Where can we do our work?
The majority of patients who see Pain Medicine Specialists are hospital-based however, some are experts in community settings or in other healthcare facilities like general practices. More often, they work in the community and provide care nearer the patients.
What is the best way to be trained?
The most commonly used way to becoming a Specialist in the field of Pain Medicine is through an initial concentration in anaesthesia. The majority of Pain Medicine Specialists will have completed Pain Medicine training as a part of the Fellowship of the Royal College of Anaesthetists (FRCA) and the Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) in Anaesthesia awarded by the GMC.
Additionally there is a majority of Pain Medicine Specialists demonstrate their ongoing development of top standards by gaining the Fellowship or membership in the Faculty of Pain Medicine of the Royal College of Anaesthetists (FFPMRCA or MFPMRCA).
Continuous and ongoing training, as well as validation.
Like all GMC licensed medical professionals throughout the UK, Specialists in Pain Medicine undergo GMC renewal to keep their license to practice. In this strict procedure, they must remain current in their expertise and competence. They are evaluated against standards established in the Faculty of Pain Medicine of the Royal College of Anaesthetists and published as The Good Pain Medicine Specialist.
The Faculty of Pain Medicine also releases the core Standards document that provides standards and guidelines for healthcare professionals as well as pain-management services. The standards can be considered when conducting Care Quality Commission inspections.
What kinds of pain can we treat?
- An acute painrelates to pain that occurs in the process of repair and damage to tissues, such as unexpected illness or surgery, or trauma, and burns. The pain is usually lessened with the healing process of tissue.
- chronic discomfort is a constant painthat persists after healing or because of ongoing injury and can include the post-traumatic pain of the spine (e.g. after surgery or amputation) or pain that affects the peripheral or central nerve system (e.g. post-stroke pain, complex local pain syndromes, diabetes-related neuropathy sciatica post herpetica, and post herpetic neuralgia) and pain that is associated with other chronic illnesses like arthritis, angina pain, endometriosis headache and pancreatitis.
- Pain from cancerencompasses any discomfort experienced by cancer patients that is caused by cancer or a result of the treatment.
What other experts do we collaborate with?
Due to the variety of ailments they treat Due to the wide range of conditions they treat, due to the wide variety of ailments they treat, Medicine Specialists are required to collaborate closely with other healthcare professionals in surgical and medical specialties. Treatment for pain usually occurs alongside other treatments offered by various healthcare teams. We are in close contact with other healthcare professionals such as the nurses and clinical psychologists occupational therapists, physiotherapists and pharmacists. This multidisciplinary approach is an essential requirement to provide efficient treatment of patients. Physicians working as an Pain Medicine Specialist will show the ability to lead within these multidisciplinary teams. Interdisciplinary.
What are we to accomplish with patients?
Doctors who have been trained to be Pain Medicine Specialists undertake some or all of these in managing a patient
- A thorough evaluation for the individual patient (including physical problems and functional limitations, as well as psychological condition, and occupational and social effects of the pain)
- Physical exam
- Review of investigation
- The reopening of investigations is ordered.
- Forming a plan for management
- Contact with the relevant health professionals and caregivers
- Onward referral to other health specialists if needed
- The prescription of medications, the execution of interventions
- Referral for psychological or physical techniques
- A proper discharge and plans for follow-up
Communication is key
Specialists in Pain Medicine must have excellent communication skills in multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary environments. They strive to increase the understanding of pain mechanisms as well as the use of evidence-based treatments for patients, the public and other health specialists. Giving information and a better understanding of patients is an essential component of a successful treatment for pain.
What are the techniques we employ?
Pain Medicine Specialists make use of many different treatments, which include but aren't restricted to:
- Pharmacological analgesics , as well as various other drugs that act as adjuvants and co-analgesics to treat a variety of neuropathy, nociceptive, visceral and various other long-term pain conditions.
- Analgesia Pain Medical specialists may prescribe a mixture of analgesics, including specialist medication that target the pain that is caused by nerve injuries. For those suffering from chronic pain, analgesia can result in little or no benefit and thus the medication could be lowered and stopped to avoid damage.
- Interventional methods: Pain Medicine Specialists might inject injections into joints, muscles as well as the spine and around nerves in order to temporarily ease discomfort as part of a larger approach to reduce the impact of pain in a patient's life on their ability to perform. Pain Medicine Specialists can also learn to implant pain-relieving devices into patients with the treatment of a select group of chronic pain disorders (e.g. spinal cord stimulation or implants for spinal delivery of drugs).
- Therapy for physical injuries:physiotherapy and occupational therapy is designed to increase endurance and flexibility. It also helps enhance mobility and decrease the risk of disability.
- Therapy for psychotherapy: ranging from individual as well as group-based support and educational sessions, all the way to hospital-based psychological therapy. It is intended to lessen the effects of emotional stress on one's mood, well-being as well as social interaction.
