What to expect from pain management clinics? How to find the right one for your needs? Discover effective ways to manage chronic pain and improve your quality of life.

Understanding Pain Management Clinics

Pain management clinics, also known as pain clinics, are specialized healthcare facilities that focus on the diagnosis and treatment of chronic pain conditions. These clinics take a comprehensive approach, often involving a team of medical professionals including doctors, nurses, psychologists, physical therapists, and other specialists. The primary goal of pain management clinics is to help patients reduce their pain and improve their overall quality of life.

Types of Pain Management Clinics

There are two main types of pain management clinics:

1. Procedure-Focused Clinics: These clinics specialize in performing specific procedures and treatments to address specific types of pain, such as back, neck, or joint pain.
2. Interdisciplinary Clinics: These clinics take a more holistic approach, considering the entire person and using a variety of treatment modalities, including medications, physical therapy, behavioral therapy, and complementary therapies.

What to Expect at a Pain Management Clinic

When you visit a pain management clinic, you can expect a comprehensive evaluation and the development of a personalized treatment plan. The clinic’s team will work with you to understand the source and nature of your pain, as well as any underlying health conditions that may be contributing to it. Based on this assessment, they will recommend a combination of treatments, which may include:

• Medications (prescription and over-the-counter)
• Physical therapy and rehabilitation
• Behavioral therapies (e.g., cognitive-behavioral therapy, biofeedback)
• Complementary and alternative therapies (e.g., acupuncture, massage, meditation)
• Interventional procedures (e.g., nerve blocks, spinal cord stimulation, joint injections)

How to Find a Pain Management Clinic

If you’re struggling with chronic pain, finding the right pain management clinic can make a significant difference in your quality of life. Here are some tips to help you locate a suitable clinic:

1. Ask your primary care physician or specialist for a referral to a pain management clinic.
2. Contact your local hospital or medical center, as many have specialized pain clinics.
3. Reach out to a local pain support group, as they may be able to provide recommendations.
4. Search the Center to Advance Palliative Care’s directory to find providers in your state.

What to Look for in a Pain Management Clinic

When evaluating a pain management clinic, consider the following factors:

• Specialization: Look for a clinic that has experience and expertise in treating your specific type of pain.
• Credentials: Ensure the clinic’s healthcare providers are board-certified in pain management or have received additional training in this area.
• Comprehensive Approach: Opt for a clinic that takes a multidisciplinary approach, addressing both the physical and psychological aspects of your pain.
• Communication and Collaboration: Choose a clinic where the staff listens to your concerns, involves you in the decision-making process, and works closely with your primary care physician.
• Treatments Offered: Evaluate the range of treatments and therapies available at the clinic, ensuring they align with your preferences and needs.

Avoiding Problematic Pain Clinics

It’s important to be cautious of pain clinics that heavily rely on prescribing opioid medications as the primary treatment. These clinics may not provide a comprehensive, patient-centered approach and could potentially lead to issues such as addiction and other adverse side effects. When evaluating a pain clinic, be wary of the following:

• Clinics that focus solely on prescribing opioids or other controlled substances
• Clinics that do not offer a range of non-medication treatments, such as physical therapy or behavioral therapies
• Clinics with poor communication, lack of patient involvement, or a high staff turnover rate

Improving Quality of Life with Pain Management

Effective pain management can significantly improve your quality of life by reducing pain, increasing your ability to function, and enhancing your overall well-being. By working closely with a pain management clinic, you can develop the necessary skills and strategies to manage your chronic pain and regain control over your daily activities. Remember, the goal of pain management is not just to treat the pain, but to help you live a more fulfilling and active life.

What to Expect and How to Find One

Written by David Steen Martin

• What Is a Pain Clinic?
• What’s the Goal?
• Do They Work?
• How Do I Find a Pain Clinic?
• What Should I Look For?
• What Else Should I Ask?
• What Should I Avoid?
• More

At least 100 million Americans and more than 1.5 billion people worldwide live with chronic pain.

Most Americans with it say it’s tough for them to sleep well at night and concentrate during the day. They also say it affects their energy levels and their enjoyment of life.

If pain is regular part of your life, a pain clinic may be able to help you.

Also called pain management clinics, they’re health care facilities that focus on the diagnosis and management of chronic pain. There are two kinds. One focuses on procedures to deal with specific types of pain, like neck and back pain.

