It is hard to deal with a lot of pain, especially if it is chronic pain that you have had to deal with for a very long time. If you have tried everything that you can think of but you still find yourself with a ton of pain all of the time, you might want to find a local pain management clinic. If you have never been to a pain clinic in the past, you might not know what to expect or how it is that they can help you exactly. Here are some of the things they can do for you:
They Offer Steroid Shots
Now, these aren't the steroids that some athletes have used to enhance their performance. These steroids are for medical use, and they can help ease up the pain you feel in your back. The effects of the shot may take two or three days to kick in, and it should last until your next appointment, which is likely to be in a month.
They May Offer Pain Medication
Prescription pain pills have become a problem in many places, and doctors try to find another solution before they jump to giving out pain meds. However, there are cases where the pain is so extreme that even with the steroid shots, the pain is still there. If your doctor starts to discuss this option with you, it is likely that they think it would be a good addition to whatever you are doing now. They will probably start you off on a very low dose and see you back in their office in a few weeks. Many clinics will only allow their patients to be on prescription pain pills for a short amount of time. This is to reduce the likelihood of addiction.
They May Have Physical Therapy Appointments
Besides the appointments you make to see your regular pain management doctor, you might be able to sign up for some physical therapy sessions. They will start slow when it comes to moving your body around, especially if you have not had a lot of exercise in the recent past. It might feel a little sore at first, but you should start to feel some relief from it.
As you can see, there are a lot of things that a pain management clinic can help you with. The sooner you get to an appointment, the sooner you can get relief.
