Dealing with chronic pain can be a debilitating and frustrating experience that can significantly impact your quality of life. Finding the right pain management doctor can make all the difference in the world. However, with so many doctors and clinics offering pain management services, it can be overwhelming to choose the right one.
Fortunately, you can narrow down your search with the following steps:
Gather As Many Options As Possible
There are many pain management doctors who can help you with your condition. To find the right one for you, you should cast a wide net and find several qualified doctors near you.
Check Your Insurance
The first place you should check is your insurance company. Most insurance providers maintain a network of healthcare providers. If your provider has such a network, you can receive discounts or low out-of-pocket costs when consulting with any of these doctors.
Other insurance companies require their members to be signed up with a primary care physician. To find a specialist, the member will need to get a referral first.
Knowing these details will give you easy access to several pain management doctors, helping you save time and effort.
Ask Around
Another way to find as many pain management doctors as possible is by asking people you trust, like family and close friends. You can also visit hospitals and clinics and directly ask their staff.
Look Online
Lastly, you can check the internet. The databases on the websites of the following institutions are good places to start:
- The American Medical Association’s Doctor Finder
- The American Board of Medical Specialties Certification Matters
MedlinePlus also offers several directories of healthcare providers.
Learn More About Your Choices
Now that you have a list of pain management doctors to choose from, you should do some research into them. This will help you find the one who can help you with your specific needs.
Experience And Credentials
First, you should make sure that the doctors on your list are both experienced and board-certified. By being board-certified, a pain management doctor has proven that they are qualified to provide the best care possible.
To check their credentials, you can visit their website and look for their information. You can also visit the online database of The American Board of Medical Specialties and look them up.
Treatments Provided
Next, you should look at the treatments they provide. Pain management is a broad field, and there are many methods of dealing with acute and chronic pain. Pain management doctors can also specialize in particular treatments. For instance, they may offer nonsurgical treatments such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy and laser therapy. Pain management doctors can also offer interventional pain management. This includes techniques like spinal cord stimulation and radiofrequency ablation.
Knowing which treatments they offer can also help you learn about your preference, leading you to the right pain management doctor.
Location
One other thing you should learn more about is the locations of their offices. Visiting them for consultations and treatments will take time, energy, and money.
If you are suffering from severe pain, traveling from your home or work to their office may be hard. To make it easier to get the care you need, look for pain management doctors with offices near you.
If you would like help with this, some health plans actually restrict you to healthcare providers within your area. Choosing a pain management doctor that accepts your insurance plan and practices near you is always a good idea.
Schedule An Appointment With Them
With your list of doctors narrowed down based on credentials, treatments, and location, it is time to visit each one. By doing this, you will gain a better idea of how their entire team will treat and care for you.
While consulting each one, don’t be afraid to ask any questions about your condition and the treatments they offer. You can also ask them about their credentials to double-check what you’ve researched.
After each consultation, think about your experience while talking with the doctor. Ask yourself:
- Did the doctor and their staff make you feel comfortable?
- Do you like the doctor’s personality and communication skills?
- Did they explain your condition and the treatments in a clear and comprehensive manner?
- Did the doctor listen to you carefully?
- Were you given a chance to ask further questions?
Interventional Pain Management Near You In Dover, DE
If you’re suffering from pain, pain management doctors can help remedy your condition through interventional pain management. By using pain-blocking techniques, your day-to-day activities will be less difficult, and your quality of life will be improved. If you’re looking to relieve your pain through interventional pain management, you’ve come to the right place.
At the Delaware Back Pain & Sports Rehabilitation Centers, our pain management doctors near you are dedicated to providing high-quality care. With seven offices in Dover and neighboring areas, we can help you get back to living a good life. If you have any questions, call us at (302) 529-8783 today! You can also use our online request form to schedule an appointment from the comfort of your own home.