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When you suffer from chronic pain, it can be especially frustrating if your physician cannot determine why you’re feeling the pain. You may have had several doctor visits and multiple examinations, with no apparent reason for the source of your discomfort.
To further complicate accurate diagnosis, there may often be several potential sources (or “pain generators”) for your specific pain symptoms, so questions and physical examinations may fail to identify the exact origin of your pain.
When everything you’ve tried before has failed, and you’re still suffering daily from your pain condition, it may be time to consult an expert pain management physician for answers.
Pain doctors are specifically trained to diagnose and treat chronic pain conditions. They are uniquely qualified specialists who have the expertise and state-of-the-art tools to accurately determine the source of your pain, and how best to treat it. They know what questions to ask, and how to approach diagnosis based on your responses.
After a thorough consultation and examination, a pain management physician may recommend more in-depth testing, using the latest technologies to more precisely pinpoint your pain source.
Here are just a few of the cutting-edge tools pain doctors use for the most accurate diagnosis in determining the origin of your pain:
- Nerve blocks:This technique involves the injection of a local anesthetic, (such as Lidocaine or Bupivicaine) into a nerve or group of nerves. Pain physicians are trained to know the location of the body’s pain-carrying nerves, and which nerves to target with the injection(s).After each injection, the pain doctor will assess the patient for any changes in pain symptoms. Significant relief from pain after targeting a specific group of nerves indicates that the physician has located the source of the patient’s pain, and appropriate treatment(s) is recommended based upon the results.
- Discography:This minimally invasive diagnostic procedure is used to determine whether one or more discs are causing a patient’s back pain. The test involves an X-ray and local anesthetic, and an imaging device known as a flouroscope that is used to guide the insertion of a needle into targeted spinal discs. A sterile contrast dye is delivered through the needle to highlight damaged areas on the X-ray images.By assessing the patient’s level and type of pain after injection, the physician can determine whether or not the targeted disc is the source of the patient’s pain.
- MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging):This non-invasive test uses magnetic fields and radio waves to generate clear, detailed images of the internal body without need for X-rays.By examining the computer-generated MRI images, pain physicians may get a clearer picture of any damage to the anatomy or physiological processes within the body, enabling them to properly diagnose and recommend treatment for the patient’s pain condition.
These are some of the latest tools, among others, that pain management physicians use to take the guesswork out of diagnosing your pain condition. By utilizing these technologies, pain doctors can help patients get treated sooner, often with fewer appointments.
Are You Suffering from Chronic Pain and Still Don’t Know Why?
At Florida Pain Relief Centers, our highly skilled, board-certified physicians use the latest in state-of-the-art technologies to more effectively diagnose and treat your chronic pain, and restore your quality of life.
Our pain management specialists utilize a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to advanced pain management, assessing your individual needs to provide the best treatment for relieving your pain and ensuring your comfort.
If you are tired of living with chronic pain and want more information on options for minimizing or eliminating your suffering, contact Florida Pain Relief Centers today at 800.215.0029 or visit www.yourpainreliefcenters.com to set up a consultation at one of our clinics.
