What Do Pain Management Clinics Do?

A pain clinic, or a pain management clinic, is a clinic where educated healthcare professionals focus on the diagnosis and management of pain; usually chronic pain. Usually the programs offered cover the whole person, as opposed to just the pain. The aim of the clinics is to provide programs that help people regain control of their lives whilst suffering pain, as well as using a multifaceted approach to managing pain.

At the clinic you can expect to meet a wide range of professionals - both doctors and other health care professionals, such as acupuncturists and massage therapists. Together they will work out a pain management plan for you specifically, addressing the issues that are creating your pain.

Some therapies you may receive at a pain management clinic:

Psychological:

• Talk therapy as a support to help you cope with the pain.
• Stress management, as stress has been known to aggregate, or even cause, pain.
• Relaxation techniques, as this can often ease the pain, as well as aide healing.
• Pain coping skills management. This is so that you can adjust your life so as to avoid as much pain as possible.
• Psychotherapy. Although not a common practice, Dr John E. Sarno had tremendous success treating people with back pain, RSI and a number of other pains with this technique, claiming that pain is a result of suppressed stress, fear, anxiety and other perceived painful emotions or thoughts.

Medical:

Usually medication is prescribed if the pain cannot be managed without it, or simply as temporary relief for the patient. What kind of medicine prescribed depends on what kind of pain it is.

Physical:

• Physiotherapy. A physiotherapist will assert your situation and may prescribe exercise for you, or give heat/cold therapy, ultrasound and massage.
• Chiropractic. If your spine is out of alignment, a chiropractor may help realign it.
• Massage therapy. A massage therapist can help relieve pain by relaxing tense muscles.
• TENS machines. These are machines that send electric impulses to your muscles making them "jump" or "tense up." This releases endorphins, which work as pain relievers.
• Acupuncture. Needles can help stimulate blood flow and thereby speed up healing, or relieve pain. Sometimes electricity is used in conjunction with this, sending a very light electric current through the needles. Dry needling is also sometimes used, which rather than targeting traditional Chinese energy meridians target a specific muscle knot and are moved around until the therapist find the pain spot.

Dietary:

Although not considered a traditional part of pain management, in some instances diet may help to relieve pain. This may hold true for gastrointestinal pain.

The best way to find a pain management clinic near you is to search on Google or ask your health care practitioner. For example, if you are based in Denver, search for Denver Pain Management Clinic. You will want to find out if the nearby clinics specialize in something in particular as one clinic may be better suited to your needs than another.

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