Is pain management only for addicts

[Anonymous]

I have stenosis of the spine (c4 and c5) and I am in chronic pain that is worsening rapidly. My neurologist just referred to me pain management. I am absolutely devastated. I have never taken or even asked for pain meds/narcotics, I just said I needed relief because nothing is working. I am shocked that they think I need pain management, how could they be this dismissive toward the pain I’m in. I’m obviously not going to go, since I’m not using a controlled substance of any kind.

[Anonymous]

No. My mom has the same condition as you. She doesn’t even drink or take Rx pain pills. She’s never tried pot or anything. She had natural childbirth. But pre-Covid, every 6 months she got what was essentially the same spinal block women in labor get. It meant she could lead a semi-pain free life. She is very overdue and I feel horrible for her.

[Anonymous]

Pain management is definitely not what you think it is. I’m sad that people have this misconception. Please get some help for your pain. A pain management specialist will work with you and your history to figure out the best treatment plan. That does not always mean medication, it could be PT or other types of interventions.
Here’s a great place to start:
painspineandrehab.com

[Anonymous]

Isn't pain management to help you take painkillers in a safe manner?

Many painkillers have deleterious side effects. Aleve/ibuprofen, for example, easily cause ulcers if taken too much or taken by a patient who immediately lies down. My husband - a doctor! - ended up with an ulcer because he took too many ibuprofens to manage a chronic condition.

[Anonymous]

Pain management has nothing to do with being a drug addict. It is literally what is says it is—a discipline that specializes in managing pain with all kinds of treatment modalities. Meds (narcotic and not), PT, acupuncture, massage, electric stimulation of muscles, Botox, deep brain stimulation—everything. There is no basis for being devastated here. It’s good.

[Anonymous]

What do you think cancer patients get, OP?
They get pain management.

Pain is the greatest enemy of living things. It needs to be carefully managed. Taking painkillers the wrong way can make you an addict very quickly.

[Anonymous]

And you would be out of your mind not to go! Don’t shoot yourself in the foot here, OP.

[Anonymous]

This is OP I thought it was for only people who abused narcotics, so they helped them find a safe way to manage their pain.

[Anonymous]

pain management is managing the PAIN not the drugs involved in doing it

[Anonymous]

What???

A pain management specialist is a doctor that works with people who have chronic debilitating conditions that require pain medication or pain management. They have nothing to do with drug addicts, and quite to the contrary, they keep tight records and have strict procedures to avoid serving patients who are seeking drugs for recreational purposes.

[Anonymous]

What in the actual f*ck op? So you think anyone else you’ve ever known that needed help with pain was an addict???

[Anonymous]

My husband saw a pain management specialist for serious back issues after a botched surgery. He was given spinal injections for pain control.

[Anonymous]

Try edibles many people have awesome results. Talk to a doctor about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is OP I thought it was for only people who abused narcotics, so they helped them find a safe way to manage their pain.

I think you may have gotten your wires crossed here because there are shady pain management clinics that are essentially pill mills that are willing to prescribe to people who abuse pain meds. Then there’s also methadone clinics that help addicts wean off of prescription opiates and heroin.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is OP I thought it was for only people who abused narcotics, so they helped them find a safe way to manage their pain.

It's to help you find a safe way to manage your pain, whether you're an addict or not. We used them for my young child with a disease that caused severe ongoing pain.