Sharing Stories
Pain Patient
By: Jim Royce
Summer time is peak pain season. Not only are "weekend warriors" out in force playing football, soccer and Frisbee with the kids, friends and family want help moving heavy furniture and cleaning out basements for yard sales. While the aches and pains that can accompany unaccustomed strenuous activity generally ease up in a day or so with rest and mild pain relievers, pain can take on a life of its own.
It's important to know when pain is just a temporary annoyance, and when it threatens to become a lifelong problem, says Former Editor-in-Chief Rollin M. Gallagher, M.D., who also is president of the American Board of Pain Medicine.
"Everybody has pain every now and then from a minor musculoskeletal injury or skin injury. But if your pain lasts longer than a week or two and does not respond to rest and simple pain medications, you could be at risk of developing a chronic pain condition. You should see your physician," Dr. Gallagher urges. "If pain persists beyond a few weeks, it could well be that you need the help of a qualified Pain Medicine professional to sort out why pain persists, even after healing."
Consider the case of Jim Royce of the San Francisco Bay area. He remembers all-too-well when his chronic pain began. It was May 17, 1973, and he was helping a friend move a heavy desk down a stairway. His buddy stumbled and Royce caught both his friend and the desk, but suffered a severe back injury.
"I went home and found that I couldn't even make it up the stairs. I had to crawl. I was in total denial about how badly I was injured," recalled Royce, who ended up in the hospital that night.
Over the next few decades Royce endured numerous surgeries, with little or no relief for his pain. "Pain treatment in the 1970s and 1980s was limited. People with chronic pain often were thought of as drug-seekers, and doctors feared they would lose their licenses if they prescribed to one patient too often," said Royce. "I had a choice of lying in bed all day to alleviate pain or visiting doctors' offices, clinics and emergency rooms with the hope of getting enough pain medication to make a difference."
Things have changed for pain patients in recent years, but many still don't know how to get the help they need to avoid Royce's fate, says Dr. Gallagher. Dr. Gallagher and the NPF offer this advice when it comes to getting the proper pain treatment: "The important thing is to find a health-care practitioner who understands pain management. Look for someone with special qualifications in pain management, such as physicians certified by the American Board of Pain Medicine. Look until you are completely satisfied that the health-care practitioner or facility can help you manage your pain."
The NPF recommends asking the following questions to help find the right pain management specialist for your situation:
Pain Medicine physicians treat a variety of pain conditions and know how and when to use the many different treatment options available. Additional information on pain medicine physicians, including lists of qualified professionals, is available from the American Academy of Pain Medicine, www.painmed.org, and the American Board of Pain Medicine, www.abpm.org.
Finding the right pain-management professional can make all the difference in the world. Just ask Jim Royce. After years of searching, he found a pain medicine physician who has helped ease his chronic pain.
"I'm happy to say I've seen changes for the better beginning in the 1990s. Pain medicine has evolved into a recognized specialty. Its doctors understand the plight of those who live with severe pain. And they can offer more options for pain relief," said Royce, who uses a pump that delivers pain medication at regular intervals. "While I still have pain in my extremities – my specialist and I are still working on a treatment for that – the pump has allowed me to live a more productive and comfortable life."
It's important to know when pain is just a temporary annoyance, and when it threatens to become a lifelong problem, says Former Editor-in-Chief Rollin M. Gallagher, M.D., who also is president of the American Board of Pain Medicine.
"Everybody has pain every now and then from a minor musculoskeletal injury or skin injury. But if your pain lasts longer than a week or two and does not respond to rest and simple pain medications, you could be at risk of developing a chronic pain condition. You should see your physician," Dr. Gallagher urges. "If pain persists beyond a few weeks, it could well be that you need the help of a qualified Pain Medicine professional to sort out why pain persists, even after healing."
Consider the case of Jim Royce of the San Francisco Bay area. He remembers all-too-well when his chronic pain began. It was May 17, 1973, and he was helping a friend move a heavy desk down a stairway. His buddy stumbled and Royce caught both his friend and the desk, but suffered a severe back injury.
"I went home and found that I couldn't even make it up the stairs. I had to crawl. I was in total denial about how badly I was injured," recalled Royce, who ended up in the hospital that night.
Over the next few decades Royce endured numerous surgeries, with little or no relief for his pain. "Pain treatment in the 1970s and 1980s was limited. People with chronic pain often were thought of as drug-seekers, and doctors feared they would lose their licenses if they prescribed to one patient too often," said Royce. "I had a choice of lying in bed all day to alleviate pain or visiting doctors' offices, clinics and emergency rooms with the hope of getting enough pain medication to make a difference."
Things have changed for pain patients in recent years, but many still don't know how to get the help they need to avoid Royce's fate, says Dr. Gallagher. Dr. Gallagher and the NPF offer this advice when it comes to getting the proper pain treatment: "The important thing is to find a health-care practitioner who understands pain management. Look for someone with special qualifications in pain management, such as physicians certified by the American Board of Pain Medicine. Look until you are completely satisfied that the health-care practitioner or facility can help you manage your pain."
The NPF recommends asking the following questions to help find the right pain management specialist for your situation:
- How many cases of my particular type of pain have you treated?
- What are your special qualifications to treat patients with my type of pain?
- What is your approach to pain management in terms of medications, injections and complementary therapies?
- What types of medications do you generally prescribe?
- What types of non-medication therapies do you use?
- Where do you refer patients who need additional treatment?
- Is your clinic listed with any professional societies? (Ask for their names and web site addresses.)
- Do you have seven-days-a-week, 24-hour coverage if I need help?
Pain Medicine physicians treat a variety of pain conditions and know how and when to use the many different treatment options available. Additional information on pain medicine physicians, including lists of qualified professionals, is available from the American Academy of Pain Medicine, www.painmed.org, and the American Board of Pain Medicine, www.abpm.org.
Finding the right pain-management professional can make all the difference in the world. Just ask Jim Royce. After years of searching, he found a pain medicine physician who has helped ease his chronic pain.
"I'm happy to say I've seen changes for the better beginning in the 1990s. Pain medicine has evolved into a recognized specialty. Its doctors understand the plight of those who live with severe pain. And they can offer more options for pain relief," said Royce, who uses a pump that delivers pain medication at regular intervals. "While I still have pain in my extremities – my specialist and I are still working on a treatment for that – the pump has allowed me to live a more productive and comfortable life."