Overview

Pain management, also called pain medicine, is a type of specialized medical care. It is designed to minimize the impact of surgical pain or chronic pain. Chronic pain, in particular, can be difficult to control. It can sometimes be impossible to cure. Pain management treatment can help reduce pain. It can help patients enjoy a better quality of life.

Who Can Benefit From Pain Management

Pain management can treat recurring pain that follows surgery. It can treat pain associated with spine problems, and pain associated with cancer or cancer treatment. It can be helpful for treating neuropathic diseases, migraines and injuries such as whiplash.

Who Practices Pain Management

Pain management draws specialists from many different medical fields. A pain management specialist may have a background in anesthesiology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, neurology, or psychiatry. Pain
management practitioners work closely with other healthcare professionals, such as physical therapists and psychologists. They work together to create a plan that is tailored to each patient’s needs.

Types of Treatment

Chronic pain may be treated with a variety of methods. It can be treated with injections, physical therapy, lifestyle changes, exercise and psychological treatments. Patients take an active role in their own treatment. Patients provide feedback to help the specialist design the most effective plan possible.

Living With Chronic Pain

Pain management therapy can greatly reduce a patient’s pain. It can provide coping strategies that keep pain from being intolerable. Although some types of chronic pain can never be completely eliminated, pain management can bring significant relief to many people.