How Do I Get Referred To The Center | Your First Visit
Patient Responsibilities | Treatments And Services
Complications From Pain Treatment

Your doctor may refer you to the Pain Management Center, or you may refer yourself.

Before you come to the Center for your first visit, be sure you doctor sends your medical records and X-ray reports to us. During your first visit, you have a comprehensive physical examination. We review your clinical history and medical records including all previous tests performed to determine the cause of your pain. Please bring a family member or friend with you to the first interview in case you have a procedure done and need a ride home.

On your first visit to the Pain Management Center we:

• Conduct a comprehensive physical examination .
• Review your medical history .
• Review all your medical tests including MRI's, X-rays, bone scans and blood work.
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Patients in the Pain Management Program must attend scheduled appointments. If you are absent three times, you will be discharged from the Center.

We want to make a difference in your life, but we cannot do this alone. You and your family doctor become partners with us in your treatments. Our medical director serves as a consultant, but your doctor remains your primary care doctor during your time at our Center. You cannot participate in the Pain Management Program without a primary care doctor.

Once we have established the cause of your pain, we begin a conservative treatment plan, which may include a healthy diet, exercise and if appropriate, weight reduction, medication, physical therapy and interventional pain management techniques. Treatments may include:

• Psychotherapy .
• Physical Therapy .
• Nerve Blocks .
• Medicine .
• Injections .
• Seizure Monitoring .
• Vertebroplasty .

Depending on your response to these various treatments, you may also receive advanced pain management procedures such as endoscopes, spinal cord stimulators or neuroxation drug pumps. All treatment plans will be discussed with you before you receive them. If necessary, we may also refer you to other specialists who care for people with your specific illness or injury.

The Pain Management Center gives pain medication (narcotics) only if other treatments are not available to treat your pain. If you need narcotics, long acting narcotics are used. These narcotics are prescribed if your primary care doctor agrees to assume the responsibility for the future prescription of your narcotics once you have reached a stable dose. If narcotics are prescribed, you must sign a "Drug Treatment Contract," and you are subject to random urine or serum checks.

As with any medicine or medical procedure, there is the possibility of an adverse reaction. Such complications are rare, however, the Pain Management Center is prepared to intervene if you have such a reaction.