If you are one of the millions of Americans who suffer from chronic pain, you understand how much it may disrupt your daily routine. Even worse, pain management is a difficult endeavor as it is subjective and differs from one person to another. As such, one of the most effective methods to assist your Great Neck, NY pain management specialist assists you is to learn how to describe your pain appropriately. This post goes over some of the tips to help you better articulate your pain:
1. Keep A Pain Diary
Before meeting with a pain management expert, document your pain in a notebook. Doing this will help you better characterize your discomfort and aid your provider in spotting triggers and restricting flare-ups. Here are some of the most useful data to keep track of:
- Everyday routines
- The scale of pain
- Supplements and medications
- Drinks and food
- Related symptoms
- Emotions and ideas experienced during, before, and following pain flare-ups
2. Recognize The Pain Scale
Your physician must be aware of the severity of your discomfort and the level of difficulty you are experiencing. A pain scale is a useful tool for determining your pain perception in a range of 0 to 10. Consider your discomfort and try if you can score it on the following scale:
- 1 to 3: Mild to slight discomfort that is evident and may be distracting
- 4 to 6: Moderate to moderately severe discomfort that interferes with your regular activities
- 7 to 10: Excruciating, incapacitating agony that prohibits you from leading a regular life
3. Concentrate On The Sensation
Giving a detailed overview of the discomfort you are experiencing is crucial in assisting your doctor in making a precise diagnosis. It is natural to want to distract yourself when you are in pain. Nonetheless, it is critical to be present and focused on the sensation so you may explain it in full.
The following are some examples of common pain expressions:
- Sharp
- Dull
- Burning
- Aching
- Cramping
- Radiating
- Stabbing
- Shooting
- Throbbing
4. Note When The Pain Worsens Or Improves
Is your discomfort worse when you first get up in the morning? Is it worse or better after eating particular foods or using certain drugs? This information is one of the key things your specialist wants you to know. Your specialists utilize these details to establish an accurate diagnosis and the ideal care plan.
5. Explain Your Constraints
How your discomfort restricts your regular activities offers crucial information to your pain management specialist. Pain might keep you from bending in particular directions or lifting objects. You might notice that you cannot bend or stretch particular portions of your body or that using your hands for tasks like typing is difficult.
You do not have to live with your pain any longer! The pain management specialists recognize the impact of pain. From your initial consultation through to follow-up care, the practitioners offer comprehensive pain management care. These doctors employ a range of interventional procedures to address the root source of your discomfort so that you can get back to living your life. Call the office or use the online scheduling tool to arrange a consultation to discuss your unique concerns and tailored solutions for you.
