When it comes to the prevalence of pain issues, the statistics are jarring: One in four Americans (76.2 million people total) have experienced pain for over 24 hours. Millions more than this have experienced acute pain. When it comes to chronic pain, this is the number one cause of long-term disability.

So it’s no wonder that people are looking for long-term relief from these issues. The best solution? An experienced pain management physician. But before you schedule your appointment, it’s important to know what to expect.

In general, a pain management doctor is specially trained in all types of pain and evaluates, diagnoses, and treats the core causes of a patient’s pain.

But when it comes down to it, what should you know before your appointment with this physician? Read on to learn.

Be Prepared for Your Pain Management Appointment

What to Expect

During your first appointment, the focus is on evaluation and diagnosis. You can expect to go through the following steps:

  1. Review the nature of your pain and your medical history
  2. Complete a physical examination
  3. Review of any tests or X-rays you had prior to the visit
  4. Talk through the development of a customized pain treatment program

What to Bring

You’ll want to go into your appointment with as much information about the pain you’ve been experiencing as possible. This will lead to a comprehensive first evaluation by the doctor, and likely will expedite the diagnosis process.

You should come to the appointment with the following information and items handy:

    • Detailed timeline of the pain – You’ll want to spend some time before the appointment thinking through the specifics of your pain. We recommend writing this down in the most detail you can so that you don’t forget anything to cover in your appointment.
    • Question you want answered – Don’t leave the appointment wishing you had asked a certain question. Write down all the questions you’d like answered so you’re prepared.
    • Medical history – Be ready to talk through your entire medical history. There may be links to previous or pre-existing issues that inform the doctor’s diagnosis and treatment plan. This includes your family’s medical history as well.
    • List of medications – Be sure to have the details and dosage on every medication and supplement you are currently or recently took.

Results

The most important thing to remember is: Long-term relief from pain is possible. But it requires the expertise of a specialized doctor who will take the time to learn your story, consider non-invasive and surgical treatments, and ultimately tailor a pain management plan to your specific needs.

Get Treatment For Your Pain in Jacksonville, NC

At Carolinas Center for Surgery, we’re dedicated to helping people effectively manage their pain. For a pain management doctor you can trust, schedule an appointment at our pain management center in Jacksonville, North Carolina.

Want to learn more about pain management? See these resources from our experts: common types of pain management and the ins and outs of acute vs. chronic pain.