What does a Pain Management Doctor do?

A pain management doctor has a special interest in or specific training to help those with chronic pain (any pain lasting longer than 3 months). This specialised type of doctor will aim to find the cause of the pain, diagnose the condition, and may lead a team of healthcare professionals in helping you treat and manage your pain.  

Pain management doctors play a crucial role in improving quality of life by providing treatment and guiding the team to try to decrease pain levels, restore some levels of physical ability, and provide all-around support.  

The Role of a Pain Management Doctor 

A pain management doctor may be a specialist or general practitioner who has completed further training and specific experience in the field. 

In South Africa, many pain management doctors are general practitioners with a special interest in pain, anesthesiologists, neurosurgeons, or orthopaedic surgeons. Most of these clinicians have taken additional courses on pain management or performed interventional pain management procedures. 

A pain management doctor may direct a multi-disciplinary team of healthcare professionals to create a tailor-made plan, often involving medication, pain procedures, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, biokinetics, neurology, psychology, diet and mindfulness practices. In certain cases, the pain management doctor may also recommend surgery, in which case they will work closely alongside the surgeon. 

Diagnosing Chronic Pain 

The pain management doctor will take a history, do a physical examination, and may organise blood tests, X-rays, and scans. The doctor will also talk to some of the medical professionals who have treated you before and look at your previous test results.  

Getting an accurate diagnosis is crucial to developing an effective treatment plan. Chronic pain has a wide range of causes and is often misdiagnosed. A team of experienced healthcare professionals led and coordinated by a pain management doctor provides the best chance of accurately diagnosing specific conditions and chronic pain. Once the correct diagnosis is found, the most appropriate treatment plan can begin. 

Common Treatments Prescribed by Pain Management Doctors 

Medication 

Your pain management doctor may prescribe medication. These medications are not cures for the condition but rather some of the tools that help calm the body's pain alarm response. They may give you a baseline of functionality - by helping you sleep better or making it easier to perform physical therapy exercises, for example.  

Medications for pain are prescribed from different categories depending on the type of pain you may have. Non-steroidal-anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), analgesics (pain killers such as paracetamol, aspirin or opioids), or adjuvants (other types of medication such as anti-depressants or anti-epileptics) may be effective. Each of these types of medications work in different ways for different kinds of pain and are used for different reasons. Make sure to understand your medication, use only what your pain management doctor prescribes, and follow the instructions for use. Learn about risks and side effects too, so that you can take control of your own health.  

Physical Therapies 

Techniques such as physical therapy, chiropractic adjustments, and massage can be enormously beneficial and drastically reduce pain levels over time. These treatment modalities also primarily address the symptoms of pain, while not necessarily curing the underlying condition. Exercise often forms part of physiotherapy, biokinetics and chiropractic work and is one of the few treatments that actually address the underlying disease. Exercise should be part of any pain management treatment plan.  

Seeing as chronic pain functions differently from acute pain (such as you would feel after an injury), working with physical therapists who truly understand the ins and outs of chronic pain is essential. Make sure your therapist is able to prescribe the correct kind and dose of exercise for your condition.   

Minimally Invasive Procedures 

In some cases, your pain management doctor may suggest a minimally invasive procedure such as a nerve block, epidural injection, or radiofrequency neuromodulation. 

Pain procedures are performed under sedation and in sterile day hospitals or procedural facilities to limit the risk of developing an infection. The procedures do not take long to do, are generally very safe, and are usually excellent at relieving pain.
 

The PAIN Collective Approach 

The Pain Collective has a unique approach in that patients can access a whole team of healthcare professionals led and coordinated by a pain management doctor. We also work in conjunction with highly trained specialists in a range of chronic pain conditions. The team is often housed in an interdisciplinary clinic with an electronic, central record system so that all team members can easily access your records. 

A big difference between the approach of the Pain Collective and other healthcare providers, is that the Pain Collective team emphasises how important it is for you to be an active member of the team, taking responsibility for your own health.  

You may see different kinds of professionals, depending on the kind of pain you are experiencing, who will all be giving you tools to use towards your recovery, but you have to put in the work.  

Many pain conditions are caused by other underlying medical conditions like osteoarthritis. These conditions can often not be cured, but their impact on your life can be managed by making dietary changes, becoming more active and managing your stress and sleep effectively. These are changes your team will guide you on, but you have to do the job of healing.  

By the end of your journey with the Pain Collective, you will be your own healthcare manager, with support from your team! This team-based approach manages people living with pain holistically, combining aspects of Western medical care with lifestyle management for the most effective treatment of chronic pain.

What to Expect During a Consultation 

During your first consultation, your pain management doctor will take a detailed history, asking about when your pain started, what you have tried to manage it so far and what you feel has worked or not. 

Your doctor will ask about your previous medical, surgical and social history to understand who you are as a person and how your pain is affecting your life.  

Once your doctor has a clear understanding of your history, he or she will do a physical examination and may send you for some blood tests or imaging.  

They will explain what they think might be causing your pain, and once they have all the information, they will give you a diagnosis and suggest a treatment plan. Your treatment plan may consist of one or more aspects and usually will contain a combination of medication, pain procedures and therapy. 

Pain management doctors play a critical role in healthcare, diagnosing a huge range of chronic pain conditions and coordinating the treatment of each individual case with a tailored approach. 

If you find a good team, you can use it for the rest of your life. Remember, managing chronic pain from a chronic condition is a life-long commitment, so choose a team that you are comfortable with and trust and who will work with you until you can manage your condition independently with their support.  

Call 087 550 0644 or email info@healthcollectiveheal.com for an appointment at any clinic.