Maybe you are experiencing pain, long or short term, and don’t know what to do to treat it . Maybe you’ve already tried everything and are frustrated with this lingering, nagging pain that keeps you from living your life the way you wish. Management of pain starts with the treatment and care that you, the patient, needs. But who is the right person to see for long-term pain, acute injury, or other conditions? Trying to navigate your way through the healthcare system is scary and intimidating. You might be thinking of numerous appointments to different doctors that start to add up the bills, copays, and time.
Well, GOOD NEWS! There are many different healthcare providers that can help you with your pain. Sometimes it is hard to understand how they help, or maybe you’ve never heard of that before. That’s kind of the challenge in pain management care right now. Lack of EDUCATION!
To understand how to treat the pain we must know what type of pain it is and to do this an exam/evaluation is needed. Providers that can provide this include your family doctor but it also includes physical therapist. Physical Therapy, depending on state, is a direct access profession. So you can start with physical therapy and treatment much sooner choosing the PT route. This is not to say physician are unhelpful with treating pain because their approach might lead you to PT as well, or something that fits your lifestyle better. It just might be an extra step/copay/appointment time that wasn’t needed.
Physician:
Receive an evaluation for pain
prescribe medications
refer you to other treatment options like (PT, OT, SLP, Psych, etc.)
refer you to see specialist for surgical options for treatment
Order images (X-ray, MRI, etc.)
Physical Therapy:
Receive thorough evaluation of pain and movement
Can adjust examination depending on pain level of patient
Uses different techniques to treat pain (exercise, soft-tissue massage, heat, etc)
Can treat pain and educate patient on pain management
Replace the need for pain medications
Can refer to other providers if needed and appropriate
Pain can be complicated, so treating pain with multiple ways strengthens your treatment and weakens the persistent pain. In the infographic added below there are many different approaches for treating chronic pain. The treatment options include, PT, non-opioid medications, psychology, self-management, injections, and many more. I hope that this post gives you options for your pain treatment so you can advocate for your care with whoever you decide to see to help you navigate your pain.
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