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Chronic pain is a very serious issue and should be treated carefully. Chronic pain affects your mobility and quality of life, so it needs to be treated on time and with professional help. It is an uncomfortable feeling and can make you feel anxious, too. When people are in pain, they want it to go away fast.
When you think about it, the treatment of chronic pain is extremely important for the general population, like in NYC. After all, everyone encounters the risk of getting some chronic pain in their lifetime. Still, a lot of people seem to be living with chronic pain conditions without proper pain treatment. Therefore, when seeking treatment, a New York pain management specialist will ask you many questions and probably schedule you for several tests.
So here is the list of questions a pain management specialist will probably ask when trying to get a handle on what type of pain you have and how best to treat it.
Why does a pain management specialist have to ask questions?
When you finally decide to see a pain management specialist, you are probably experiencing severe and constant pain and looking for ways to improve your quality of life.
If so, then you're going to be in for a treat. Most specialist in treating chronic pain are interested in several options for treatment and medication. An array of techniques and knowledge will help them better understand the nature of your pain, why it is occurring in the first place, what type of treatments they can undertake and how they can treat your condition with those methods available.
As with all of your medical providers, your pain management specialist wants to know what is hurting you, how it happened, and how it is affecting your day-to-day life. The first step to finding the correct treatment for you is to decide what type of chronic pain you have. This way, you and your doctor can focus on the right treatment option that will give you the best pain relief.
And if you are blaming yourself for this condition, don't. It is not your fault that you suffer from chronic pain, but your answers will help with the success of your pain treatment. Here are some of the questions a pain management specialist will probably ask:
1. When did your pain start?
The answer to this question is usually pretty straightforward. If you're like most people with chronic pain, it starts after a trauma or an injury. It could have been a car accident, surgery, or a sports injury. But for most people, it was a physical event that caused the pain to begin.
However, some people have been living with chronic pain for many years before ever seeking pain management for it. For example, some people have lived with chronic low back pain for so long that they've forgotten what life was like without it! Others have lived with headaches for so long that it's just "normal" for them to have headaches now.
2. Is the pain in a specific area or all over?
Where is it? Where does it hurt on a scale of 1 (mild) to 10 (very severe)? Where do you feel it most?
An injury or illness most likely causes pain that is located in a specific part of the body. For example, if you experience lower back pain after lifting something heavy, it's likely that you strained your lower back muscles or injured your spine.
Pain that is felt all over your body could be caused by inflammation, stress, or anxiety. In both cases, however, seeing a pain management doctor in NYC may help determine the source of your pain and lead to effective treatment options. The pain may also be felt throughout the entire body. This is known as generalized pain or neuropathic pain.
3. What does your pain feel like?
Chronic pain is often described as a constant, dull, or throbbing sensation. However, it can also be felt as a sharp, shooting pain. If you're not sure, try to describe it with these questions.
Are you most sensitive to pressure or stretching? Does it hurt more when you move a certain way? If so, which way(s) and how much do you need to move for it to hurt? Some people describe their chronic pain as feeling like an electric shock. Others say it feels like a hot poker being pushed into their skin.
Most people with chronic pain will recognize the feeling because they've had it before, but it may not be the same every time you have pain. This question will help the pain management doctor know the severity of your pain.
4. Do you have any other symptoms?
Do you have any other symptoms that are related to your chronic pain? For example, do you also have tingling or numbness in other parts of your body? Do you have trouble sleeping or concentrating on anything but your pain?
It's important to tell your doctor about any other symptoms that accompany your pain. Chronic pain can sometimes be caused by another condition. For example, many people with chronic pain also have fatigue (lack of energy), sleep problems, and depression.
These symptoms can be related to the underlying cause of the pain, or they may be separate conditions that require treatment in their own right. If you have other symptoms associated with another condition, your pain management specialist may need to treat that condition first before addressing your chronic pain.
5. How is your pain affecting your day-to-day life?
The impact of chronic pain can be wide-ranging and far-reaching. It can affect your physical health and your mental health, causing issues such as depression, anxiety, and insomnia. It can also impact your relationships with family members, friends, coworkers, and other loved ones.
Chronic pain may make it hard to do some of the things you once took for granted, such as sitting or working. It can limit your ability to carry out everyday tasks, such as cooking and cleaning, as well as more physical activities like walking, gardening, and playing sports.
Some people with chronic pain also find that their mood or attitude changes. They become more irritable, anxious, or depressed. It's important that you know that not everyone who has chronic pain experiences these changes, but if you do, there may be ways to cope with them.
6. What makes the pain better or worse?
Is there anything that makes the pain worse or better? Are there any triggers that make your pain worse? For example, does exercise make your pain better or worse? Does stress make your pain worse or better? Do certain activities help relieve your pain more than others (for example, walking vs. sitting)?
If you know what makes your pain better or worse, it can help you take control of it. You may be able to help yourself. For example, if walking helps reduce your back pain but standing makes it worse, sit down whenever possible and walk only when necessary. If the pain is worse when you're under stress, take steps to reduce your stress. If heat helps relieve your arthritic knee pain, but the cold makes it worse, try taking warm baths instead of ice packs. If it's better with activity, do more of it. If it's better when you're lying down, try to sleep as much as possible.
7. Have you already tried any pain management methods?
Have you tried any pain treatments for your chronic pain that helped relieve it? What type of treatment did you try, and how long did it take before you noticed an improvement in your condition? For example, does heat or cold help relieve your pain?
Chronic pain can be extremely difficult to treat, so it's important to know what options you have tried in the past. This will help your healthcare provider decide on the best course of treatment to move forward.
But as a chronic pain sufferer, you've likely already tried some of the treatments like taking pain medications. You can't know what will work for you until you try it. But you also don't want to waste time on things that haven't been proven to help.
That's why it's important to ask about the evidence behind any treatments they recommend. And if you haven't, or if you want to know more about the treatments offered at pain management centers, it's worth taking a look at some of them.
Chronic pain management plans are often tailored to each patient's needs, so you should talk with your doctor about what works best for you.
Get a personalized treatment plan
Any doctor you visit will want to know precisely how you're feeling and what you've been doing lately. They are going to take into account your entire situation, so it's important not to leave anything out. For example, they will ask who your primary doctor is, what meds you've been taking, how long you've been dealing with this pain, and how often you take your pain medications.
Every patient has a unique health situation when it comes to chronic pain problems. That's why a personalized treatment plan is needed. Every treatment plan will vary according to every individual's needs.
A good doctor will listen to you, consider your wishes, and design a program accordingly. It's important that you openly discuss your health situation with your doctor so they can make the best recommendations possible.
For the best results of your pain management program, make sure that you are honest with your responses and be prepared for tough questions. Most importantly, you should never suffer in silence if you have chronic pain issues.
We Can Help
If you are in pain and looking for relief, our New York pain management clinic, can set you and your loved one on the path to chronic pain management. Our team of experts can comprehensively address your symptoms.
We offer personalized treatment plans to treat chronic pain. We're committed to providing you with resources on how to manage your chronic pain with evidence-based treatments. Doing so allows you to reduce or eliminate dependence on prescription drugs. Call us today for more information about our services.