Pain specialist Perth
Benefits of seeing a pain specialist: Why and when to consult one?
- Author: Dr Reza Feizerfan
- First published:
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Pain specialist Perth
When to consider seeing a pain specialist?
Each person’s pain is unique and it is impacted by our own emotions, memories, culture and background. Pain can entirely take over your life, shaping your daily experiences and basically dictating your functioning. At Pain Specialists WA, we understand that pain is not just a symptom; it’s your individual experience that deserves attention by a pain specialist.
But, when should you consider seeing a pain specialist?
“Let’s start by helping to remind you that living with pain shouldn’t be the norm. If that is the case for you, it’s a clear sign to seek help.”
Five signs you might need to visit a pain management clinic
Pain that persists despite recommendations from your GP:
Say you’ve been resting and taking care of an injury, but it still hurts despite all the recommendations by your GP, then it is time to see a pain specialist. Here at Pain Specialists WA in Perth, we will try to locate the source of your pain. Once we know the origin of your pain, we can develop a personal treatment plan.
Pain that impacts your daily activities:
If your pain is getting in the way of your day-to-day activities like getting dressed or doing groceries, you should not put up with it. It is a clear sign to seek help.
Pain that radiates:
Feeling pain that radiates to other parts of your body or causes strange feelings like numbness or pins and needles could mean something more serious like a nerve getting squeezed or a problem with your spinal disc.
If you need pain medicine:
It is not normal if you need painkillers to get you through the day. When used long term, the side-effects could cause problems with your liver, stomach, kidneys, heart and blood circulation.
Pain that disturbs your sleep:
Good sleep is important for your overall health, your brain performance, and your mood. If you are lying awake because of pain or your pain is waking you up a lot, it’s definitely time to talk to a pain doctor.
Why is pain management important?
Three benefits of seeing a pain specialist
3.6 million Australians live with chronic pain. It can be caused by several medical conditions or as the result of a work-related injury. Seeing a pain management specialist can help improve your quality of life.
Here are three benefits to consider
Expert evaluation and diagnosis
A pain management specialist is specifically trained in evaluating, diagnosing and treating different types of pain and their underlying causes. This advanced training allows pain specialists to treat pain that is more complex or difficult to diagnose.
To understand this expertise, let’s take a look at an example of a self-employed carpenter that started having back pain and then also knee pain. A spine surgeon diagnosed him with facet joint arthritis in his lower back, a nerve impingement in the spine, and right knee arthritis. But the source of these disorders remained unclear.
“That’s when a pain specialist comes in. We use diagnostic injections to find the origin of pain. In this case, we first injected the facet joints which improved his back pain. As his leg pain persisted, we then targeted the impinged nerve in the spine. This led to incredible pain relief, confirming that his suffering was mostly caused by the impinged nerve.”
Long-term pain relief
You can get long-term pain relief when a pain specialist administers medication directly to the source of your pain with targeted techniques. For example, a rhizotomy injection for facet joint related pain, can offer relief for up to 12 months. This reduces your pain but also enables you to stop using strong pain medications, work more effectively with your physiotherapist and improve your overall quality of life.
Immediate pain relief
When you are experiencing sudden, intense pain or a severe flare-up of ongoing pain, Immediate pain relief is important. Taking lots of painkillers may help, but sometimes the side-effects aren’t worth it. In these cases, a pain specialist can step in and administer an injection that quickly eases the pain, giving your body ample time to heal itself.
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Pain is more than just discomfort; it can disrupt your life. A pain specialist is specifically trained and educated to look closely on what is going on.
“Depending on your individual circumstances, we might suggest a pain injection as part of your treatment plan.”
At Pain Specialists WA, we always discuss a range of treatment options during your consultation, because we know that not everyone is suitable for pain injections. If you’re ready to explore how we can help you manage your pain, we invite you to book an appointment with us today; your first step towards a life with less pain.