There are many misconceptions pertaining to Pain Management Doctors now-a-days. I find that patients often have one bad experience and accredit all doctors to be the same, but this is far from true.
Myth #1: To treat chronic pain, you have to end up in the hospital
There are many minimally or non-invasive procedures and treatments available for pain that can be performed in the office on an outpatient basis.
Myth #2: Any doctor can treat chronic pain
While most physicians are familiar with treating a patient's pain symptoms during the course of treatment, a doctor who is board certified in pain is specially trained in a broad array of approaches and procedures to alleviate and treat different types of acute to chronic pain.
Myth #3: Pain doctors are unnecessary - Pain will eventually go away on its own
Whereas some pain may deplete over time, it can sometimes become chronic or reoccurring pain. This type of pain is a legitimate medical condition that should receive medical attention. If you wait, you might be ignoring an underlying condition that could worsen, and suffering needlessly.
Myth #4: Pain doctors only give narcotics
Although narcotics may be one treatment option, pain doctors are specifically trained to conduct a wide variety of outpatient procedures - such as injections into the cervical spine, lumbar spine, and other major joints. They also perform radiofrequency ablation procedures, and nerve block and other diagnostic procedures.
Myth #5: Pain doctors don't treat the patient holistically
This misconception is false. Pain doctors take into account all psychosocial factors that affect patient functioning. Emotional health and well-being is closely intertwined with physical well-being; and pain can have many causes. Pain doctors often work with health professionals in other specialties in order to create the most effective approach to treating pain for each individual patient.
Myth #6: Pain doctors only work in hospitals, and treat post-operative pain
Not only is this myth false, but many pain doctors have busy practices similar to that of neurology, cardiology, and other disciplines. In addition, pain doctors perform many minimally and non-invasive treatments on an outpatient basis, that can be performed in a medical office setting rather than a hospital.
