Patient Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is pain management?

  Pain management is an interdisciplinary approach to diagnosing, treating, and controlling pain. It helps those living with acute or chronic pain, along with their family members and caregivers, learn to manage the pain in safe, effective, responsible and healthy ways to improve or maintain their overall well-being.

  Components of a comprehensive and balanced pain management plan include:

  • physical therapy and rehabilitation
  • minimally-invasive injection-based therapy
  • medication management (non-addictive pain medications)
  • psychological counseling
  • social support
  • complementary approaches

  Our balanced and comprehensive pain management program includes the use of safe and appropriate medications. The Rochester Regional Health Spine and Pain Center does not routinely recommend opioid therapy for chronic noncancerous pain.

  Additionally, we utilize a team approach to ensure that people with pain can improve their quality of life, increase functioning and reduce suffering.

• When should I see a pain management specialist?

  People develop pain for many reasons. Pain from a recent surgery, injury or medical illness is called acute pain. In most cases, acute pain can be managed immediately and will improve on its own. For more serious pain, however, you may need help from a pain management doctor to help manage your pain throughout the healing process.

  If your pain persists after the healing process is over, you might be suffering from chronic pain. If your current course of treatment stops working, or your pain worsens, a pain management doctor is best able to assist.

  Spine pain involving the back or neck that persists beyond six weeks requires evaluation for an accurate and quick diagnosis. In general, earlier evaluation leads to greater diagnostic accuracy and faster relief.

  Cancer pain is another condition that can be managed by a pain management doctor. The pain can be due to cancer surgery or treatment procedures, including radiation therapy and chemotherapy, or the tumor itself. Pain management can prove beneficial during or after cancer treatment.

• Can I have a consultation without a referral?

  Yes, as long as your insurance allows it. Before you come in for your consultation, we ask that you obtain previous medical records from physicians who have treated your condition. These allow us to design the most effective treatment plan.

• How quickly can I be seen?

  We understand the urgency of severe pain and will make every attempt to accommodate your needs.

• How do I prevent back pain from returning?

  For your best results, it is very important to follow your provider’s full treatment plan, including recommended exercises, physical therapy, or weight reduction. Physical therapy is intended to keep your muscles from becoming too stiff or deteriorating. Healthy strong support muscles are vital to preventing and controlling spinal and hip pain.

• What should I do if I feel pain again?

  Call your Nurse Navigator and tell them what you are feeling. We may need to repeat your treatment or procedure. If the pain is coming from another source, we will work to quickly diagnose the cause.

• What is radiofrequency ablation?

  Radiofrequency ablation is a special technique that can provide long term pain relief in appropriate patients and their condition. Initial nerve blocks will be utilized to determine if radiofrequency ablations will be effective in providing long term pain relief. This procedure is routinely done for patients who are appropriate candidates and is done on an individual basis.

• What is a spinal cord stimulator?

  A spinal cord stimulator is an implanted device that alleviates pain by sending low levels of electrical impulses directly to the spinal cord.

  The device consists of thin wires (the electrodes) and a small, pacemaker-like battery pack (the generator). The electrodes are placed between the spinal cord and the vertebrae (the epidural space), and the generator is placed under the skin, usually near the buttocks or abdomen. Spinal cord stimulators allow patients to send the electrical impulses using a remote control when they feel pain. Both the remote control and its antenna are outside the body.

  Spinal cord stimulation is used most often after nonsurgical pain treatment options have failed to provide sufficient relief.