The other, sometimes called an interdisciplinary clinic, takes an approach that looks at the whole person.

Often, your team may include:

• Nurses and doctors
• Psychologists
• Physical therapists
• Occupational and vocational therapists
• Nutritionists and dietitians

In addition to medications, these clinics can help you manage pain with physical, behavioral, and psychological therapies.

They also may teach you about your pain, coach you on lifestyle changes, and offer complementary or alternative medicine. These can include:

• Acupuncture
• Biofeedback
• Cognitive behavioral therapy
• Water therapy
• Massage
• Meditation

It’s to cut your pain and raise your quality of life. Treatment at a pain clinic can give you the skills to manage your chronic pain on your own and make you more able to function, possibly so that you may return to work.

Multiple studies say folks who have comprehensive pain management have less pain and emotional distress. Research says they also can do their daily tasks easier.

Ask your primary care doctor or specialist for a referral. You can also:

• Call your local hospital or medical center.
• Get help from a local pain support group.
• Search The Center to Advance Palliative Care for a list of providers in each state.

Look for a clinic with a specialist who knows about your kind of pain. Ask if the doctor has had special training and is board certified in pain management.

As with other doctors, you should also try to find someone you feel comfortable with. Your pain management specialist will treat your pain and coordinate other care, including physical therapy, rehabilitation, and counseling.

A good pain program will work with you and your family to create a plan based on your goals. It will monitor your progress and tell you how you’re doing.

Be sure to ask what kind of therapies and treatments a clinic offers. You can also see if they organize support groups.

Ask if you can talk to other folks who have had treatment there.

You should stay away from pain clinics that offer mostly narcotics to treat pain. These medications can be highly addictive. They also can interact with other things you take.

A pain clinic should focus on the person, not just the pain.

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Phyllis’s Story

Phyllis loves playing with her grandchildren, working in the garden, and going to bingo games. But, at age 76, the constant knee pain from osteoarthritis is taking a toll. It keeps her awake at night and stops her from doing activities she enjoys. The pain’s getting to be too much to handle, but she doesn’t know what to do about it.

You’ve probably been in pain at one time or another. Maybe you’ve had a headache or bruise—pain that doesn’t last too long. But, many older people have ongoing pain from health problems like arthritis, diabetes, shingles, or cancer.

Pain can be your body’s way of warning you that something is wrong. Always tell the doctor where you hurt and exactly how it feels.

Acute Pain and Chronic Pain

There are two kinds of pain. Acute pain begins suddenly, lasts for a short time, and goes away as your body heals. You might feel acute pain after surgery or if you have a broken bone, infected tooth, or kidney stone.

Pain that lasts for 3 months or longer is called chronic pain. This pain often affects older people. For some people, chronic pain is caused by a health condition such as arthritis. It may also follow acute pain from an injury, surgery, or other health issue that has been treated, like post-herpetic neuralgia after shingles.

Living with any type of pain can be hard. It can cause many other problems. For instance, pain can:

• Get in the way of your daily activities
• Disturb your sleep and eating habits
• Make it difficult to continue working
• Be related to depression or anxiety
• Keep you from spending time with friends and family

Describing Pain

Many people have a hard time describing pain. Think about these questions when you explain how the pain feels:

• Where does it hurt?
• When did the pain start? Does it come and go?
• What does it feel like? Is the pain sharp, dull, or burning? Would you use some other word to describe it?
• Do you have other symptoms?
• When do you feel the pain? In the morning? In the evening? After eating?
• Is there anything you do that makes the pain feel better or worse? For example, does using a heating pad or ice pack help? Does changing your position from lying down to sitting up make it better?
• What medicines, including over-the-counter medications and non-medicine therapies have you tried, and what was their effect?

Your doctor or nurse may ask you to rate your pain on a scale of 0 to 10, with 0 being no pain and 10 being the worst pain you can imagine. Or, your doctor may ask if the pain is mild, moderate, or severe. Some doctors or nurses have pictures of faces that show different expressions of pain and ask you to point to the face that shows how you feel. Your doctor may ask you to keep a diary of when and what kind of pain you feel every day.

Attitudes About Pain

Everyone reacts to pain differently. Some people feel they should be brave and not complain when they hurt. Other people are quick to report pain and ask for help.

