A visit to a reputable pain management clinic in Utah should be just like seeing any other doctor in any other medical specialty. We hear a lot from patients who worry about going to a pain clinic. There is a lot of stigma about having to step foot in the door of a pain clinic and patients worry about what others will think of them. Because of this stigma many patients avoid seeking treatment at a pain clinic.
This unfortunately leads to a lot of difficult situations. It is estimated that one out of every four American adults suffer from chronic pain. Pain affects more American’s than heart disease, cancer and diabetes combined. Many of these rely on their family physician’s for treatment. In some cases this works out ok. In other cases, the family physician doesn’t have the training or time to really manage the patient’s pain safely. This has been shown to be a major source of problems in the community over the last several years.
Our Pain Management Specialists are Board Certified
On the other hand, a good pain management clinic will treat you exactly how any other specialty doctor would. Pain management specialists are board certified and operate just like other specialty doctors do. They accept your insurance, they ask you very specific questions about your medical history and current problems and they do a physical exam if needed. Often xrays, mri’s or other testing is ordered to verify diagnoses and a long term treatment plan is developed. A good treatment plan often involves medications, procedures and therapies for pain and has the goal to restore the patients functional abilities to care for themselves and their families. The patient is given many different tools to help combat their pain. It has been shown that a true “multi-faceted approach” such as this is much more effective at lowering pain long term.
“The patient is given many different tools to help combat their pain.”
– Bryan Hainsworth, PA-C
Not all Pain Clinics are Looking Out for You.
Unfortunately not all pain clinics operate under these standards. If you have an different experience than you would visiting any regular medical specialist’s office that may be a sign that the pain clinic you are at is not a good place to be. Warning signs can include:
- Not accepting Insurance, Only cash is taken
- No appointments taken, walk-in only
- Not in a medical or professional building
- Armed guard present
- Patients come in and out very quickly
- No physical exams, imaging or procedures done
The Peak Health and Wellness Difference
At Peak Health and Wellness we try hard to make sure every patient is treated well and has a comprehensive medical plan to treat their pain. We try very hard to make sure every patient is a comfortable as possible and to include up to date best practices in our treatment regimens. We are not a pill mill and we do not treat our patients like numbers. We also treat addiction and work very hard to minimize any long term negative effects from chronic pain management.
If you are one of the 76 million american’s who suffers chronic pain, you are not alone! We are here to help in any way we can. Please give us a call or schedule an appointment if you would like more information. We have offices near you in Providence, Layton, and North Ogden.
For now, please see the National Institutes of Health “Pain Facts Sheet”.