What to Expect at a Pain Managment Clinic and How to Choose One

If you’re suffering from chronic pain, you are definitely not alone: though you may feel like you are at times. Some people are afraid of pain management clinics because they fear that their pain and suffering will be minimized or even mocked. Others are concerned that they will become addicted to opioids if they seek any treatment for their pain, and are perhaps even aware that four out of five people who use heroin started out by misusing prescription painkillers.

These fears are not illegitimate, but they don’t have to stop you from seeking help. A qualified and experienced pain management doctor is never going to minimize your suffering, and you can expect reputable pain clinics to take you seriously. If you have even thought about pain management clinics at all, here’s what to expect when you visit one and how to find one to help you.

What do Pain Management Clinics Do?

Pain management clinics or professional healthcare facilities in their entire focus is on helping you manage your chronic pain and diagnose why it’s happening. A pain management specialist, a nurse, a doctor, a psychologist, a physical therapist, a nutritionist, and even occupational therapists: these are just some of the people who work at pain management clinics in order to provide patients with an interdisciplinary look at what’s causing their pain and how to manage it.

What Kind of Treatments Do They Offer?

Treatments will always depend on your specific need in the diagnosis of the doctors. You can expect the professionals at a pain management clinic to take you seriously and offer therapies such as massage, biofeedback therapies, meditation, water therapy, acupuncture, and even different types of alternative medicines in an effort to help you get your pain under control and take back your life.

What is the Goal of Pain Managment?

The goal of pain management is twofold. On the one hand, for some people it may be possible to eliminate their pain over time with the right therapies and interventions. For other people, this may not be possible, so the greater goal is to minimize pain and raise a person’s quality of life. It’s also important to the professionals of pain management clinics that they equip you with all the skills you need to manage her pain and function in your personal life and professional life.

What Should I Ask When I’m Looking at Clinics?

Some pain clinics will emphasize the treatment of very specific types of pain, such as back pain or neck pain. Others will do a more holistic take. If you know generally the source of your pain, at least which of these two categories it falls under, you can look for pain management clinics that specialize in one or the other area. As with any other field of medicine, you also want to have doctors you feel comfortable with and specialists who work with you and your family to create a plan that fits you. In your initial consultation, you should always for comfortable talking with the specialist.
If you ever run across a clinic that seems to want to rush to narcotics as an answer for your pain, you should avoid it.

How Do I Find A Clinic

There are several possibilities for finding pain clinic options. It’s always a good idea to ask your primary care physician for a reference or recommendation. Preferably several references. You can also ask your local hospital or urgent care center. Many communities have pain support groups and these groups will be well aware of the different pain management clinics in their reputations. Finally, The Center to Advance Palliative Care is online with a list of pain management clinics and specialists for every state.

Your pain does not have to define who you are, and it does not have to control your life. Take back your life and your future by visiting a pain management clinic and getting the help you need to get your pain under control.