@A MyChronicPainTeam Member
A neurologist is a specialist who deals with the Nervous System. Like the brain, the spinal cord and nerves throughout your body. Some neurologists administer shots, some don’t. Some specialize, like in Head Trauma. Most neurologists don’t like to give narcotics, but there is always the exception.
Anesthesiologists are the doctors who put you out when you have surgery. The also can specialize in pain management. They give meds, pain pills including narcotics & injections.
It’s confusing because almost any doctor can “say” they are pain specialists, and prescribe all kinds of meds & other therapy. It’s hard to know what will work.
Usually pain management clinics have doctors who have experience with chronic pain. When you find out the name & type of doctor you’re going to see, it’s important to check him/her out. I’m assuming (big mistake), you’re looking for a back or hip specialist?? I will help you check him out. Just need a full name, the name of the clinic or center he’s with & where he’s located.
Keep me posted. Hope you pain is manageable now.

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A MyChron...

@A MyChronicPainTeam Member,
I’m a retired health care practitioner, and what I said originally about using “medical terminology or “doctor Talk” includes:
1) Summarizing (make a list of) your medical problems. You can take your records, but they won’t have the time to look at them during your appointment. Maybe, if you leave a COPY, at some later time they will verify your list, especially if you have MRIs, CAT Scans, X-Rays. By summarize I mean, make a list of the procedures you have undergone, when they were done and how they effected you. You can copy those straight from your records.
2) State how you are feeling now, and rate the pain on a scale of 1 to 10 only.
3) State what has worked for you in the past, and what has failed to work for you.
4) State what you expect from this appointment, but be careful about requesting high amounts of opiates. If you do, they tend to think you are just searching for a narcotic fix. Instead, state that you are looking for someone who will help you manage your pain. Wether that be with medication alone or in conjunction with other treatments, such as physical therapy, acupuncture, massage, cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness. You can either google CBT, mindfulness, meditation and prayer or get back to me and I will give you definitions.
5) approach your physician with an attitude & even state that you want a partnering relationship, where both of you decide on the course of your treatment.
6) Be sure to state that you were off pain medications for a year. During that year you were in constant, unbearable pain.
7) go in with a positive attitude and the expectation that the doctor wants to help you. You don’t state that, but by your tone of voice and your honesty and the belief that he can help you, you set yourself apart from others.
8) State what you are doing now to help yourself, for example, walking for short periods of time, stretching, he packs or ice packs, etc.
A lot of people go in to doctors and sit there and just complain and whine about their problems, and that just instantly sets the doctor against you.
8) generally, you have between 15 minutes and 30 minutes to go over your problems and come up with a solution. So time is limited, that’s why I suggest a list and perhaps a set of questions. If the doctor wants you to try physical therapy again, even though maybe it has failed you in the past, Restrain from stating that that won’t help, rather state that you will try it again, even though it hasn’t helped you in the past, and request that you do so in conjunction with medication.
It sounds like the Doctor Who is referring you to pain management understands your situation, since he gave you a prescription for Percocet for January, and is referring you specifically to someone who can continue to prescribe narcotics. That is a really good sign. Take heart in that & Please Let me know if you understand what I have outlined.

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A MyChron...

Pain Management Clinic....No need to walk in with expectations of immediate help. Don’t go without all your records,check out the Doctor that your going to see. Someone said it’s a group of specialist...true.... Everything from diet to exercise and medication and surgery history. I am going to a pain management clinic in Dothan Alabama. I brought in MRIs,Xrays,notes from every surgery,before,after and rehab. Without reading the first word they were starting me on programs that I’ve done over and over.... Nope was my answer,review my information and call me. Then after a month I saw a surgeon..neurologist who said no to anymore surgeries because they would not correct my pain.
Pain Management is where I stated at.

Your primary care Doctor knows very little usually about Chronic pain meds. Your Pharmacist knows more and your nurse practioner. Just my experience.

This site is replete with numerous drug treatments for pain my friend. THC helps you ignore pain. It will also mess with your mind over time. Narcotics are poison for the mind, and major depression can come with both.

You already are painfully aware that Surgery is 50/50 or less for success.

Now emu oil?? Opps,Blue Emu oil.

I don’t want get off track here.
Like the lady said previously,have you facts and documents with you. Know what you want and leave if they want to start you on some program.

As for Doctors,get a referall from them and leave, an MD that is.

Make sure you know of there propensity for surgery before you even go.

Clinics are what everyone has described.
Hospitals are worse for pain stuff...just my experience. Forget the VA unless you get outsourced. And if your VA then complain loud and often until it happens. Patient Advocate,Call them every other day,us my healthy vet web site

Choose your route sir.

A friend just bought a kind of contraption which is about a 10 foot board on a fulcrum that is perfectly balanced and with help,you incline the board down,head end first for 30 minutes you hang almost upside down at a 30 plus degree angle. For folks with a compacted spine,it may help. My experience again.
I know I rambled terribly but each one of us is different.
Meds,surgery,narcotics, THC Toradol,Steroids, Alchohol, God, Walking in a pool,hot tubs,aerobics,stretching,messuage ,sitting on your butt. Do nothing!!! Your choice.

I’m being wired for a test with an electrical pain block. I’m in constant pain,like lots of folks. My mind, my attitude and Toradol to relieve swelling is all that works, CBD oil didn’t help me yet. Smoked pot off and on since 69. Messed up my head like narcotics did and I rehabed for months to get off. I’d rather hurt. VA narcotics street pot.
What are you looking for.
No difference between Clinics and Pain Management. You gotta make your own choices....I’m done.
If you go have your s..t together.

A clinic might include the nurses, your doctor and a pharmacy. They all participate in helping you manage your pain. They might send you on a course so you have a better over all understanding of the whole process. One important thing I took away from the course I was on is: speak to Doctors in doctor speak. Give the pain level answers with a pain level out of 10 then LIKE ice picks or crawling insects, what ever. They can process the input much better that way. My doctor questioned me why I answered the way I did, then thanked me.

oldideas39; You never need to shut up, sounds like you need pain meds for bone pain. Have you tried Melatonin for sleep assistance? You can get it in the drugstore in the vitamin aisle. I found it wotked for me and I was also to get up an pee and then go back to sleep.