Just because you’ve had pain for months, it doesn’t mean you have to continue to hurt.
Yes, we all know pain is horrible. It stops you in your tracks and prevents you from enjoying activities or playing with the kids. While not all chronic pain is simple, the majority of pain symptoms have a clear cause. There is a reason you are suffering and most of the time, we can figure out why.
Many patients try to ignore or endure their pain until it goes away. But what happens when it doesn’t? What kind of doctor should you see, and what are they going to do any way?
The good that can be done is simple. A clearer idea of what is going on and why you’re hurting is the first step to healing.
As pain doctors, we start with an evaluation phase. We need to hear the story of your pain. Your story includes when and how the pain started, what it feels like, where it is, what makes it worse, and what treatments you’ve tried to date, etc. Then, we examine your areas of pain, and determine if your pain symptoms fit a recognizable pattern. We often order imaging studies like X-rays or MRIs to look at the bones, discs, nerves and joints.
Knowing is half the battle
At this point, we have a good sense of what the most likely cause of your pain is. Now, we’ve got to try to get rid of it. But, how? Well, the goal is to address the underlying cause of your pain, not to cover it up with medications or send you to surgery. We want to get rid of or reduce the pain, so you can return to living your life as you did before the pain started.
Treatment options include stretching, exercise, physical therapy, temporary use of medications to help you get by, minimally invasive procedures and possibly surgery. Truth be told, the majority of people with chronic pain do not need surgery. Many times, minimally invasive, 20-minute outpatient procedures may be utilized to help your body heal itself faster or to get rid of the pain.
Your treatment plan ultimately depends on the most likely cause of your pain. So, the first step required to stop the hurting is to figure out what’s going on.
To schedule an appointment, call Red Mountain Medical Plaza at (480) 999-0049.
David Tom, MD, is a triple-board certified doctor in pain medicine, anesthesiology and internal medicine. He is an expert in the diagnosis and treatment of chronic pain of the spine, nerves and joints, and is a founding physician of NovaSpine Pain Institute, in Arizona. Dr. Tom has completed the highest level of training possible in interventional spine and pain treatments. He completed his residency and fellowship training at the University of Texas Health Science Center, in San Antonio, and earned his medical degree from the UCLA School of Medicine.