Worrying about pain is common. This worry can make you afraid to stay active, and it can separate you from your friends and family. Working with your doctor, you can find ways to continue to take part in physical and social activities despite having pain.

Some people put off going to the doctor because they think pain is part of aging and nothing can help. This is not true!

It is important to see a doctor if you have a new pain. Finding a way to manage pain is often easier if it is addressed early.

Treating Pain

Treating, or managing, chronic pain is important. Some treatments involve medications, and some do not. Your treatment plan should be specific to your needs.

Most treatment plans focus on both reducing pain and increasing ways to support daily function while living with pain.

Talk with your doctor about how long it may take before you feel better. Often, you have to stick with a treatment plan before you get relief. It’s important to stay on a schedule. Sometimes this is called “staying ahead” or “keeping on top” of your pain. Be sure to tell your doctor about any side effects. You might have to try different treatments until you find a plan that works for you. As your pain lessens, you can likely become more active and will see your mood lift and sleep improve.

Pain Specialist

Some doctors receive extra training in pain management. If you find that your regular doctor can’t help you, ask him or her for the name of a pain medicine specialist. A pain specialist may be a doctor, nurse, or anesthesiologist.

If you or a loved one is managing pain from cancer or other serious illness, ask to be seen by a palliative care specialist. These specialists are trained to manage pain and other symptoms for people with serious illnesses.

Medicines to Treat Pain

Your doctor may prescribe one or more of the following pain medications. Talk with your doctor about their safety and the right dose to take.

• Acetaminophen may help all types of pain, especially mild to moderate pain. Acetaminophen is found in over-the-counter and prescription medicines. People who have more than three drinks per day or who have liver disease should not take acetaminophen.
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) include aspirin, naproxen, and ibuprofen. Long-term use of some NSAIDs can cause side effects, like internal bleeding or kidney problems, which make them unsafe for many older adults. You may not be able to take ibuprofen if you have high blood pressure.
• Narcotics (also called opioids) are used for moderate to severe pain and require a doctor’s prescription. They may be habit-forming. They can also be dangerous when taken with alcohol or certain other drugs. Examples of narcotics are codeine, morphine, and oxycodone.
• Other medications are sometimes used to treat pain. These include antidepressants, anticonvulsive medicines, local painkillers like nerve blocks or patches, and ointments and creams.

As people age, they are at risk for developing more side effects from medications. It’s important to take exactly the amount of pain medicine your doctor prescribes. Don’t chew or crush your pills if they are supposed to be swallowed whole. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you’re having trouble swallowing your pills.

Mixing any pain medication with alcohol or other drugs can be dangerous. Make sure your doctor knows all the medicines you take, including over-the-counter drugs and dietary supplements, as well as the amount of alcohol you drink.

Remember: If you think the medicine is not working, don’t change it on your own. Talk to your doctor or nurse.

Can I Get Addicted to Pain Medicine?

Sometimes, strong medications called opioids are needed to control pain. Opioid pain relievers are generally safe when taken for a short time as prescribed by your doctor, but they can become addictive, especially if they are misused. Regular use can lead to dependence. Never take opioids in greater amounts or more often than prescribed.

Using opioids can also increase risk for falls, dizziness, and other ailments in older adults.

Becoming addicted to prescription pain medicine can happen to anyone, including older adults. Sometimes, these treatments are the only ones available that can help. But, sometimes other treatments can and should be tried first or can be used intermittently or simultaneously. So, ask your doctor if there is another medicine or a non-medicine alternative you can try. Tell your doctor if you or a family member has a history of alcohol or drug abuse.

For more information about opioid use, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website.

Opioid addiction can be treated. If you or someone close to you needs help for a substance use disorder, talk with your doctor, or contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration at 1-800-662-4357.

What Other Treatments Help with Pain?

In addition to drugs, there are a variety of complementary and alternative approaches that may provide relief. Talk to your doctor about these treatments. It may take both medicine and other treatments to feel better.

