Pain management doctors, with their advanced training, provide the best treatment for illness or injury pain. These doctors are board-certified in sports injuries or cancer pain after a one-year pain management fellowship after general residency. Most doctors for pain management specialize in treating chronic pain patients, who can be difficult to diagnose and take months or years to treat with multiple therapies.
Pain Management Doctors
They determine the cause of your pain and its underlying conditions. Back pain, for example. Poor workstation posture, a herniated disc, or arthritis can cause it.
A pain management doctor can use their specialized training and the latest research to find the best treatment for your pain. Doctors for pain management often conduct their own trials and studies on patients who don’t respond to conventional treatments.
Pain doctors use a variety of nonsurgical, interventional, and complementary therapies to reduce medication or avoid surgery.
Massage, weight loss, acupuncture, exercise, yoga, meditation, physical therapy, diet, and chiropractic care are examples. They may also prescribe NSAIDs, muscle relaxants, or antidepressants. If your condition is severe, they may recommend epidural steroid injections, nerve blocks, joint injections, radiofrequency ablation, spinal cord stimulation, or neuromodulation. Last resort surgery may relieve your pain if none of these methods work.
What Kind of Pains Treated by Pain Management Doctors?
Doctors treat many conditions and causes of pain. Their goal is to reduce pain. They’ll prescribe painkillers and treat the cause. To become a doctor, pain management doctors need additional training. Some programs require 12 months of ongoing training to maintain a doctor’s pain certification.
Multiple types of pain may require additional treatment. NIA recommends referring patients to a pain management doctor if they require more care than a primary care doctor can provide, as individual needs vary.
Acute Pain
Rapid onset of acute pain. It often results from:
- Blunt injury
- Minor cuts, infections, or burns may occur during dental work.
- Muscle strain
- Body part strains
Acute pain is usually sharp. It usually goes away when the cause is addressed like a neck pain doctor in Dallas can treat the acute neck pain.
Patients with severe acute pain may be referred to a pain management specialist. Some medications or injections may help relieve pain.
Chronic Pain
Chronic pain lasts months. Various experts define it as pain lasting 3-6 months.
Chronic pain can range from dull to debilitating. Chronic pain increases healthcare costs and lowers quality of life. Chronic pain patients see pain management doctors. They can oversee treatment and suggest additional therapies to relieve symptoms.
Neuropathic Pain
Neuropathy can result from various illnesses and injuries, including cancer. Following are the few neuropathic pain conditions:
- Multiple sclerosis
- Postherpetic pain
- Diabetic neuropathy
- Post-surgery neurological pain
- Spinal cord injuries
- Stroke
Nerve damage causes neuropathic pain. A 2018 review estimates that 7-8% of adults experience this type of pain.
Management of Pain
For initial treatment, doctors may prescribe tricyclic antidepressants or SNRIs. These medications may be followed by pregabalin or gabapentin. The 2018 review suggests second-line treatment with tramadol or topical lidocaine (lignocaine). If symptoms improve with other treatments, doctors may use stronger opioids as the third line.
Nociceptive Pain
Damaged tissue causes nociceptive pain. Underlying conditions like burns or cuts can cause this type of pain. Other conditions that causes this type of pain:
- Fractured bones
- Muscle pain from overuse or repetitive actions; joint pain from arthritis or sprains.
- Sharp, throbbing, or aching pain can be chronic or acute.
Nociceptor nerve endings detect pain and injury. Nociceptive pain is caused by physical damage to tissues such as bones and connective tissue. Several therapies can treat nociceptive pain:
- Physical therapy and OTC medications.
- Alternative therapies, like acupuncture, and medical procedures.
- Use topical agents. Find a lidocaine patch or ointment.
Functional Pain
Functional pain occurs without obvious injury or damage. A person with pain may have symptoms and disability. Functional pain may result from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or fibromyalgia, causing widespread body pain. Temporomandibular dysfunction, which causes jaw pain, can cause functional pain in people with psychological distress like stress or traumatic life events.
What are Pain Management Benefits?
Chronic pain is complicated. It can alter your brain and nervous system over time. A comprehensive pain management approach led by experts is likely the best approach. It’s not always possible to eliminate pain. You may be able to reduce or change your pain response. A pain management program by Dallas pain clinic improves physical and mental health for many chronic pain patients. Current chronic pain treatments reduce pain scores by 30%, according to studies.
Conclusion
Living with pain can be difficult, affecting nearly every aspect of your life. It may feel more like existing than living. Chronic pain is so persistent that most people would do anything to escape it. Nevertheless, the task of determining the initial steps, identifying reliable sources, and understanding effective strategies can be daunting. Contact your doctor for pain management to get a customized pain management plan. Experts in pain management know many techniques. It may take several therapies to get relief. Committing to the process may help you enjoy life again.