More than 20% of people in the United States suffer from chronic pain, but that doesn't mean you have to be one of them. If you suffer from chronic pain, it is important that you find a good pain management doctor to fit your needs. While there are many options for doctors available, not every doctor will be a good fit for you.

So, what do you need to consider when choosing a pain management doctor? Keep reading and learn more about it below.

Read the Online Patient Reviews

Thanks to the widespread use of the internet, almost every doctor has at least a handful of online patient reviews. Reading online reviews can tell you a great deal about a particular pain management doctor. You can even pick up information that you might not be able to find on the doctor's official website.

For example, suppose you find a pain management doctor and search through the website his practice has available. The website might seem professional and the doctor may seem accommodating, but upon closer inspection, you find that the doctor has largely negative reviews. Some reviews might complain that the doctor was rude, hurried, or apathetic.

Some might complain that the doctor's services were too expensive or that the staff at the pain management office was unaccommodating. Whatever the case, there are many reasons why a pain management doctor may have bad reviews. If you find that a doctor has mostly negative reviews, it is best to skip that doctor and look for a better one.

The Details

The last thing you want is to choose a doctor that is rude or unhelpful. On the other hand, if you find a pain management doctor with mostly positive reviews, you may be in luck. Always be sure to read the details of each review so you know what might be good or bad about a particular pain doctor.

For example, one doctor might be very accommodating but his services might be on the expensive side. Another doctor might be more affordable but may not give you very high-quality treatment. You will always have to balance out the pros and cons when browsing online patient reviews.

In general, if you opt for a doctor that has a lot of positive reviews, you should be in good hands. Asking for referrals is also a good way to make sure that you get the best pain treatment experience you possibly can.

Consider Doctors With Telehealth Options

For those with chronic pain, getting to the pain management doctor's office can be difficult. Going to the office in person may not always be necessary, depending on the problem at hand. For this reason, you should consider whether you want your pain management doctor to have an option for telehealth appointments.

A telehealth appointment is nothing more than a regular appointment with your doctor except that it's online. Usually, all you need to do is get your camera set up on your computer so that you and your doctor can see each other and chat face-to-face. The only downside of these virtual appointments is that it is more difficult to show your doctor the exact sites of your pain.

Your doctor will also not be able to palpate your affected areas. However, despite this, occasional telehealth appointments can still be very beneficial. However, not all pain management doctors allow telehealth appointments.

What You Need to Know

For that reason, you will need to look closely at your choices before you decide on a pain management doctor. Usually, you should be able to find whether or not a doctor accepts telehealth appointments on the doctor's website. If you can't find this information, you will need to call or email the practice and ask for yourself.

It may be that the pain management office does accept telehealth appointments but it just doesn't have the information listed on the website yet. If that's the case, then there's nothing stopping you from choosing that doctor as your new pain management doctor. On the other hand, if you call and find that the office does not allow telehealth appointments, you will need to look elsewhere for a doctor.

Check the Doctor’s Pain Treatment Methods

Some pain management doctors offer treatment methods that might not be best for your unique type of pain. For example, some doctors might focus on medication-based treatment while others might opt for physical therapy, massages, or holistic approaches. There are many pain treatment methods out there and it is important to know what kind of method a certain doctor specializes in before you make your choice.

For example, you likely wouldn't go to a pain management doctor who specializes in holistic approaches like mediation or yoga when you're dealing with an inflamed and degenerating spine. Instead, you would go to a doctor who offers steroid injections to reduce the inflammation or another similar treatment. If you are unsure about different treatment options, familiarize yourself with them first and then learn which doctors in your area specialize in which methods.

Only then can you make the right choice.

Finding a Good Pain Management Doctor

Finding a good pain management doctor doesn't have to be impossible, but there are certain things you should consider. For example, you should always read the online patient reviews for the doctors you're considering. You should also make sure that the doctor in question accepts telehealth appointments if that is something you need.

Finally, always double-check a doctor's pain treatment methods before choosing. That way, you can get the best treatment for your pain. To learn more about pain management, contact us here.

Chronic pain robs its victims of their quality of life. You find yourself sitting at home, away from people, afraid to move, and slowly seeing your quality of life ebb away.

You don't have to live a life of inert isolation when you struggle with chronic pain. Chronic pain treatments can give you the relief you need if you stick with them and avoid key pain management mistakes.

By the time you've finished reading this article, you will understand the main mistakes people make when treating chronic pain and how you can avoid the same pitfalls.

