How Long Should Pain Reasonably Last?

You have a constant, excruciating pain follows you everywhere. It is a pain that seems to hit at the worst time — during important work meetings, grocery shopping or playing with your kids.

So, should you grin and bear the pain? Or might it be time to see a pain management specialist?

Pain is considered chronic if it lasts for more than three months. This includes pain that involves the spine or joints, cancer pain, nerve pain, unusual limb pain, prolonged abdominal or pelvic pain, or post-op pain.

So what is the cause?

You don’t need to suffer. If you’ve been in pain for a long time, or are you under the care of a primary or specialty care physician but are still in pain, perhaps it is time to seek out help from a pain specialist?

Finding the cause of your pain is the specific goal of the pain specialist. This is accomplished by collaborating with primary care physician and other specialists – and carefully listening to you.

A pain management specialist creates a multidisciplinary treatment plan unique to you. This includes:

• medication

• diagnostic testing

• referrals

• pain psychology

• physical therapy

• steroids or nerve blocks

• devices to interfere with pain transmission

• ongoing monitoring and follow up

Treatment goals vary from patient-to-patient. It is important to have that conversation with your doctor about what your goal should be.

You and your pain management specialist will look deeper at the original cause of your chronic pain and take steps to help fix and prevent future problems.