulation. Your pain management doctor will coordinate treatment with other medical professionals and continue your care after treatment is complete. Depending on your specific situation and symptoms, a pain management doctor may prescribe other treatments such as physical therapy.
Medicine Physician or Nurse Practitioner
If your pain is persistent or intractable, you may need to seek specialist care. While over-the-counter pain medications can often relieve pain, they don’t address the root of the problem. These underlying conditions may involve psychological or physiological issues. Your pain management doctor will diagnose the root cause of your condition and develop a treatment plan. If you’re in constant pain, a pain management doctor can help you manage it effectively and get back to a normal life.
Chronic pain is often complicated and multifaceted, so it’s important to find a physician who is well-versed in these issues. Because many causes of chronic pain are similar, your pain management doctor may be a generalist. They may be an internal medicine physician or a nurse practitioner. Sometimes, a pain management specialist will also work with psychiatrists to help you sort through your emotions. The pain management doctor may ask questions like: “How is the pain affecting your daily life?”
When choosing a pain management doctor, your doctor will want to understand your pain. Usually, a doctor will prescribe medications that will relieve your pain and improve your quality of life. A pain management doctor can also prescribe alternative methods such as physical therapy, psychological counseling, chiropractic treatments, and acupuncture. They can also suggest stress-reduction strategies to help you deal with your pain. The more comprehensive your pain management program, the better.
Pain Management Doctors Specializes
In addition to prescribing medication, your doctor will prescribe anti-inflammatories to help you reduce your pain. These medications can be prescribed or over-the-counter. Using anticonvulsants, anti-epileptic drugs, and muscle relaxants will help you feel better. They may also prescribe steroid injections, which deliver pain-relieving medications directly to the painful area. Finally, they may suggest lifestyle changes to help you manage your pain more effectively.
A pain management doctor specializes in the treatment of chronic pain. They will also help you treat deeper issues that contribute to the pain. For example, arthritis is a common symptom of obesity and depression. These doctors can help you understand the underlying issues and provide an effective, comprehensive treatment. If the pain is a result of a medical condition, a pain management doctor will help you address them so that your condition can improve.
Use of Prescription Drugs
Because the use of prescription drugs has become so common, pain management doctors must be especially careful. The risks of recommending too many pills can lead to drug misuse and even criminal prosecution. To protect themselves, pain management doctors have established pain management agreements with their patients. These agreements generally require patients to keep their appointments, and allow for only one or two cancellations before terminating their patient status. By doing this, your health care provider will be protected, and you’ll have a better chance of staying pain-free.
A pain management doctor specializes in diagnosing, treating, and preventing the onset of chronic pain. These physicians have high-level training and experience in the area of pain management and are board-certified in their fields of specialization. They treat patients suffering from chronic pain, which can be difficult to diagnose and can last months or years. Pain management doctors are also trained to prescribe medications and administer nerve blocks. They may even recommend physical therapy for their patients.
