A simple guide to finding a specialist for your pain

Finding a specialist or specific treatments for your pain is not as easy as looking one up in the phone book or doing a search online. The tips below should be helpful in finding what you need:

• He shouldn't be offended if you ask for a referral to a pain specialist or another kind of specialist or therapist who can help you.
• If he doesn't know a pain specialist, he may be able to refer you to someone who does.

• The more you know about the condition that's causing your pain, the clearer it will be who might be able to help you.
• You can find information about your condition at any number of reputable websites, especially those run by nationally and provincially accredited medical associations, colleges and universities.
• You can also seek out patient support organizations.
• Learning more about your condition will also make it easier to communicate clearly with your new doctors.

• Hospitals may be able to refer you to pain specialists.
• You can also call your insurance carrier and ask for its listing of specialists in your area.
• If you don't have insurance, you can call your local health department or a local hospital's social service department.
• Also ask friends and family for their suggestions and referrals.

• If it seems that you might need surgery, look for a surgeon, not a pain centre.
• If you need a certain procedure, like disc surgery or minimally invasive pelvic prolapse surgery, look for a specialist and call for a phone consultation.
• Is your pain an emergency, something that requires medical management, or something that will need a long-term multidisciplinary approach? Research each option.

• If you do opt for a pain centre, educate yourself before you become a patient.
• Some may be pill mills prescribing opiates only; others needle jockeys offering injections.
• The best bets are pain centres that offer integrated treatments including cognitive behavioral and physical therapy, medication management and other interventions.

• Find out about his expertise. How long has he been practicing? Is he certified in pain management? Is he affiliated with a hospital? Does he have experience treating your kind of pain? What are his outcomes?
• Ask him, "Can you give me a pain-free life?" Don't expect him to say yes. Do expect him to answer honestly.

• Considering this option doesn't preclude looking for someone who can address the physical aspects of your pain.
• A lot of patients, miffed by the implication that the pain is in their head, shrug off any suggestion that a psychologist specializing in pain can be helpful.
• Pain can raise fears about the future, about continuing work, about relationships.
• It can also raise stress levels, escalate feelings of vulnerability, and bring out a grouchy beast that you'd like to get control over.
• Therapists can help you regain your sense of control over your life and relationships.

Finding the right doctor may not be an easy task, but it's one that requires you to do the research and put in the effort. Fighting pain is never fun, but putting in the time to find the right doctor will help in the long run.