Role of the Pain Management Specialist

A pain management specialist develops a treatment plan to relieve, reduce, or manage pain and help patients return to everyday activities quickly without surgery or heavy reliance on medication. To make sure all the patient's needs are met, the physician coordinates care through an interdisciplinary team of health professionals. Such professionals include physiatrist, anesthesiologists, internists, oncologist, surgical specialist etc.

Physical and Neurological Examination :  physical examination assesses the patient's vital signs; pulse, respiration, heart beat, blood pressure, and so on. A neurological exam evaluates the patient's sensory (feel) and motor (function) capabilities including reflexes, balance, ability to walk, muscle strength and muscle tone.

• Examples:

  • X-Ray or Radiograph is a common test performed to reveal the condition of the body's bony structures. Results may suggest more testing is necessary.

  • CT scan (Computed Tomography) is a 3-dimensional imaging study also used to evaluate bone and soft tissue. Each detailed anatomical picture resembles slices or cross-sections of the specific area of the body.

  • MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) is a powerful imaging tool. MRI is commonly used for musculoskeletal evaluation as it provides great detail about bones and soft tissues.