• Acupuncture uses hair-thin needles to stimulate specific points on the body to relieve pain.
• Biofeedback helps you learn to control your heart rate, blood pressure, muscle tension, and other body functions. This may help reduce your pain and stress level.
• Cognitive behavioral therapy is a form of short-term counseling that may help reduce your reaction to pain.
• Distraction can help you cope with acute pain, taking your mind off your discomfort.
• Electrical nerve stimulation uses electrical impulses to relieve pain.
• Guided imagery uses directed thoughts to create mental pictures that may help you relax, manage anxiety, sleep better, and have less pain.
• Hypnosis uses focused attention to help manage pain.
• Massage therapy can release tension in tight muscles.
• Mind-body stress reduction combines mindfulness meditation, body awareness, and yoga to increase relaxation and reduce pain.
• Physical therapy uses a variety of techniques to help manage everyday activities with less pain and teaches you ways to improve flexibility and strength.

Helping Yourself

There are things you can do yourself that might help you feel better. Try to:

• Keep a healthy weight. Putting on extra pounds can slow healing and make some pain worse. A healthy weight might help with pain in the knees, back, hips, or feet.
• Be physically active. Pain might make you inactive, which can lead to more pain and loss of function. Activity can help.
• Get enough sleep. It can reduce pain sensitivity, help healing, and improve your mood.
• Avoid tobacco, caffeine, and alcohol. They can get in the way of treatment and increase pain.
• Join a pain support group. Sometimes, it can help to talk to other people about how they deal with pain. You can share your thoughts while learning from others.

Cancer Pain

Some people with cancer are more afraid of the pain than of the cancer. But most pain from cancer or cancer treatments can be controlled. As with all pain, it’s best to start managing cancer pain early. It might take a while to find the best approach.

One special concern in managing cancer pain is “breakthrough pain.” This is pain that comes on quickly and can take you by surprise. It can be very upsetting. After one attack, many people worry it will happen again. This is another reason to talk with your doctor about having a pain management plan in place.

Alzheimer’s Disease and Pain

People who have Alzheimer’s disease may not be able to tell you when they’re in pain. When you’re caring for someone with Alzheimer’s, watch for clues. A person’s face may show signs of being in pain or feeling ill. You may see a person frequently changing position or having trouble sleeping. You may also notice sudden changes in behavior such as increased agitation, crying, or moaning. Refusing to eat may be a sign that the person has tooth pain or other oral health issues. It’s important to find out if there is something wrong. If you’re not sure what to do, call the doctor for help.

Pain at the End of Life

Not everyone who is dying is in pain. But, if a person has pain at the end of life, there are ways to help. Experts believe it’s best to focus on making the person comfortable, without worrying about possible addiction or drug dependence. For more information, read Providing Comfort at the End of Life.

Caring for Someone in Pain

It’s hard to see a loved one hurting. Caring for a person in pain can leave you feeling tired and discouraged. To keep from feeling overwhelmed, you might consider asking other family members and friends for help. Or, some community service organizations might offer short-term, or respite, care. The Eldercare Locator might help you find a local group that offers this service.

Some Facts About Pain

• Most people don’t have to live with pain. There are pain treatments. While not all pain can be cured, most pain can be managed. If your doctor has not been able to help you, ask to see a pain specialist.
• The side effects from pain medicine are often manageable. Side effects from pain medicine like constipation, dry mouth, and drowsiness may be a problem when you first begin taking the medicine. These problems can often be treated and may go away as your body gets used to the medicine.
• Your doctor will not think you’re a sissy if you talk about your pain. If you’re in pain, tell your doctor so you can get help.
• If you use pain medicine now, it will still work when you need it later. Using medicine at the first sign of pain may help control your pain later.
• Pain is not “all in your head.” No one but you knows how your pain feels. If you’re in pain, talk with your doctor.

For more information about pain and pain management

Eldercare Locator
800-677-1116
eldercarelocator@n4a. org
https://eldercare.acl.gov

MedlinePlus
National Library of Medicine      
www.medlineplus.gov

National Cancer Institute
800-422-6237
[email protected]
www.cancer.gov

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
888-644-6226
866-464-3615 (TTY)
[email protected]
www.nccih.nih.gov

National Institute on Drug Abuse
301-443-1124
www.drugabuse.gov

Psychology Today

www.psychologytoday.com/us/groups

This content is provided by the NIH National Institute on Aging (NIA). NIA scientists and other experts review this content to ensure it is accurate and up to date.

Content reviewed:
February 28, 2018

removal of any pain (acute or chronic) on the day of treatment

Pain Clinic is the embodiment of the modern concept of personalized medicine – medicine with an individual approach and attention to each patient.

