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Pain Management Doctor

4 Questions to Ask Your Pain Management Doctor

At OmniSpine Pain Management, our experienced pain management doctors can assist in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of a wide range of acute and chronic suffering conditions. Dr. Andrew Morchower, MD, is experienced in managing chronic pain conditions. For more information, contact us today or book an appointment online. Our clinics are located in Frisco, TX, Sunnyvale, TX, and Mesquite, TX.

Questions to Ask Your Pain Management Doctor Near Me in Frisco, Mesquite, and Sunnyvale TX.
Questions to Ask Your Pain Management Doctor Near Me in Frisco, Mesquite, and Sunnyvale TX.

Table of Contents:

What questions should I ask a pain specialist?
What are the components of pain assessment?
What happens at the first appointment with pain management?
What do you do when your chronic pain is unbearable?

According to the CDC, there may be an estimated 50 million people in the U.S. dealing with chronic pain. Every year, millions of people will seek help from a pain management clinic to find some relief.

The most common types of pain that people deal with are lower back pain and neck pain. Other types of pain happen as well. The pain may be specific or generalized. Pain can be caused by an injury, a failed surgery, a disease, or an unspecified cause.

What questions should I ask a pain specialist?


Asking a physician questions helps ensure that you have the information you need to make good decisions for yourself. It also helps your physician understand who you are and what your needs are. This will lead to you getting the right treatment for your pain.

Pain management questions can include the following:

• What specific training do you have in treating pain?
• What types of testing will be done to diagnose my current pain issues?
• What treatment options are available?
• Are there treatment options other than medications?
• Will other specialists be consulted?
• What will be the next steps if the first approach to treatment doesn’t work?
• Are self-care options that can be done in addition to medications or physical therapy?

This is just a preliminary list of questions you can ask. You may have other questions that are specifically related to your pain that will be beneficial. Before you go in to see a pain specialist, make a list of the topics that are most important to you and that you want to address.

What are the components of pain assessment?


Pain is multifaceted. Therefore, the assessment must understand the intensity, location, description, and duration. It needs to include its impact on activities and other factors that influence the pain, such as when it feels worse. Pain perception is a factor, and coping strategies are a factor.

Things that will be used to assess pain include:

• How you describe your pain
• The intensity level that you give to the pain you feel
• The location of the pain
• How long you have had the pain, or how long the occurrences of pain last
• Other aggravating factors that can make the pain worse

What happens at the first appointment with pain management?


Your first appointment at the pain management clinic will include the usual paperwork and gathering of insurance information. It is also the first opportunity to meet the staff and get a better feel for the clinic.

When you meet with the doctor, you can discuss your medical history, a recent diagnosis, and the treatments you have tried. You will discuss any other important details about your situation.

You will then start the discussion about your goals and expectations. You will be able to talk about what kinds of treatments you have explored and what other treatments may be available.

When you have discussed your situation with the doctor, a recommendation can be made on how to address your issue. Usually, another appointment will be made to start the treatment. In certain cases, you may be referred to another specialist.

What do you do when your chronic pain is unbearable?


Unbearable pain creates many difficulties beyond the pain itself. When the pain becomes unbearable, try some things at home to ease the pain.

• Use heat and cold to interrupt the pain signals.
• Try a topical medication
• Take an over-the-counter medication to help relieve the pain
• If you have a prescription for pain, take that
• Stretching and light exercise can help loosen the muscles and reduce pain
• Mediation can be helpful when addressing pain

If you cannot reduce the pain to manageable levels with these approaches, you may need to seek help in addressing the pain.

OmniSpine Pain Management can help you address chronic and acute pain. We offer a variety of pain management approaches. For more information, contact us today or book an appointment online. Our clinics are located in Frisco, TX, Sunnyvale, TX, and Mesquite, TX. We serve patients from Dallas TX, Frisco TX, Mesquite TX, Sunnyvale TX, Plano TX, Garland TX, Forney TX, Cedar Hill TX, Denton TX, Balch Springs TX, and surrounding areas.

Our Locations

Mesquite, TX

Sunnyvale, TX

Frisco, TX

  • 8380 Warren Pkwy, Suite 100, Frisco, TX 75034
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