Finding out that your pain will be chronic and will stick around for years — or even for the rest of your life — can be troubling. After you take some time to emotionally come to terms with the diagnosis, you'll want to call a local integrated pain management clinic, or IPM clinic. These clinics employ doctors and practitioners across many different specialties, and they focus solely on managing patients' pain. But why is it so important for chronic pain patients to get this type of care?
To find a pain management strategy that works for you.
Perhaps you were diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis by a rheumatologist. Or maybe a orthopedist determined you have arthritis in your hips. These doctors are all experts in their own fields, but they are not necessarily experts in managing pain. So, while you were probably prescribed pain relievers and given some tactics for managing your pain, they may not be the most cutting-edge or personalized recommendations. At an IPM clinic, you can work with physicians whose entire practice is managing pain. They can help you develop a more customized pain management strategy that works with your own biochemistry, genetics, and lifestyle. If you're going to be dealing with pain for life, you might as well deal with it in as effective a way as possible.
To reduce your reliance on pain relief medications.
Pain relievers are often a central component of chronic pain management. However, some of them can be addictive, and others can cause side effects like stomach pain. So, you don't want to use more pain relievers than you have to. An IPM clinic can help you explore non-medication options for managing your pain, which may allow you to take fewer pain relievers over your lifetime. This reduces your risk of long-term side effects which is really important with chronic pain.
To be seen by various therapists and specialists.
In addition to physicians, most IPM centers also employ chiropractors, massage therapists, and other therapists who work to help minimize and manage pain. By seeking care at a pain management center, you can get care from these practitioners and also know that they're interacting with the actual medical doctors who are overseeing your case. This integrated approach can lead to better pain management overall.
IMP is so important for anyone with chronic pain. If the pain won't be going away on its own, at least you can trust the doctors and practitioners at an IPM clinic to manage it.
To learn more about IPM medical, contact a practice in Loma Linda, CA.
