What goes on at a Pain Managment appointment?

Question

What exactly do they do there? Do they give you medication for pain? Do they do some sort of injections? I've heard many things and I want to know what they really do there, cuz I have an appointment coming up. I've already had my MRI done and everything and I have a herniated disc.

Answer 1

I'm sure you know that you still will be treated by the doctor that diagnosed you, but the pain management doctors will help determine the best pain regimine to accompany your treatment. The pain doctor and likely a pharmacy student will sit with you and discuss what you have been doing, what your goals are as far as your treatment goes, some prior history...such as with depression, addiction, past major surgery, etc., If you are not already in some sort of phys. therapy already and you can tolerate it now,they will determine what types might work with your condition, and finally they will start you on medication that all of you have determined might be best for your lifestyle (job, kids, etc.), and for your pain.
This type of treatment is very one on one and you have alot of feedback as far as what you would like treatment wise.
Of course, since usually controlled substances are prescribed some PM Docs will go over guidelines for their clinic, such as how they dispense your prescriptions, how they montor your use and stuff like that.
I forgot to say.....they make sure that any meds that they prescribe for your pain are compatable with any other medications.
I also have disc trouble (amoung others,lol) and I am so grateful for the Pain Management specialist because finally I really do have relief, I don't feel totally stoned, and I don't have other doctors trying to determine if I am just out for pain meds for recreation, they know I truely need them!!
Good Luck, I hope you get some relief for your pain soon.

HEY, I JUST READ SOME OF YOUR OTHER QUESTIONS AND YOUR DOCTOR IS NOT HELPING YOU LIKE SHE SHOULD. YOU NEED TO SEE A NEUROLOGIST ASAP. I HAD THE EXACT SAME PROBLEMS AS YOU ARE HAVING AND THE DOCTOR MADE ME WAIT SO LONG AND IN SO MUCH PAIN THAT I NOW HAVE PERMANANT NERVE DAMAGE AND AM NOW ON DISABILITY. (I'M 43)
THE PAIN FROM THOSE DISCS INTO YOUR SCIATIC NERVE IS EXCRUCITATING AND THOSE DOCTORS KNOW THAT, THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR HER NOT TO SEND YOU TO A SURGEON. NOT NECESSARILY FOR SURGERY BUT TO AT LEAST ASSESS YOUR NERVE AND ITS DAMAGE AND GIVE YOU THE PROPER TREATMENT.

Answer 2

I have RSD and I see a Pain Management Doctor every month. My Dr. was very good at hearing my problem and gave me something for pain the first visit. He ordered all the x-rays and a bunch of other test. I was afraid that people would think I was a drug addict, but he told me if the meds. go to the pain and not the brain I was not an addict. I have to take a lot of pain meds.just to stay alive. All pain management Doctors that I know are very sympathetic to people's pain. I don't know if this will help but GOOD LUCK with your pain. It took a long time to get all my pain under control. He did it with a combination of drugs.

Answer 3

It will all depend on the size of the clinic. If it's a big one such as those affiliated with Medical Schools they offer things like: physical therapy, occupational therapy (to help you find an easier way to do your job at home as well as at work-for those that this applies to), massage therapy, counseling such as with a psychotherapist or social worker, exercise classes aside from the PT, accupuncture in addition to oral meds and injections.

Some clinics only focus on injections such as nerve blocks or other ways to treat chronic pain that are not related to oral painkillers.

If it's a smaller clinic like the one I go to they may offer oral medications (and no not necessarily straight to narcotics, some may use antidepressants like Effexor and anti-seizure medications like Neurontin, or muscle relaxers like Flexeril and Skelaxin, for some the narcotics which come in both oral form and injectables like Stadol). They may offer massage on site as well as accupuncture and other alternative treatments (this will often be the case for drs that are drs of Osteopathic Medicine since they use a combination of alternative and conventional treatments).

At the appt, they will have you fill out some paperwork (unless you asked that it be mailed to you ahead of the appt so you have time to fill it out thoroughly-I highly recommend this) asking about your general medical history and what medications you are on. They may ask about family history of certain illnesses like some other drs do.

They will then have you wait in the exam room for the dr to come in. They will ask you some of the same questions you just filled out on the form in addition to others such as for a pain diary if they asked you to keep one. Ask about any x-rays you have brought with you so that they can view them on the screen in their office (if it's on CD which is what is happening for some imaging places when it comes to MRIs and such).

They may have you do a drug screen at some point depending on the treatment recommended. The reason for this is to serve as a legal protection for both you and them. The reason that it is a protection for them is to make sure that you aren't getting the medication to try and take it to do something else with it that could cause them to get you or them in to trouble with the law.

This is only done when it comes to certain kinds of medications by most Pain Management drs. (depending on what treatment choices they recommend) They will also ask what things you have tried and which of those things worked or not to get a better idea of what the situation is.

They will also do an actual exam of the area to find out where the problem is and how much you are hurting by asking how the pain is on the scale of 1-10.

They may order additional tests before coming up with a treatment plan to see if there are other factors that could be contributing to the pain that you are having.

Then they will tell you how often to come back for follow-up visits based on the treatment options chosen to try and help your pain.

If you have other questions for me please feel free to e-mail or IM me away from the site any time.

Answer 4

usually pain management are accessory things which help the patient by applying exercise,massage and applying electrical stimulation,hot or cold fomentation etc along with the drugs it varies from patient 2 patient and also diseases