Whether you are dealing with chronic pain due to an illness or long-term injury, pain management will always be a major topic of concern when it comes to your health. Even though your general practice physician will not be able to handle your care wholly on their own, this professional is still a crucial component of your total care. This article will address a few of the most common questions concerning pain management and general practice physicians.

Why can't general physicians prescribe pain medications for the long-term?

Because of the dangers of addiction and over-prescription, general practitioners are under strict regulations when it comes to prescribing certain narcotics for the long term. For example, you may be given a narcotic pain reliever for a few months, but then referred to a pain management doctor who is licensed to continue care with specific medications, such as hydrocodone or morphine. Furthermore, pain management specialist have more training in internal medicine and how it affects the patient.

How do you get a referral from your general physician to a pain management specialist?

In most cases, the doctor will offer this as a solution of you are a chronic pain patient and they are familiar with your condition. However, if you are looking to get into a pain management doctor, you can always ask your doctor about a referral. Keep in mind that many general practitioners work with only certain doctors when it comes to referrals. Therefore, it is not common to ask for a referral to a specific doctor unless the physician is familiar with the professional.

If you are referred to a pain clinic, do you still see your general practitioner?

Once you are seeing a pain management specialist for the long-term, this doctor will handle all aspects of care that are associated with your chronic pain. However, you will still need to visit the general practitioner for other illnesses and treatments, in most cases. Because time constraints can be a concern in pain management clinics, these physicians generally only address singular issues associated with pain treatment.

When it comes down to it, dealing with chronic pain on a daily basis is a serious impairment on your life. Your general practitioner can be the stepping stone to get you to the right place for treatment. Talk openly to your family doctor about the steps you can take to find a better quality of care that is suited to fit your needs as a chronic pain patient.

For more information, talk to a general practitioner like Friedrich Tomas J MD.