Pain Management Specialist
A pain management specialist is primarily concerned with controlling their patient’s pain so that they can lead as normal life as possible and so that they also have a good quality of life. It is the job of the pain management specialist to diagnose the pain and devise a treatment plan. The main aim of the treatment plan will be to help the patient resume their everyday activities with the need for as little medication as possible. It is likely that a whole team will be involved in managing the pain including occupational therapists, nurses, physiotherapists and psychologists.
The pain management specialist or physician has to first understand the cause of the pain and will use the patient's medical history alongside medical and neurological examinations. The pain management specialist will want to know when the pain started, if any activities make it better or worse and how it is currently being treated.
They will want to do a thorough physical examination and will note down the patient's vital signs. The neurological examination will look at the patient's ability to feel as well as their functional abilities such as walking, balance, muscle strength and tone.
X-rays or MRI or CT scans may also be ordered by the pain management specialist in order to give them a more thorough evaluation of the situation. Treatment of long-term pain can include antidepressants, anticonvulsants as well as painkillers. Other measures may include physical exercise alongside the application of heat or ice packs. Psychological intervention may include cognitive behavioural therapy or biofeedback.
Biofeedback training involves the patient becoming aware of the various physiological functions and learning how to manipulate them at will. This means that they can learn how to manipulate their pain perception and hopefully improve their quality of life. Cognitive behavioural therapy is useful in treating psychological disorders and can also be adapted for self-help therapy especially in cases where the patient may have been exposed to trauma which has caused their pain.
The pain management specialist is most likely to be an anaesthesiologist, a psychiatrist or a neurologist. Many palliative care doctors may also be a pain management specialist, which is especially important for the treatment of cancer patients or for those nearing the end of their life.
A pain management specialist is primarily concerned with controlling their patient’s pain so that they can lead as normal life as possible and so that they also have a good quality of life. It is the job of the pain management specialist to diagnose the pain and devise a treatment plan. The main aim of the treatment plan will be to help the patient resume their everyday activities with the need for as little medication as possible. It is likely that a whole team will be involved in managing the pain including occupational therapists, nurses, physiotherapists and psychologists.
The pain management specialist or physician has to first understand the cause of the pain and will use the patient's medical history alongside medical and neurological examinations. The pain management specialist will want to know when the pain started, if any activities make it better or worse and how it is currently being treated.
They will want to do a thorough physical examination and will note down the patient's vital signs. The neurological examination will look at the patient's ability to feel as well as their functional abilities such as walking, balance, muscle strength and tone.
X-rays or MRI or CT scans may also be ordered by the pain management specialist in order to give them a more thorough evaluation of the situation. Treatment of long-term pain can include antidepressants, anticonvulsants as well as painkillers. Other measures may include physical exercise alongside the application of heat or ice packs. Psychological intervention may include cognitive behavioural therapy or biofeedback.
Biofeedback training involves the patient becoming aware of the various physiological functions and learning how to manipulate them at will. This means that they can learn how to manipulate their pain perception and hopefully improve their quality of life. Cognitive behavioural therapy is useful in treating psychological disorders and can also be adapted for self-help therapy especially in cases where the patient may have been exposed to trauma which has caused their pain.
The pain management specialist is most likely to be an anaesthesiologist, a psychiatrist or a neurologist. Many palliative care doctors may also be a pain management specialist, which is especially important for the treatment of cancer patients or for those nearing the end of their life.
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