Headache

Severely tolerable symptom, which, depending on the localization and nature, may indicate various pathologies. The source of pain can be the meninges, numerous cranial nerves, structures located in the head area: the nose and its sinuses, the inner, middle and outer ear, teeth, etc. A headache can be harmless and stop on its own after sleep or rest, or it can be a symptom of such a formidable condition as a stroke.

Neck area

An extremely important area, as the main vessels that feed the brain, airways and structures of the digestive system pass through this limited space. The close arrangement of organs, rich blood supply and innervation often mislead a patient experiencing pain in the neck – it is difficult to determine what is the cause of his condition. Therefore, it is extremely important to consult a doctor in order to start the treatment of a serious pathology in time, if it is detected, and to maintain the health of the neck, because the activity and longevity of the brain depend on this.

Shoulders

The nature of the pain in the shoulders can tell the nature of the underlying disease. Pain during movement or after exertion corresponds to osteoarthritis, in which articular cartilage thins and degenerates. Pain at rest and after rest may indicate a rheumatic disease: rheumatoid arthritis, polymyalgia rheumatica. Also, pain in the shoulder can be radiating (radiating) from other organs. So, for example, pain in the left shoulder can be a symptom of acute cholecystitis, and pain in the right shoulder can accompany angina pectoris and even myocardial infarction.

Chest

Chest pain can be a symptom of many diseases. The complex innervation of this zone contributes to the fact that pain is often felt remotely from its source. So, for example, a painful point on the anterior surface of the chest may indicate a lesion of the spinal nerve root due to a hernia or protrusion of the disc. Lung diseases affecting the pleura also present with chest pain. If such a symptom occurs, it is most important to exclude coronary heart disease in the form of angina pectoris or myocardial infarction.

Heart area

Pain in the heart area is a formidable symptom, if it occurs, you should immediately consult a doctor in order to exclude dangerous diseases – myocardial infarction, coronary heart disease with angina pectoris, pericarditis and other pathologies. However, do not forget that with heart damage, retrosternal pain is more characteristic than left-sided pain. In addition, pain in the region of the heart can arise from completely different sources – spinal nerves, pleura, etc. This pain requires careful examination and attention.

Upper abdomen

Abdominal pain is a symptom that should definitely be reported to a doctor. Abdominal pain is insidious, occurring in hundreds of different conditions. The most common causes of pain in the upper abdomen are gastritis and stomach ulcers. Such pain appears after eating, accompanied by bloating and a feeling of fullness. Pain with a duodenal ulcer, on the contrary, appears a few hours after eating, against the background of hunger. With pancreatitis, the pain is girdle, radiating to the back. With cholecystitis and hepatitis, the pain is shifted towards the right hypochondrium and may occur after a heavy intake of fatty foods.

Middle and lower abdomen

Abdominal pain is a symptom that should definitely be reported to a doctor. Abdominal pain is insidious, occurring in hundreds of different conditions. With pain of such localization, you should contact a therapist who, after an initial examination, will determine which narrow specialist should be treated further. If the cause of the pain is a bowel disease, a gastroenterologist or coloproctologist will deal with you. Pyelonephritis, urolithiasis and other kidney diseases are treated by a general practitioner or urologist, nephrologist. The pathology of the female or male genital organs is treated by a gynecologist or urologist, respectively.

Elbow

Elbow pain can result from damage to the elbow joint itself and be referred from the shoulder joint or even the spine. Inflammatory joint pain occurs at rest and after rest, it can be caused by an infection (septic arthritis) or a rheumatic disease (rheumatoid arthritis, polymyalgia rheumatica, etc.). Also, it is not the joint itself that can hurt, but the periarticular tissues, as, for example, with epicondylitis, when the tendon is affected due to monotonous monotonous work with the hand.

Hand

The hand is made up of many small bones, joints and various soft tissue structures. In ordinary life, the brush makes many multidirectional movements. Pain in the wrist or small joints of the hands can be due to systemic inflammatory diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis), degenerative diseases (osteoarthritis), inflammation of the periarticular tissues and nerve damage. For a long-term preservation of the functional activity of the hand, it is necessary to diagnose and treat the cause of the pain in a timely manner.

