A Pain Management Specialist Who Accepts Workers’ Compensation in New York and New Jersey
Experiencing an injury at work can potentially leave you with long-lasting pain. This is especially true if you put off treatment. By contrast, seeking treatment from a pain management doctor in New York or New Jersey will get you on the road to recovery more quickly. They will get right to the source of your pain so you can begin treatment.
Don’t forget that pain may also be an indication of an injury or issue that you hadn’t noticed. In this way, visiting a workers’ comp pain management specialist is crucial, as it can help you diagnose an issue before it worsens. It also helps with documentation for your workers’ comp claim, as your pain will be linked to the injury at work.
What Is a Pain Management Specialist?
A pain management doctor specializes in diagnosing the cause of pain and then treating pain. These specialists help reduce the pain of their patients. They also help patients return to their everyday activities.
Importantly, various medical career paths can lead to someone becoming a pain management specialist. Some doctors and nurses choose to become them. Pain management specialists can also include physical therapists, physiotherapists, psychologists, nutritionists, dieticians, occupational therapists, sports medicine, physical medicine practitioners, and vocational therapists.
Types of Pain These Specialists Treat
Some interventional pain management specialists focus on treating specific categories of pain. There are a few ways to group pain, including:
- Pain from direct tissue injury (e.g., arthritis)
- Pain from nervous system diseases or nerve injuries (e.g., stroke, nerve damage from a workplace accident)
- Pain from a combination of tissue and nerve injuries (e.g,. back pain following a workplace injury)
Some of the injuries or types of pain that a pain specialist may treat patients for following a workplace accident include:
- Spinal cord injuries
- Back pain
- Neck pain
- Knee pain
These workplace injuries can be the result of:
- Routine heavy lifting
- Exposure to a full-body vibration
- Working with your neck consistently bent forward
- Overhead work
- Repetitive forceful tasks
- Contact with objects or equipment
- Transportation incidents
- Animal-related injuries
- Workplace violence
- Unintentional injury caused by someone else
- Fires and explosions
- Exposure to chemicals or other hazardous environments
Not all pain management doctors will treat patients following workplace injuries. Others will focus on treating conditions that result in other ways, such as:
- Stroke
- Osteoarthritis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Multiple sclerosis
- Neuropathy (nerve pain from diabetes, HIV, or shingles)
- Cancer
What Treatments Do Pain Management Doctors Offer?
In most cases, pain management specialists strive to use non-invasive measures. Some potential treatments include:
- Lifestyle changes
- Acupuncture
- Massage
- Yoga
- Exercise
- Physical therapy
- Chiropractic care
- Meditation
- Dietary changes
- TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulators)
Your workers’ comp pain management treatment in New York or New Jersey may also include pain medicine. For example, you may be prescribed painkillers, such as:
- NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs)
- Muscle relaxants
- Antidepressants
They may also suggest:
- Epidural steroid injections
- Joint injections
- Nerve blocks
- Spinal cord stimulation
- Neuromodulation
- Viscosupplementation
- Radiofrequency ablation
- Pain pumps
Most pain management doctors will only suggest surgery if you don’t respond to other treatments.
When to Seek Workers’ Comp Pain Management
So, you know you need to see a medical professional of some sort after a workplace injury. But when is a pain specialist the right option? If your pain interferes with your daily life, then you definitely want to see a specialist. You should also schedule an appointment if the pain does not go away.
If the pain is accompanied by other symptoms, then you need to seek additional medical care. You can always ask your pain management doctor what other specialists you need to see. Some symptoms to look out for include:
- New limb weakness
- New numbness or tingling in your limbs
- Pain in your back that doesn’t get worse with movements
- Fever
- Pain that is more severe than normal
When to Seek Pain Management
So, you know you need to see a medical professional of some sort after a workplace injury. But when is a pain specialist the right option? If your pain interferes with your daily life, then you definitely want to see a specialist. You should also schedule an appointment if the pain does not go away.
If the pain is accompanied by other symptoms, then you need to seek additional medical care. You can always ask your pain management doctor what other specialists you need to see. Some symptoms to look out for include:
- New limb weakness
- New numbness or tingling in your limbs
- Pain in your back that doesn’t get worse with movements
- Fever
- Pain that is more severe than normal
What to Expect from a Pain Management Specialist
When you first visit a pain management specialist, expect them to evaluate your condition, take your medical history, ask about the workplace injury, and ask about your pain levels. Expect them to conduct various tests or look at the results of your prior diagnostic studies. These can include CTs, MRIs, x-rays, and more. They will also perform a physical exam.
These specialists will always work to discover the underlying cause of the pain. This way, they can address that underlying issue and stop the pain at its source. In the meantime, they will offer various solutions to minimize or eliminate the pain.
They Will Coordinate Your Treatment with Other Doctors
Pain management doctors rarely work in isolation. Because their goal is to eliminate the source of the pain, they will work with other specialists who can correct the injury. For example, if you are in pain from a spinal cord injury, they may work with a neurologist.
Expect to Keep a Pain Journal
Most pain management doctors will also suggest that their patients keep a pain journal. This will help you spot any patterns in your pain levels, such as if it is worse after certain activities or at certain times of the day. It can also help track whether the treatment is effective.
Find Workers’ Comp Pain Management Specialists in New York and New Jersey
With help from Workers’ Comp Doctors, you can easily find a pain management doctor near you. We carefully evaluate every doctor in our network and only include those that meet the highest standards. With our assistance, you will quickly find an appointment with a pain management doctor who is experienced in treating workplace injuries and providing documentation for workers’ comp claims.