1. Delaying Pain Management

Many individuals will embrace a "pain is weakness" mentality when they first experience chronic pain. The pain may start as simply as nagging toe pain. It persists for days and weeks and then months until the individual is suffering daily with constant pain.

Yet that same individual won't seek treatment because they believe that acknowledging the pain and seeking chronic pain treatments is a sign of weakness.

In reality, acknowledging the pain and seeking relief is a sign of strength and maturity. You're strong enough to know you cannot overcome this problem on your own and you need some help.

Additionally, some people will try to muscle out their pain and thus not take their pain relievers early enough. By the time the pain overcomes them and they give in, the pain relievers don't work as effectively because the suffering patient now has to catch up with their pain medications.

Dental surgery is a good example of this phenomenon. You should take pain medication before you go into your surgery. This way you're already on top of the pain before the Novocain wears off.

2. Not Listening to Doctors

Doctors will ultimately understand the causes of chronic pain and help you come up with a long-term treatment plan. Yet many patients believe they know better than their doctors. It's easy to fall into the trap that you're the only one who understands your body because you're the only one feeling your pain.

You have to remember that doctors, especially those who specialize in pain treatment, have a working knowledge of pain. They've made pain relief their specialty, so their treatment plans will focus on just that. You have to trust your doctor's pain treatment plan from beginning to end, and sometimes this simply requires patience.

3. Lying

A doctor cannot come up with an effective pain management strategy if a patient lies to them. Communication is the key to working well with doctors and nurses to come up with the best possible pain management solution. So tell your doctors everything about your condition both at your initial visit and then beyond.

Tell your medical professional about your current pain treatment plan, whether it's NSAIDS every six hours or a more homeopathic approach. Leave nothing out. To come up with an effective pain management solution, your doctor needs to know what medications you currently take regularly.

4. Believing NSAIDs Are Completely Safe

You can find all kinds of medications for pain at a local pharmacy or department store. Over-the-counter medications will work for a while, but you must remember that even NSAIDs have side effects, especially when you take them regularly. NSAIDs also interfere with the effectiveness of aspirin that you may take for other reasons such as heart problems.

5. Avoiding Non-Invasive Treatments

A quality pain treatment clinic will introduce you to non-invasive treatments. Many people, however, want a pill that they can take which will relieve their pain immediately. Non-invasive treatments and natural remedies can work just as effectively if you're patient.

Non-invasive treatments also tend to have fewer long-term side effects compared to their pharmaceutical counterparts. If your doctor offers you a non-invasive treatment, try it. You may have a much higher quality of life, even before your chronic pain starts.

6. Avoiding Physical Activity

There's no doubt that physical movement is strenuous when you're in chronic pain. But often physical movement is exactly what you need to help move past your chronic pain.

Exercise does not mean you need to jump off the couch and run miles on end. Physical movement can be simple, slow, steady movements like taking a casual walk around the block or even down the hall. You can even complete full cardio workouts while sitting in a chair.

Movement is the key to keeping chronic pain levels down. The more you exercise your body, the better you will equip both your body and mind to deal with your pain. Studies have shown a strong correlation between cognitive functioning and physical movement, meaning the more you move your body, the better your brain functions.

If you've lived a sedentary lifestyle for some time, you should talk to your doctor about what kind of movement is best for you to start with.

7. Leaning on Unhealthy Pain Management Solutions

The world has a way of offering you all kinds of pain management solutions that are ultimately unhealthy. For example, while smoking certainly may seem to calm your nerves, it is a horrible idea for pain management in the long term.

The same rings true of alcohol. While you may enjoy a glass of wine or a shot of whiskey at the end of the day to help ease the pain and calm your nerves, chronic use of alcohol for pain management will cause adverse side effects. Worse yet, it could mess with your pain medication and make it less effective.

Smoking will delay wound healing and cause a variety of pain full diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and emphysema. It also slows down your circulation, which ultimately causes more pain. Chronic alcohol use will damage your liver.

Avoid Pain Management Mistakes and Find Relief

When you pain management mistakes such as these, you can ultimately find long-term relief. Recognize that you cannot solve your chronic pain on your own, and seek help from a doctor who specializes in pain management. Be honest with the doctor and nurses, and explain your pain and your current pain management regimen.

Then trust the doctor and their pain management plan. Be patient and give the plan a chance.

Are you suffering from chronic pain? Do you find that you isolate yourself and move less because of this pain? If so, contact us.

Our pain specialists are ready to help you achieve a high quality of life despite your chronic pain. Let us help you today.