Hip joint

Hip pain is a common syndrome, especially among the elderly. The most common cause of pain is osteoarthritis, a disease in which articular cartilage degenerates and thins, making movement in the joint painful. Pain can occur as a result of inflammation of the joint, arthritis of various etiologies. Pain in this area may be referred from the lumbar spine if the roots and nerves exiting the spinal cord are irritated. The most dangerous condition in the elderly is a hip fracture, which can occur without a pronounced traumatic factor, but due to osteoporosis. The cause of the pain must be carefully diagnosed and treated.

Knee

Knee pain is a common syndrome. The pain may be due to inflammation of the joint – arthritis. Arthritis occurs when an infectious agent enters the joint cavity directly, as a reaction to an infection of another localization (intestinal infections, chlamydia), and also as a result of systemic inflammatory diseases. Osteoarthritis is a disease in which the articular cartilage degenerates and thins, and movement in the joint becomes painful. In addition, pain can occur as a result of damage and inflammation of the periarticular tissues and intra-articular structures – ligaments, menisci, tendons.

Lower leg

Lower leg pain may be due to vascular disease. If the blood flow through the arteries is disturbed due to atherosclerotic plaques or for other reasons, the tissues of the leg begin to experience oxygen starvation, ischemia occurs, which is manifested by pain when walking and moving. If the veins are affected, then the outflow of blood from the limb is disturbed, the leg swells and hurts. In both cases, delay in treatment is fraught with irreversible consequences for the patient. In some cases, you can feel a painful tightness in the muscle – this is the so-called trigger point – a local spasm that indicates a problem in another localization, for example, in the lumbar spine. The trigger point needs to be stretched, but the root cause of its appearance must also be identified and cured.

Ankle joint

Ankle pain is a concern not only for older patients, but also for young people, especially athletes. The pain may be due to inflammation of the joint – arthritis. Arthritis occurs when an infectious agent enters the joint cavity directly, as a reaction to an infection of another localization (intestinal infections, chlamydia), and also as a result of systemic inflammatory diseases (psoriatic arthritis). Osteoarthritis is a disease in which the articular cartilage degenerates and thins, and movement in the joint becomes painful. In addition, pain can occur as a result of damage and inflammation of the periarticular tissues – ligaments and tendons.

Foot

The foot is a complex structure formed by many small bones, joints, muscles and soft tissues. Foot pain can occur for many different reasons, the most common being orthopedic pathology. Flat feet, which can be from childhood or progress with age, defects and asymmetry, coupled with improperly selected shoes and prolonged load, can cause pain. Less common, but much more pronounced, gouty arthritis, which occurs suddenly, affects the first metatarsophalangeal joint and leaves no choice but to urgently see a doctor. A heel spur is a bone spike that grows out of the heel bone and injures soft tissues, can cause severe discomfort or be almost invisible, but nevertheless requires diagnosis and treatment.

Department for the Treatment of Patients with Chronic Pain Syndromes (Pain Treatment Clinic)

Head of the Department

Genov Pavel Gennadievich

Anesthesiologist-resuscitator of the highest qualification category, Doctor of Medical Sciences

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Contacts of the department

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8 (499) 196-23-81
8 (925) 612-24-90

Work time
from 9:00 to 16:00

Registration for a consultation with referrals from polyclinics 057u (under the CHI policy) has been suspended. Previously booked patients will be consulted according to the appointment.

About 23% of the population suffers from chronic pain syndromes. Chronic pain is a serious, socially significant problem that reduces the quality of life of patients, deprives them of the opportunity to work, do what they love, and pay attention to loved ones. People suffering from chronic pain are forced to take painkillers for a long time. But, unfortunately, at some point they stop helping.
Surgical intervention also does not always solve the problem. Often the cause that caused the pain can no longer be completely eliminated, and sometimes it is simply impossible to find.

In order to help such patients, the Department of Pain Treatment (Pain Treatment Clinic) operates in City Clinical Hospital No. 52 under the guidance of a well-known specialist in this field, Doctor of Medical Sciences Pavel Genov Genov. We strive, regardless of the cause of the pain, to reduce its intensity and improve the quality of life of our patients. To do this, the Pain Clinic uses a large number of methods: from exercise therapy and drug treatment to complex interventional procedures (including blockade and radiofrequency ablation) and the installation of neurostimulation systems.

How to get treatment?

