Why Numeric Pain Scales Fall Short

Maintaining an ongoing relationship with your primary care physician or general practitioner (GP) supports your healthy lifestyle. But if you have a chronic or debilitating pain condition, your GP will unlikely be able to address all your needs.

Fortunately, most primary care providers understand how important pain management doctors are when it comes to helping chronic pain sufferers achieve their pain goals and improve their function. Here are three reasons your GP might refer you to a pain management team.

1. You’re Struggling With Pain

Your GP will likely refer you to a pain specialist after an appointment if you mention that you are struggling with pain.

Some of the classic indicators that may prompt your GP to give you a referral include the following:

• Your pain is chronic (lasting longer than three months)
• Your pain is intense, even if it is acute
• Your pain is disrupting your sleep, work performance, activity level, relationships, psychological well-being, and/or quality of life
• You haven’t had successful pain relief with first-line treatments or therapies, including over-the-counter medications or rest

2. You’re Not Sure What’s Causing Your Symptoms

Sometimes people have significant pain without any clear cause. For these individuals, pain management doctors are ideal providers to work with because they are highly skilled and adept at identifying the root causes of acute or chronic pain.

Many people come to pain management clinics after already undergoing weeks or months of tests and procedures to rule out other medical conditions. You may be able to avoid these excessive tests by asking your doctor earlier on about a pain management referral.

3. You Could Benefit From a Wider Range of Treatment Options

The diagnostic and treatment options that pain management doctors are able to provide are typically more refined and comprehensive than treatment options provided by medical specialists, who tend to have a more singular focus. Thanks to their advanced training, our Indianapolis pain management doctors can treat a variety of pain conditions affecting multiple body parts and systems.

Our team is also able to offer our patients highly personalized multidisciplinary care—including psychological services and innovative medication management—to ensure patients of all ages receive holistic, sustainable solutions to their pain.

Have You Been Wondering if Pain Management Can Help You?

If your GP is recommending pain management for your chronic health condition, contact the Center for Pain Management today at 317-706-7246 to schedule an appointment at one of our pain clinics in Indianapolis, Greenwood, or Lafayette, with new locations coming soon to Avon and Carmel. To save time, be sure to review and fill out our patient forms prior to your first visit. We look forward to serving you!