Question:
I have a couple of questions regarding Pain Management Centers. I have read before that some of you have been to a Pain Managment Center or do use them. What I need to know is what exactly do they do there? Do they prescribe meds, or do other things to ease pain? Also, does your ob/gyn have to refer you or can you just go on your own? Any answers regarding the pain management would be greatly appreciated!

Answer:

I just got through going through a pain management center in October. I was referred there because of chronic back pain caused in part by degenerative disc disease and in part by who knows what. (Probably Endo we'll see if some of the back pain goes away after I'm done healing from the surgery.)

I was sent there after trying a number of things which didn't work including about a half dozen different pain meds (email me for the list if interested, two epidural shots, and a muscle stimulator over the course of a year's time. It was finally recommended that I see a doctor in charge of a pain program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. I saw him and he said the only thing I can do is our program. I agreed, my insurance agreed and I passed their screening requirements.

The program was four weeks long, five days a week and consisted of physical therapy, exercise and endurance building exercise, group sessions that discussed things like relaxation and how different medications work, and individual sessions with psychologists. The program stressed getting off as much pain medication as possible with the realization that there are some cases where there must always be some medication used.

It taught us how to deal with pain using ice instead of painkillers where possible and to use relaxation to try to also minimize or get rid of pain. As I said I went there for my back and decided to mention the headaches I've had all my life and came away with the knowledge that I have a mild case of Neural Tension Syndrome that I was never told about before and can now deal with those blasted headaches without the Vicodin I was using. That was my experience with the program

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