30 Dec Why is a Pain Specialist a Better Choice than Primary Care for Pain Management?
If you suffer from chronic pain, you’ve probably seen a doctor and started treatment with your primary care doctor. Many patients feel very comfortable with the primary care doctor and prefer to receive all treatment there.
But even your primary care physician will refer you to a pain specialist for your chronic pain. To obtain effective and lasting pain relief, it is best to see a doctor who is trained in diagnosing and treating pain.
Who are pain management doctors?
Pain management doctors are specialists with extensive training and experience in diagnosing and treating different types of acute and chronic pain.
Here’s what pain management doctors do that a primary care doctor cannot.
- conduct specialized tests to accurately diagnose conditions underlying chronic pain
- prescribe and manage medications varying levels of pain and conditions
- conduct minimally invasive pain management procedures, like nerve blocks and spinal injections
- coordinate additional care, including physical and rehabilitation and psychological therapy
Advantages of Pain Management
While your primary care physician can treat a variety of health issues, they do not have the same level of training for treating pain that a specialist has received.
Pain management doctors undergo additional residencies, internships and fellowship training for the treatment of chronic pain. This makes them more knowledgeable about chronic pain as well as the interventional procedures that can help relieve pain and increase the patient’s quality of life.
The main benefits of consulting a pain management specialist include:
- Extensive experience and training in pain management
- Access to specialty treatment options that focus on specific types of chronic pain
- Ability to prescribe and manage medication that can bring pain relief