4 Questions to Ask Your Pain Management Specialist

Your pain management doctor will review your medical history and perform physical and neurological exams.

Depending on the severity and chronicity of your pain, your physician may use a multidisciplinary approach to manage your pain. Some are employing interventional pain management. Currently, there are pain relieving injections and non-opioid medications, as well as other less invasive procedures.

Your pain management physician may treat your pain with a coordinated healthcare team that may include:

– Doctors and nurses
– Physical therapy
– Rehabilitation
– Psychologists
– Occupational and vocational therapists
– Nutritionist and dietitians
– Counseling

The visit usually involves a comprehensive evaluation of the individual’s history of pain, pain assessment, a physical exam, and diagnostic tests. The health care provider may ask for more detailed information regarding treatment history, pain symptoms, and the impact that the pain has on daily activities. The treatment options will vary depending on the origin and severity of the pain.

Pain management specialists diagnose the specific cause of your pain and the underlying conditions that lead to it. For example, back pain can be caused by many conditions ranging from a herniated disc and poor posture to a degenerative condition like arthritis.

Once a pain management doctor diagnoses your pain, based on their specialized training and the latest research, they can find the best therapy for you. In fact, for patients who haven’t responded to conventional treatments, pain management doctors often conduct their own trials and studies to understand their condition better.

As a way of reducing the amount of medication you need to take or to avoid the need for surgery, pain doctors often use a wide range of nonsurgical, interventional treatments along with complementary therapies.

Some pain management specialists may also prescribe pain-killing medications such as muscle relaxants or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Depending on the severity of your specific condition, they may also recommend joint injections, spinal cord stimulation, epidural steroid injections, radiofrequency ablation, nerve blocks, or neuromodulation. If all methods have not been effective in alleviating your pain, surgery may be an option of last resort.

Pain management specialists are doctors who can diagnose, treat and help prevent chronic pain. Chronic pain is defined as lasting for more than three months without improvement. Although when it first develops you may try some self-care at home or see your primary care physician for pain, you usually would see a pain management specialist for persistent pain.
A pain management specialist often works with:

– Back pain
– Neck pain
– Headaches/migraines
– Arm or leg pain
– Abdominal pain
– Pelvic pain
– Nonspecific joint pain
– Pain related to a failed surgery

If you or someone you know is experiencing acute or chronic pain and needs to find relief, come to InovoSpine! Our kind and compassionate professionals are experienced in treating pain caused by a wide variety of injuries, illnesses, and conditions and can help alleviate your symptoms. For more information on our pain management treatments, contact our office and get in touch with a specialist team member. To book an appointment, you can visit our website or speak with us over the phone today. We serve patients from Houston TX, Hedwig Village TX, Meadows Place TX, Missouri City TX, Hunters Creek Village TX, Spring Valley Village TX and surrounding areas.