Searching for Effective Treatment for Back Pain, Nearby, in Hackensack?

• Neck pain – both chronic and acute
• Shoulder Pain – rotator cuff tears, tendonitis, shoulder impingement
• Back pain – herniated discs, spinal stenosis, osteoarthritis, joint dysfunctions,
• Hip pain – hip injuries, tendinitis, arthritis
• Knee pain – bursitis, patellar tendinitis, pаtеllоfеmоrаl pain syndrome

At a pain clinic such as Pain Treatment Specialists, you will find a team of dedicated nurses, pain doctors, and physical therapists dedicated to helping you lead a pain-free life. The goal of a pain clinic is to improve their patients’ quality of life and teach them how to manage their pain.

One of the main reasons people fear going to a pain clinic is they believe chronic pain is always treated by an orthopedic surgeon with invasive surgical treatments. However, surgery is just one method of dealing with pain and is only recommended as a last resort. Our board-certified back pain physicians will try minimally invasive procedures such as epidural steroid injections, spinal cord stimulation, or radiofrequency ablation before considering other, more invasive treatments.

If you seek treatment for neck or back pain near you, in Hackensack, you need to know what to expect from your first visit to the pain clinic. Below is a quick overview of how the first appointment with a pain physician will be like, to give you a clearer idea.

2. Your Back Pain Doctor Will Ask About Your Medical History

The first thing you will be discussing with your pain specialists is going to be your pain history. This includes the symptoms you are having, medication you have tried until now, and any other important detail you can remember.

Be sure to tell your doctor everything about your condition so that they can provide an accurate diagnosis. If you have been seeing other doctors in the past, it is recommended you bring any medical document you may still have, including x-rays, scans, and previous test results, so that the physician can examine them as well.

Many doctors recommend patients keep a pain diary where they record their daily symptoms, treatment, and overall health status. This will help you better understand how severe the pain is and determine if certain activities or situations influence pain signals.

3. There Will Be a Physical Examination As Well

The visit also includes a physical examination where your doctor will assess your symptoms. This is important in order to determine how severe the pain is and what needs to be done next. First, the doctor will perform a routine checkup that includes pulse, temperature, blood pressure, and heart rate check. Then, a good physician will use state of the art equipment to perform an in-depth physical examination.

Some key points of the physical examination are:

• Posture observation
• Squat and rise exercises
• Joint examination and palpation
• Shoulder examination
• Detailed spinal examination

If necessary, the doctor will recommend some diagnostic tests that can include bone scans, a CT scan, electromyography, nerve block injections, or an X-ray.

4. Diagnosis and treatment options

After the doctor gathers all the necessary information from the physical examination and from the discussion with you, they will usually be able to put a probable diagnosis. If they consider more information needs to be gathered, they will recommend additional examination or tests.

Sometimes, if the diagnosis is clear, the doctor can perform minimally invasive treatment during your first visit. Still, more often than now, you will be asked to return at a certain date in the future. In the meantime, the physician can prescribe medication to help you deal with the symptoms.

In cases where minimally invasive treatment does not prove successful, you may be referred to an orthopedic surgeon for more complex treatment.

5. It Is Recommended to Write Down any Question You Would Like to Ask Your Back Doctor

A good pain doctor will encourage you to ask any question you may have about your current condition. Remember that there is no such thing as a right or wrong question, so feel free to share your concerns with the specialist.

Here are some questions you can consider asking your pain doctor at the first appointment:

• What seems to be the cause of my pain?
• Is it usual to experience these symptoms in my condition?
• Can there be any complications? How can they be prevented?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of certain types of treatment?
• Are there any resources that can help me learn more about this condition?
• Is there any activity I should refrain from?

6. You May Want to Take a Friend with You for Emotional and Physical Support

If you are to receive any type of treatment, make sure to ask the doctor if you will be able to drive or go home by yourself afterward. Certain treatment options can temporarily affect your movement for the following few hours, so it is better if you have someone that can help you arrive home safe. If you only go for a check-up, a friend can offer moral support. It’s always better to have someone waiting for you at the door than to return home by yourself.

However, if you do decide to come by yourself, our friendly staff and dedicated doctors will make you feel at home.

The most important thing you need to remember when you search for pain treatment is to find a doctor you trust. At Pain Treatment Specialists, we are determined to help our patients find proper treatment and continue living a healthy, pain-free life.

If you are looking for a pain doctor near you, in Hackensack, don’t hesitate to schedule your first appointment with us today! You can find us in Paramus on Route 17, near the Paramus Park Mall, in Clifton, NJ, on Route 46 E, past the Ford dealership, in West Orange, close to the Essex Country Club.