Pain Consultants

Pain Consultants

Introduction

Pain consultants are defined as medically qualified experts who specialize in pain management techniques for a series of disorders.

Also known as pain management consultants, these professionals possess expertise in management of pain associated with various medical conditions, ranging from acute to chronic pain.

Key Services

Pain consultants commonly operate as an independent multi-disciplinary team for the management of painful conditions. Such consultants offer a vast range of services to their patients.

Some of the most common painful conditions treated by the pain consultants can be studied under the following subheads.

Musculoskeletal Pain

Low back pain Sciatica Fibromyalgia Arthritis Shoulder Pain Neck pain Sport injuries

Neuropathic Pain

Diabetic Neuropathy Postherpetic neuralgia Neuralgias Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)

Complex Pain

  • Cancer Pain
  • Refractory Angina
  • Facial Pain
  • Headaches

Key Role

The chief mission of a pain consultant is to provide high quality care to patients in pain, in a compassionate manner and environment.

The main functions of pain consultants can be listed as the following sub-heads:

Evaluation and Diagnosis Treatment

Here we have discussed each one of these in detail.

Evaluation and Diagnosis

Pain consultants employ a vast series of evaluation processes to classify the specific conditions experienced by their patients. A number of diagnostic tools are used by these consultants to assess the extent and nature of the disorders.

The main diagnostics tools used include X-rays, MRI scans, spinal diagnostic injections and the like.

Treatment

Pain consultants primarily specialize in the minimally invasive pain management techniques.

Here we briefly list some of the main treatment options which are commonly provided by the pain consultants.

Epidural steroid injections Sympathetic Ganglion Blocks Sympathetic Plexus blocks Facet Joint Injections Selective Nerve Root Blocks Peripheral Nerve Blocks Sacro-Iliac Joint blocks Trigger Point Injections Radiofrequency Neurolysis Diagnostic Discography Occipital Nerve Blocks Cryoablation

The Team

The multidisciplinary team approach of pain consultants makes their treatment modalities highly efficient and result-oriented.

Here we list some of the most common treatment modalities followed by the teams of pain consultants.

Conservative treatment Medication Alternative Therapy Interventional Pain Medicine Physical and Rehabilitation therapy Surgery Advanced Pain Management Procedures Psychological therapy

Evidence-based Medicine

Evidence-based medicine is one of the most popular approaches followed by pain consultants.

The concept of evidence-based medicine is typically defined as an approach to healthcare practice in which the clinician is aware of the evidence in support of his/her clinical practice and the strength of that evidence.

As per the Center for Evidence-Based Medicine, “Evidence-based medicine is the conscientious, explicit and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients.”

To achieve its purpose, the concept of EBM employs a series of techniques from the fields of science, engineering and statistics. Some of these include meta-analysis of scientific literature, risk-benefit analysis and randomized controlled trials.

The entire model of EBM is based on innovative steps devised to instill a scientific approach in medical care. It is the integration of clinical expertise, patient values and the best evidence into the decision making process for patient care.

For a result-oriented treatment procedure, pain consultants generally build up their approach with the following steps:

For a planned EBM process, generally the below steps are followed:

Start with the patient – a clinical problem or question arises out of the process of patient care Construct a well-built clinical question derived from the case Select the appropriate resource and conduct a search Appraise the evidence for its validity and applicability Return to the patient – integrate that evidence with clinical expertise, patient preference and apply it to the practice Evaluate your performance with this patient

Pain Consultants – Key Aspects

Pain management is relatively a modern concept of medicine. Similarly, pain consultants are also one of the most result-oriented professionals in the modern medicine.

As medical professionals, pain consultants generally operate in office-settings wherein they meet patients on appointments and scheduled meetings. Patients are normally not required to stay overnight, unless individual circumstances require otherwise.