When Is The Right Time To See A Pain Management Specialist?
For patients like Mary and Mark, they worried that they may have to live with their pain forever.
“I developed back pain that got so bad I had to retire from nursing.”
“For over 10 years, I lived with chronic back pain.”
Does this sound familiar to you? Fortunately for both of these patients, they finally found relief after being seen by a pain management specialist at Innovative Pain & Spine Specialists in Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska. You may be where they were at one time. Whether it’s playing with your kids or being busy at work, you find yourself pushing through the pain. You’ve tried every type of pain medicine and therapeutic treatment but still haven't been able to resolve the ongoing pain and discomfort.
Don’t give up hope. You don’t need to endure pain every time you move or deal with pain after a surgery or injury. These are all symptoms of chronic pain and a good time to be evaluated by a pain management specialist to prevent further worsening of your condition.
Identifying the Root Cause of Pain
Many people put off going to see a pain management specialist; however, this can make things worse and potentially complicate treatment and delay the recovery time.
“If you have been experiencing pain for three months or longer, you should be seen by a pain management specialist,” said Kelly Zach, MD, at Innovative Pain & Spine Specialists in Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska. “We see patients every day who have crippling pain that has drastically limited their quality of life. Our goal is to determine what is causing that pain so that we can help that person regain function and get back to doing what they love to do.”
Chronic pain is pain that lasts for weeks, months, and even years, and the pain can come and go. The pain can develop as a result of:
- Injury
- Post-surgery pain
- Pain in the spine or joints
- Nerve pain
- Diseases such as arthritis or cancer
Understanding the root cause of your pain is what a pain management specialist does. They’ve spent years studying all aspects of the body and how pain affects each area. The doctors at Innovative Pain & Spine will take time to listen to you and get your history surrounding the pain, then perform a complete assessment in order to diagnose the real cause of your pain. It may not be from anything you can see or pinpoint, especially when it involves the intricate highways of nerves that run along the spine, or muscles, tendons, and ligaments that connect joints to your arms, legs, and shoulders. This is why the expertise of a pain management specialist is critical in identifying chronic pain.
Treating Chronic Pain
Every patient’s chronic pain is unique and treating it starts with the correct diagnosis. From there, our doctors develop the appropriate treatment plan that meets your goals, reduces your pain, and restores your functioning. Your plan may include:
- Medication Management
- Physical Therapy
- Diagnostic Tests
- Injections
- Advanced Treatments such as Spinal Cord Stimulation or Radiofrequency Ablation
We Can Help
If you’ve been dealing with chronic pain, the doctors at Innovative Pain & Spine Specialists in Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska can help determine the cause of your pain and treat it. We’ve helped thousands of people return to a full life again. Let us help you. Call 402-413-5010 for an appointment.