When you burn your finger, get a bruise, or develop arthritis in your joints, special nerve endings called nociceptors in the affected part get activated. These nerve endings send signals to the brain, telling it that something wrong has happened to the body, and that is when you feel pain.
Most of the time pain go away on its own as the issue causing the pain subsides. Other times it needs medical help to improve, especially in the case of chronic pain. There are numerous medical approaches and treatmentsthat help people control or alleviate their pain effectively,called pain management techniques.
In this article, we will talk about common pain management techniques and what you can expect from your first visit to a pain management doctor.
Common Pain Management Techniques and Procedures
Several therapies and procedures are focused on treating the underlying cause of pain. These include interventional pain management procedures like:
- Epidural injections
- Facet joint injections
- Sacroiliac joint injections
- Nerve block
- Platelet-rich plasma therapy
- Radio frequency ablation
- Trigger point injections
When these interventional pain management techniques fail to provide long-term pain relief, there are many minimally invasive pain management therapies that you can consider. The most common minimally invasive pain management therapies are:
- Spinal cord stimulation
- Dorsal root ganglion stimulation
- Kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty for compression fractures
- Vertiflex procedure for spinal stenosis
- Mild® (minimally invasive lumbar decompression) procedure for spinal stenosis
What To Expect from Your First Visit toa Pain Management Clinic
A pain management clinic is staffed with highly trained and skilled physicians who areexperts in finding the underlying cause of the pain and treating it.
Initial Assessment
During your appointment with the pain management specialist, they will ask about your medical history including any history of previous injuries, surgical procedures, or medical conditions. A pain management doctor will also ask you questions about your pain including what exacerbates your pain, what relieves it, and whether it stays in one place, or radiatesto other parts of the body. They may also ask you to rate your pain from zero to 10 on a pain scale.
Next, they will conduct a physical examination during which they will assess your range of motion and posture as well as check for spots around the painful area that feel tender to touch. A physical examination will allow your doctor to determine the extent and severity of the pain.
In most cases, a pain management doctor also recommends diagnostic imaging tests, like X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs to find the source of the pain. If needed, they may also perform other diagnostic tests like electromyography that will check how well your muscles respond to electrical signals.
Diagnosis
After a comprehensive assessment, a pain management physician will give you a diagnosis that identifies the cause of your pain. They will also create your treatment plan which may include cutting-edge pain management options aimed at providing long-lasting pain relief without the risk of traditional spine surgery.
Your pain management doctor will most probably administer the treatment plan on your first visit and may schedule follow-up appointments that you should not miss for complete and lasting pain relief.
Pain Management Doctor in Melbourne FL
At Central Florida Spine & Pain, our interventional pain management specialists have helped countless patient overcome their pain associated with medical conditions like arthritis, orthopedic surgeries, injuries,and more with non-surgical and drug-free treatment options. Our pain management specialist will conduct a comprehensive assessment of your pain before recommending you customized treatment plan which may consist of interventional pain management strategies or minimally invasive pain management therapies.
To know more about our services or to schedule an appointment with one of our pain management doctors, please contact our staff today at (321) 802-5021 or fill out our appointment request form now. We look forward to getting you back to your life pain-free!
