Leg pain is a lot like pain in the shoulder or back in the sense that a lot of different things can cause it. There isn’t a single cause of leg pain. It is also worth noting that many cases of leg pain resolve on their own. So how would you know it’s time to see a pain doctor?
A pain doctor is a medical professional who specializes in both acute pain treatment and chronic pain management. By contrast, your family doctor or GP is an internist. They know an awful lot about most of the body’s systems. But your GP’s specialty is not pain.
Here at Lone Star Pain Medicine, pain is our specialty. We seek not only to relieve pain but also to restore function and help our patients take back their lives from whatever conditions are causing their pain. As for leg pain, it can range from mild to severe. Knowing when to see a doctor could make a significant difference in a person’s quality of life.
Reasons to See a Pain Management Doctor
GPs and family doctors can only do so much in a chronic pain scenario. Right away, that gives us a clue as to when it is time to see a pain management doctor about ongoing leg pain. If pain has lasted over three months, there is probably something going on that needs further investigation. At three months, the pain is chronic. Now it’s time to see a pain management doctor.
Here are other ways to know it’s time to see a pain doctor:
- Treatment Exhaustion – It’s time to see a pain doctor if your GP or orthopedist has tried every possible treatment they know of without success.
- Unknown Source – Seeing a pain doctor is a good idea if the source of your pain remains unknown for a length of time.
- Additional Symptoms – If leg pain is accompanied by additional symptoms, like numbness and tingling, finding out what’s causing it might require the services of a pain doctor. This is especially true if pain is radiating into other parts of the body.
- Ineffective Medication – Definitely see a pain doctor if the medication your GP has prescribed is ineffective. Pain doctors have access to treatments GPs do not.
- Treatment Concerns – You may have some concerns about treatments recommended by your GP. For instance, you might be nervous about surgery. Get a second opinion from a pain doctor.
Many of the patients we see here at Lone Star describe pain significant enough to interfere with daily life. They find that pain alters their moods. It limits their function, preventing them from living productive lives and enjoying the things they used to enjoy. Pain limiting your daily life is definitely a reason to see a pain doctor.
Getting to the Root of the Problem
One of the hallmarks of the pain medicine specialty is the focus on getting to the root of the problem. We pain doctors are not content to simply treat the symptoms. We want to know what is causing a patient’s pain so we can address the problem.
Lone Star Pain Medicine has access to treatments that go above and beyond mere pain medication. We invite you to make an appointment at our Weatherford, TX, clinic if you’re experiencing chronic leg, shoulder, back, or neck pain.
We will work with you to figure out what’s causing your pain before recommending treatments that can restore lost function, improve your productivity, and help you take your life back. You deserve no less from a pain doctor.