1. Sign up for a consultation by calling 8 (499) 196-23-81 and 8 (925) 612-24-90 from 9:00 to 16:00.
2. On the appointed day and time, come to the clinic (with all the information about your illness: conclusions of specialist consultations, extracts from hospitals, test results, images) and get advice from a pain treatment specialist (algologist).
3. If necessary, after consultation with a specialist, you will be prescribed interventional procedures for the treatment of pain (therapeutic and diagnostic blockades under x-ray or ultrasound control, radiofrequency ablation, implantation of nerve stimulators). Please note that the need and possibility of performing therapeutic and diagnostic blockades is determined only by a specialist in the pain treatment service – an algologist. This takes into account all the information about your health and the characteristics of the pathology that led to the onset of pain.

If you cannot reach Pain Management by phone, please contact us.

To sign up for a consultation via the electronic form, please provide the following information:

• Full name, contact phone number
• Diagnosis and brief description of complaints: nature and localization of pain, duration of pain syndrome.

We help with the following pain syndromes:

• back and leg pain (including hernia and spondylarthrosis pain)
• pain in large joints (pain in the hip, shoulder, knee, etc.)
• headache (including migraine, cluster headache and other headaches)
• diabetic neuropathy
• postherpetic neuralgia
• phantom pains
• chronic pancreatitis
• pancreatic cancer
• tunnel syndromes (syndrome of the carpal, cubital canal, Guyon’s canal, radial nerve, etc.)
• various peripheral neuropathies
• other chronic pain syndromes
• ANY pain of unknown etiology

We use the following methods of pain treatment:

Medical treatment

The treatment of any pain syndrome usually begins with more gentle methods. If you take painkillers in safe dosages that help you and are well tolerated, there is no need for complex blockades and surgery. A Pain Doctor can help you choose the drug that will be most effective for you, taking into account the characteristics of the pain syndrome and comorbidities.

Therapeutic blockades

For pain associated with diseases of the spine and joints, various “blockades” can be effective. When performing these procedures, the drug is injected directly to the source of pain. How?

In sterile conditions of a small operating room under X-ray or ultrasound control, using a special long needle, potent anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs are injected directly to one or several damaged nerves or directly into the joint capsule, which leads to a decrease in inflammation and, as a result, a decrease in intensity and sometimes complete disappearance of pain.

The average duration of effect is estimated by experts in this field to be 3-6 months, but may be longer or shorter depending on the characteristics of the disease and the individual patient. Relief of pain, even for such a period of time, can help patients improve their quality of life, start exercise therapy, and thus further progress in the treatment of the disease.

Intra-articular injection of hyaluronic acid preparations can also be effective in the treatment of knee pain. These drugs replace the joint’s own synovial fluid and improve cartilage function.

Why is blockade sometimes preferable to medical treatment or surgery? Firstly, it has high efficiency and speed of action, because. anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs are administered directly to the source of pain. Secondly, it is relatively safe, because. is carried out under visual control (X-ray or ultrasound), which ensures high accuracy and significantly reduces the risk of adverse events and complications. Although the procedure is performed in an operating room and can be difficult, once the procedure is completed, the patient does not need long-term follow-up and can go home after a few hours.

Radiofrequency treatment

Radiofrequency ablation or pulsed radiofrequency treatment is used to treat pain associated with nerve compression due to a herniated disc or arthrosis of the intervertebral joints (facet syndrome). Under X-ray control, a special needle with an electrode is passed directly to the damaged nerve root or nerves of the intervertebral joints, and radiofrequency exposure is performed on them, which leads to a decrease in the conduction of pain impulses and a decrease in pain intensity. The effect of this procedure can last up to 1 year.

Radiofrequency treatment has a number of advantages: long lasting analgesic effect, low risk of complications due to X-ray guided procedures and special tests carried out during the procedure, good tolerability.

Therapeutic exercise

Therapeutic exercise is an integral part of the complex treatment of any pain syndrome. Specialists in physical therapy and rehabilitation treatment of City Clinical Hospital No. 52 will help you in selecting a set of exercises, taking into account your condition and the characteristics of the disease.

