Not all pain management clinics provide equal care. The journey for patients to find relief can be a real challenge. Patients in pain have many barriers to overcome to receive relief. There are multiple factors to consider when choosing the right pain clinic for you or a family member.
So, How Do You Know Which Pain Management Clinic Is Right for You?
We have assembled a list of essential factors to consider when searching for a pain clinic that fits your needs.
Determine Your Goals
First, you need to define your goals as a patient. These goals are often for pain relief and the ability to participate in activities you enjoy. It’s essential to find a pain management clinic that prioritizes and values your ability to reach these goals. Your pain management clinic should develop a treatment plan based upon YOUR desired individual goals. For example, an avid runner with a knee injury and an elderly patient who needs to walk around the house have very different goals. Both may have chronic knee pain, but their pain will require vastly different treatment options based on their goals, activities, and lifestyle.
Avoid Pain Management Clinics with Long Wait Times
Often pain management clinics have wait times of 2-3 months to be seen for a clinic visit. The scientific literature has proven that the longer patients wait to seek medical care for pain relief, the worse outcomes and the more severe chronic pain becomes. Waiting to seek care results in physical deconditioning and increased disability.
At Excel Pain and Spine, we offer same-day appointments and guarantee patients can be seen within 48 hours. In addition, we provide telemedicine options to aid patients who have transportation issues or are unable to make it to clinic visits.
Avoid Unproven Treatments - Find a Pain Management Clinic Who Practices Evidence-Based Medicine.
Millions of dollars are spent annually on marketing treatments that are not studied, or FDA approved. Trying these treatments can lead to frustration and decrease the chances of other medical therapy helping relieve pain.
Identifying providers who practice evidence-based medicine will increase the chances of sustained pain relief. Evidence-based medicine is the practice of integrating the latest medical literature and research to develop a treatment plan. The goal of evidence-based medicine is to combine the clinician’s experience, the values of the patient, and the best available scientific information to help guide the medical decision-making process. The physicians at Excel Pain and Spine are involved in clinical research and apply new data-proven treatments to the care of their patients.
Find a Pain Management Clinic Who Prioritizes Affordability
Healthcare costs are the number one cause of bankruptcy in America. Providers have a responsibility to help guide patients to get pain relief and reach these goals most cost-effectively. At Excel Pain and Spine, most of our procedures and care can be provided in the office. This dramatically reduces costs compared to receiving care in the hospital.
Find a Pain Management Clinic Who Offers Multimodal Treatment Options
There is a myth that pain relief only is possible with opioid medications. It’s important to know there are other options. An effective pain management clinic will provide a multimodal treatment plan.
A multimodal pain management plan is a personalized approach to pain management that includes multiple medications and solution techniques. These include interventional therapies, procedural therapies, physical therapy, regenerative medicine options, and medications.
There are a variety of factors to consider when finding a pain management clinic. Every patient’s pain is very different, and all patients’ needs are different. Many clinics have care that is protocolized and lacks the personalization patients seek. As a result, patients do not get the relief or outcomes that they hope to obtain. Finding a clinic that can offer the full scope of available treatments and provide it in an affordable package can be challenging. We hope that this list provides a framework for you or a family member to find relief and get back to your life.
If you are having trouble finding a pain management clinic that gives you the results you need, please let us know. We can help expedite a clinic visit with one of our providers to get you the relief you need.
