For many, chronic pain is an unwelcome visitor that shows up every day and refuses to leave. To manage chronic pain, you need the right doctor for your specific ailments. Below are some helpful tips and links for finding the right chronic pain specialist.
What’s chronic pain?
For healthy individuals, pain is temporary. If you have ever fallen and broken your leg, or if you have injured your neck in a car accident, then you know that the pain will disappear in time with treatment.
Chronic pain, however, lasts day in, day out- and may last for years, or for a lifetime. Chronic pain may occur as a result of an untreatable illness, such as arthritis, multiple sclerosis (MS), or migraines.
Or, chronic pain may result from an underlying health condition yet to be detected, such as pernicious anemia (vitamin B12 deficiency), autoimmune disorders, or chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).
Chronically Pained? Here’s your Essential Chronic Pain Checklist…
Examples of chronic pain include:
- Chronic nerve pain (neuropathy)
- Chronic back pain
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Chronic back pain
- Migraines
- Chronic hip pain
- Chronic knee pain
Where’s Dr. Right?
A specialized chronic pain doctor can help you diagnose the cause of chronic pain and prescribe suitable treatments, such as pain relievers, pain management tools, and natural chronic pain therapies.
To treat chronic pain, you may require the services of an
- Anesthesiologist;
- Neurologist;
- Neurosurgeon;
- Orthopedic surgeon;
- Or psychiatrist;
What should I look for?
A good chronic pain doctor should have the following traits:
- Patience in listening to symptoms
- Knowledge of the most current chronic pain management treatments
- Trustworthiness
- Thoroughness
- Interest in your symptoms
- A good reputation
Chronic pain links
Sometimes, it helps to search for a chronic pain doctor by accessing a search engine that covers your area, especially if you live in a remote city.
US News has conducted a list of the top pain management specialists.
PainDoctor.com provides up-to-date information on chronic pain management treatments and specialists.
The International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) is a world-wide organization that supports chronic pain research.
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Like this? Read more:
Vitamin B12 Deficiency- Total Body Invasion
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)
Sources:
Pain Management: Doctors Who Treat Pain
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