Exercise therapy for neck pain | Exercise therapy for back pain

Psychotherapy

The perception of pain is closely related to our emotional sphere. Patients suffering from chronic pain for several months or years often develop depression, anxiety, neuroses. It is difficult to cope with such phenomena on your own. A psychotherapist can help you change your perception of pain, correct psycho-emotional disorders, improve your quality of life and thus achieve optimal treatment results in combination with physiotherapy, medication and interventional methods.

Surgical treatment

In a number of patients with chronic pain syndromes associated with nerve damage, we use electrode implantation to stimulate the spinal cord and individual nerves. Operations are carried out within the framework of the city’s program of high-tech medical care.

Frequently Asked Questions

How and how pain is treated

We are often asked the questions “How to relieve pain? How to relieve neuropathic pain? Where to make an “injection for pain”, “blockade of the spine”? How to “block the pain”?

Let’s answer unequivocally: chronic pain cannot be simply blocked or relieved, the treatment of chronic pain is a complex and often lengthy process, which always includes several methods and various approaches.

What can help a person in the fight against pain?

Analgesics
These drugs are familiar to everyone: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), paracetamol, narcotic analgesics. In this case, tablet forms of drugs are preferable to injections.

Anticonvulsants, antidepressants, glucocorticosteroids are also used for neuropathic pain associated with damage to nerve fibers. Topical formulations, usually containing local anesthetics or capsaicin, may also be effective in some cases.

Interventional pain treatments
Interventional pain treatments include interventions such as injection of drugs into the area of ​​the injured nerve or nerve plexus (therapeutic blockades), intra-articular drug administration, pulsed radiofrequency therapy, radiofrequency ablation, and placement of spinal cord neurostimulators. All procedures are performed using imaging tools, that is, under ultrasound or X-ray control.

Surgical treatment
Unfortunately, in some cases, only surgery can help, for example, decompressive and stabilizing operations on the spine in case of instability or stenosis of the spinal canal, joint replacement and some other surgical interventions that reduce the intensity of pain, and sometimes to solve the issue more radically – to eliminate the very cause of the pain. Nevertheless, one must take into account the fact that complex surgical interventions are always associated with greater risks than interventional and drug treatment. Therefore, the tactics and methods of treatment are always determined by the doctor together with the patient, taking into account the characteristics of his disease, the presence of contraindications, and concomitant diseases.

Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is an integral part of helping patients with chronic pain. The goal of cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy is to change the perception of pain, to teach a person to live with pain, to remain as active as possible.

Unfortunately, even despite such a variety of means and methods, it is far from always possible to completely rid a person of chronic pain. Reducing the intensity of chronic pain by 50% is, according to world practice, a good result that improves the quality of life.

Therapeutic exercise
Our Pain Clinic employs physiotherapy instructors who specialize in chronic pain syndromes associated with diseases of the spine, joints, who are well aware of the approach to patients with pain, including general pain (pain throughout the body ) and neuropathic pain.

Who heals the pain?

In many countries there is a separate medical specialty for this – Pain Management (pain treatment). In Russia, neurologists, anesthesiologists, neurosurgeons, orthopedic traumatologists are most often involved in pain treatment, all of them can be called algologists. Doctors of several specialties are involved in the treatment of chronic pain syndrome in each individual patient, which makes it possible to more effectively influence various links in the development of chronic pain.

In our Pain Clinic, the work of the main specialists of the pain treatment department (anaesthesiologists) under the leadership of Genov P.G. successfully complemented by the work of specialists in physical therapy (LFK), psychotherapists. Thanks to this approach, the patient, in addition to the main drug or interventional treatment, receives a powerful psychological incentive to work to overcome pain. This gives the most positive results. We also cooperate with neurosurgeons and orthopedic traumatologists.

What can and should a patient do to treat chronic pain?

Even with a comprehensive approach to treatment using complex methods and involving specialists from different fields, it is impossible to succeed without the participation of the patient himself. First of all, you need to change your attitude towards pain. Yes, chronic pain is exhausting, significantly worsening the quality of life, but you can’t give up and become depressed. It is extremely important to maintain the maximum possible daily activity, daily exercise therapy, swimming. You should not withdraw into yourself, but continue to do what you love, devote time to family and friends. Important in the fight against chronic pain, especially in the back and joints, is the reduction of excess weight, which increases the load on the spine and joints, and limits activity. If the patient doesn’t follow these guidelines, they end up in a vicious circle: pain – immobility – depression – overnutrition – immobility – pain.