How to Prepare for a Pain Management Appointment
Managing one or more chronic illnesses may require several primary care and specialist doctors to facilitate care and treatment. In addition, many people living with chronic conditions can experience invisible symptoms like fatigue, mood disorders, and pain. So, chronic illness warriors with unbearable pain, such as chronic pain, may be referred to a pain management specialist to address their symptoms.
If you’ve never been to a pain management clinic, here’s how to prepare for your first visit.
The connection between chronic pain and chronic illnesses
Before discussing pain management appointments, addressing the connection between chronic illnesses and chronic pain is crucial. Chronic pain or persistent pain is a common symptom of a chronic condition without past injury or sickness. When experiencing chronic pain, completing daily tasks, eating, being active, or enjoying pleasurable activities can be challenging.
Chronic pain is reported with the following chronic conditions:
Diabetes
Arthritis
Fibromyalgia
Endometriosis
Chronic fatigue syndrome
Inflammatory bowel syndrome (IBS)
Interstitial cystitis
Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS)
Lupus
To cope with chronic pain, you may seek a pain management doctor.
What is a pain management specialist?
As mentioned, if you’re experiencing chronic pain symptoms, your primary care physician or chronic illness specialist may refer you to a pain clinic to see a pain management specialist. A pain management specialist is a doctor who specializes in assessing, diagnosing, and treating pain disorders.
Pain management doctors can diagnose your chronic pain and find the right therapy treatment for you. In some circumstances, if you haven’t been responding to treatments, pain management specialists may conduct research to test out different treatments that may work for you.
Pain management doctors may recommend the following therapy and treatments to alleviate chronic pain, which can include but isn’t limited to:
Massage therapy
Acupuncture
Yoga
Exercise
Physical therapy
Dietary changes
Chiropractic care
If you have any physical limitations, your pain management specialists can adjust to accommodate your needs.
What to expect at first pain management visit
As you prepare for your first pain management appointment, here’s what you can expect to occur during your initial consultation.
Pain management appointments are facilitated in an outpatient clinic. You’ll be placed in a procedure room with X-rays and other imaging equipment while waiting to see your doctor.
Once you see your pain management doctor, they may ask a few questions to better understand your chronic pain.
A few questions they may ask include:
Where are you experiencing pain?
How does your pain feel?
When do you feel the pain?
What methods help you manage the pain better?
Do you experience any other symptoms when you have pain?
From here, you and your pain management specialist will work together to find the best treatment options for your chronic pain.
Tips for preparing for a pain management appointment
It can be intimidating to visit a new doctor. You’re entering a new environment that may or not be welcoming, and you’re unsure how your interaction will be with your doctor. Here are some tips to help ease some of your potential worries to help you prepare for your first visit to a pain management clinic.
Bring someone with you
It never hurts to bring a family member, friend, or caregiver to medical appointments. Remembering all your medications, symptoms, and healthcare providers can be a lot to keep track of. Having someone there to help remind you about your chronic pain can ensure you cover every aspect of your health concerns.
Also, if you sign up with Chronius Health, you can keep all your health data on one platform. You can share your medical history with your pain management provider without missing any critical details.
Sign up on the waitlist to be one of the first users to access our platform when we launch.
Be as detailed as possible when talking about your pain
Being as explicit as possible when discussing your chronic pain is crucial. For example, is the pain you’re experiencing dull, tingling, or aching? Does your chronic pain occur in the mornings or the evenings? Is your pain limiting you from doing daily activities like walking, cooking, or working?
To prepare yourself, you can use our free symptom tracker to track your chronic pain symptoms. You can enter your data on your computer or phone or print it to fill in your details.
Ask as many questions as you need to
Don’t feel intimidated to ask questions. Going to a pain management clinic aims to get your chronic pain concerns addressed and treated. With this in mind, there’s no such thing as asking too many questions during your appointment.
Jot down some notes
During your first appointment, it’s not uncommon for healthcare providers to dump a lot of information on you. As a result, you can become overwhelmed with retaining all the information. With this in mind, you may want to take some notes on a notebook or your phone to have something you can refer to. Or, if your doctor allows it, you can record the appointment to listen to it later.
If you found this blog helpful, check out 10 Ways to Pace Yourself with a Chronic Illness and The Ultimate Checklist for Choosing Chronic Illness Specialists.
How Chronius Can Help
If living with chronic illness feels like a full time job, you aren’t alone.
That’s why at Chronius, we make it easy to navigate the healthcare system as a patient. Our online care management platform brings together all of your health records and offers a 1-click appointment prep tool that easily synthesizes your health story for your care team. You also can track all of your symptoms, identify trends, learn from vetted medical information, and follow a custom patient journey map. Plus, if you needs hands on support, our Care Advocates are available to help you with any issues you may hit up against. Personalized support as you navigate your care journey is what we are all about.
Interested in learning more and signing up for our waitlist? Claim your spot today.
