Pain has practically become your middle name, and you’re desperate for someone to change it. But which pain management specialist, or pain doctor, can best do that? The maze of medical choices can be bewildering. Below, our experts outline your choices:
Your family physician – “This is typically the starting point and a good place to get advice,” says Mehul J. Desai, MD, director of Pain Medicine and Non-Operative Spine Services at The George Washington University Hospital in Washington, D.C.
Anesthesiologist – Most people think of an anesthesiologist in the operating room, but more and more of these doctors are specializing in the management of chronic pain. Find a doctor who’s board certified through the American Board of Anesthesiology.
Rheumatologist – Your primary care doctor may refer you to a rheumatologist, a physician who specializes in joint and muscle pain. “He or she may recommend injections or medications,” says Tanya Edwards, MD, director of the Center for Integrative Medicine, Wellness Institute at the Cleveland Clinic. Find a rheumatologist in your area through the American College of Rheumatology.
Surgeon – “Surgeons manage acute pain from things like recent surgery or injury,” says Allen D. Boyd, Jr., MD, associate professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and chief of Adult Reconstructive Surgery and Total Joint Replacement at the University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, N.Y. And they are the ones to turn to if you are considering a joint replacement to ease pain.
Pain management program – Your family doctor may recommend that you work with a team of health care practitioners at a pain center, which could be within a hospital or a stand-alone center. The practitioners might include a neurosurgeon, orthopaedic surgeon, physiatrist (a physician who specializes in physical medicine, such as massage and manipulation, and rehabilitation), pain management specialists and rheumatologists. “Pain management programs are usually multi-specialty,” says Dr. Edwards. Find a pain clinic credentialed through the American Academy of Pain Management, or check out the American Pain Society’s Clinical Centers of Excellence.
Finally was sent to Freidtert Medical College-Hospital, here in wi. I still suffer with all of my severe pain etc....but found that Fibromyalgia may be a "SYMPTOM" of an Underlying disease or disorder.
Check out your MEDICAL COLLEGES for Dr's. They are the best and up to date on everything.
Thank you in advance,
In Very Serious pain in SC.
Also do Biofeedback once a month. I have been trying to avoid taking pain meds. Have found that Magnesium Citrate & Potassium Citrate with Taurine has helped a great deal. Also take 400 mg to 600 mg of Ibprofin morning & at night. Recently went on the HCG diet & found that eating 4 cups of veges a day & drinking the 9 8oz glasses of water a day greatly helped.
Two of the Doctors did surgery but it did not work I still have pain. I take, pain bills, some times they work a little and sometime they don't. I am have Badger Care thru the State of Wisconsin and some doctors will not accept it. I hope you can helkp me find a Doctor that can help me, being in Pain all the time is no fun.
Sincerely
John E. Wagner
1010 So. 22nd St.
Manitowoc, WI 54220
920-682-0709
I have been on hydrocodone/ibuprofen for about 11 years, and currently take 7.5 4 a day, but if I am really active (like in travelling and walking a lot) I might take 6 a day. I really think I am doing pretty good for all I have going on and how long I have been on these meds. I can't take Celexa (sulfa allergy) or Lyrica (hepatitis C) or many other meds because I need to keep my liver going as long as I can. I feel the drugs I take help me work and lead a relatively active life, including a lot of travel with swimming, snorkeling and (small) hikes. My PCP just retired and I feel like I am getting pressue from the new one to taper down or go somewhere else. I know in our state there have been a lot of over doses by young people on Oxycontin, and I see a reason for concern. I worked as a work comp case manager for many years and have seen so many people more disabled by their meds than from their actual injury - so I am very reluctant to go on any long acting med like Oxycontin or Fentanyl, as it seems that when people go on those, that's when they go off the cliff as far as being able to manage their meds and having their meds really help them function better. I want to just stay on what I am taking, no need to up the dose yet but I may have to in te future. How do you find a pain management or other doctor who will just maintain what you are doing? I don't want injections, PT or chiropractic, I can't afford any of that and what I am doing is working fine. And has for years. I may have physical tolerance but I don't think I have addictive behaviors. What do you think?
Thanks.
i was in worse pain and he had me get an MRI which indicated severe arthritis in the three lower vertebrate of my back. the orthopedic doc sent me to a pain specialist who has given me two cortisone shot treatments. these help during the day for about three weeks and he told me i could get as many as i wanted. well, that's not only expensive, but i have to find a friend to drive me each time i get these shots in my lower back. also, i have read that more than three shots a year could be detrimental to me. the mornings are horrible as i can barely get myself out of the bed and it takes from between one to two hours for me to be able to adequately function. any suggestions in regard to other options i might have? i am 71 years young and have always been extremely active. this is making me age fast...thanks
The Dr. tells me that none of these will really help the fibromylgia, the amt of meds I take there is no way I should ever have pain.
s I have to take prednisone because I just can't bear the pain.I am a nurse and I don't understand why I can't be more comfortable?
Ask your doctor if you can change to Lyrica instead of neurontin. I found that the newer formula works better and I can take fewer pills. (1 300 mg. twice a day)
About a month ago I had a bone scan. The MD called me in for an appt. (That's never good.) Sure enough. The MD said my bones are so bad that he had never seen them in a woman of my age. (50)
I've started wondering if I could have fibromyalgia just from the amount of pain I suffer. The 2100 mg of Neurontin don't add a lot to that cocktail of 13 pills each morning.
I also take hydrocodone 750/apap 500 half tablet twice a day to keep pain under control.
We have to remember that Doctors are practicing practitioners. Therefore find a Dr that will listen.
I just read a great book that might help.
"Healing Back Pain: The Mind-Body Connection"
John E. Sarno;
I found the information very interesting with some good ideas.
Had 5 Epidural injections and the problem vanished!
For the last 6 months or so I've had very sharp pains at my hip. Was Dx'd as "bursitis" and had shot of Cortisone under Radiographic guidance. Didn't help at all. I had had several Cortisone shots a few years ago and they didn't help either.
Several months ago I had MRI of spine and my Doc (anesthesiologist) didn't think that my hip pain originated with the spinal nerves,
He recommended a regimen of Chiropractic and P.T.. I've been to the Chiropractor about a dozen times and he is wisely ignoring the "subluxation" treatment and instead has been doing robust massaging of my hip area.
The pain nowadays is qualitatively " different" but it still hurts like hell when it kicks in which is almost every other day.
I spend lots of time sitting at my desk and know that that may exacerbate the problem.
My Doc wanted me to try Chiropractic/P.T. before considering more spinal injections,
Any comments or advice will be appreciated.
Thanks,
Sy G.
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