Visiting a pain clinic for the first time can be an intimidating experience. After all, pain medicine is an entirely separate specialty from primary care. Preparing for a first visit often means not knowing exactly what you have gotten yourself into. As pain medicine specialists, we can assure you there is nothing to worry about.
Whether you visit KindlyMD or another pain clinic, we trust you will be pleasantly surprised by the care you receive. To help ease any fears you might have, we have put together a brief description of what you can expect from your first pain clinic visit.
All the staff employed by the typical pain clinic are fully trained professionals in their respective fields. For example, pain medicine doctors are fully trained and licensed medical doctors with a specialty in pain management. Being certified by the American Board of Pain Medicine requires up to nine years of medical training.
The nursing staff will also be fully trained and licensed. The same goes for the technicians. The entire team will rely on their training and experience to work together for your benefit. That is the way medicine should be.
Be prepared for lots of questions during your first pain clinic visit. Asking questions is the best way for a pain management physician to understand what you are experiencing. Routine questions include things like:
Remember that questions are a two-way street in pain medicine. Here at KindlyMD, we love it when patients ask us questions. Questions and answers are the fuel of constructive discussions between medical providers and those they serve.
Expect your pain management physician to discuss different therapy options with you. Giving patients options is one of the hallmarks of the pain management specialty. Simply put, your typical pain management doctor does not adopt a one-size-fits-all approach to treating patients. Rather, individualized treatment plans are preferred.
Going the individualized route allows doctors and their patients to customize treatments as needed. We feel this is a far better approach than writing prescriptions and sending patients on their way.
You and your doctor may discuss prescription or OTC medications. You might discuss things like physical therapy, exercise, and lifestyle changes. Even alternative treatments that are not necessarily considered mainstream could be up for discussion.
Finally, you can expect genuine concern for your health from all the clinic's staff. While it is true that all medical professionals seek to improve patient health, there is something unique about pain medicine. The doctors, nurses, and other staff members at a typical pain clinic offer a unique kind of compassion that is hard to find in other specialties.
We cannot speak for any other pain clinics, in Utah or elsewhere. But we can say that our goal here at KindlyMD is to help you feel better. That is the sole reason behind everything we do. We understand that you live with pain as a normal part of your life. But we also believe you deserve to live a quality life where pain isn't in control.
You may find your first visit to a pain clinic somewhat intimidating. We hope that is not the case should you choose to visit a KindlyMD clinic. Please know that you have nothing to worry about. You will be in good hands.
