Find Out When It’s Time To See A Pain Specialist

Often, you can experience pain from temporary factors, which can clear without medication, but this is not always the case. If your pain continues for extended periods or you experience pain even after consulting a physician, it may be time to seek help.

Pain management is essential for chronic pain lasting for more than three months. Chronic pain can result from underlying causes that worsen if not properly diagnosed and treated. A pain management specialist will identify your cause of pain and collaborate with your doctor in establishing an accurate diagnosis for proper treatment.

Read on for signs that it is time to see a San Marcos Pain Doctor.

Your Pain Is Persistent

Pain that lasts more than three months warrants the attention of a San Marcos Pain Doctor.  While specialists and medical doctors can treat various pain, persistent pain requires attention from a specialist to address the root cause. A specialist will use special techniques like nerve root blocking and pain mapping to diagnose the pain and administer treatment and control to prevent it from recurring. Specialists also have more treatment options and will develop customized treatments for your pain relief.

You Are Experiencing Radiating Pain

If your pain starts to radiate through a limb or part of your body, it is time to see a pain specialist. In addition to radiation, check for tingling or numbness, as they could signal a serious underlying issue. Radiating pain and sensations can be caused by a pinched nerve or slipped disc that requires a specialist for accurate diagnosis and treatment.

Overdependence On Medication

Painkillers are okay, but in small quantities, to relieve your pain. If you take painkillers daily and cannot function without them, it is time to talk to a specialist. Managing chronic pain with over-the-counter medication will delay your recovery process in the long run. This medication can also damage your body systems, affecting your quality of life. By switching treatment to a pain medication specialist, you will receive fewer drugs and effectively manage your pain.

You Are Not Able To Sleep At Night

While there are different degrees of pain, pain that affects your ability to sleep at night requires specialist attention. If unchecked, such pain can affect your overall health. Hence, if you cannot sleep or wake up frequently due to pain, it is time to see a pain specialist.

You Struggle To Perform Daily Tasks

Pain can hinder your ability to get out of bed and perform daily tasks. You should see a specialist if you skip work, family engagements, regular chores, and grocery shopping due to pain. Besides the physical consequences, immobility due to pain can be depressing, affecting your mental health and worsening your symptoms. Seeking pain management from a specialist will enable you to go back to a quality life.

You Experience Pain From Indulging In A Specific Activity

When you engage in specific activities, chronic pain in your back, spine, arms, or legs can occur in varying intensities. Treating the pain from the spot where you feel it may not address it, warranting a visit to the specialist.

You Have Lost Mobility

After an injury, it is normal to experience pain, which may reduce your mobility for a short time. However, this pain should decrease after some time, allowing normal movement in the injured area. If it has been a month or more since your injury and you are still immobile, consider visiting a pain specialist for further evaluation.

Who Should See A Pain Specialist?

You are an ideal candidate for a pain management plan if you have experienced pain exhibiting the above traits. Signing up for a pain management plan will help manage short and long-term pain. Common conditions that necessitate seeing a pain specialist include:

Migraines And Headaches

Migraines and headaches are common causes of pain, especially in women, often triggered by stress, lack of sleep, hormonal changes, and sound or light. These triggers cause a release of chemical messengers by the brain, which dilate the blood vessels and irritate the trigeminal nerve endings, causing migraines.

Neuropathy And Nerve Pain

Damage to your central nervous system can cause nerve pain, depending on the location of the injury. These damages can result from spinal cord injury and immune conditions. Other causes of neuropathic and nerve pain include exposure to chemotherapy, diabetes mellitus, and viral infections.

Persistent Back Pain

Back pain is a common complaint among chronic pain patients. The pain can present as a dull aching on the lower back, sometimes radiating to the legs. Risk factors for back pain include smoking cigarettes, genetic factors, and obesity. Back pain can result from a nerve root compression from degenerative disc disease or herniation. Cancer, osteoporosis, autoimmune conditions, or spinal surgery can cause pain.

Patients With Pain After Surgery

After a surgical procedure, it is normal to experience pain as the tissues heal. However, post-surgical pain lasting more than three months after your tissues heal requires specialist attention. This pain usually results from poor pain management before and after your surgery and will have different intensity and quality.  Other pains that you should see a San Marcos Pain Doctor for treatment include abdominal, arm, arthritis, shoulder, knee, neck, and hip pain.

What To Expect From A San Marcos Pain Doctor

Upon your visit to a San Marcos Pain Doctor for diagnosis and treatment of acute or chronic pain symptoms, you expect the following actions:

• Physical and historical examination to establish the cause of your pain.
• The doctor will then recommend additional tests such as X Rays, MRIs, or CT scans for accurate diagnosis,
• The Doctor will recommend appropriate treatment depending on the results.

Pain management will incorporate conservative and open management methods. Conventional treatment options include home exercise, physical therapy, and the administration of anti-inflammatory medication. In some cases, you may also need less invasive procedures such as radiofrequency ablations, while others require surgical interventions.

See A Pain Specialists To Deal With Your Pain

Pain is uncomfortable and, if untreated, will affect your quality of life. While prolonged seasons of pain can make the situation bearable with over-the-counter medication, your quality of life will go down, affecting your daily activities, sleep quality, and overall health. Hence, if your pain does not go away following several doctor appointments and treatment, see a pain specialist for diagnosis and treatment.