11th June 2007 at 15:36 BST by Dr C.A.Jenner MB BS, FRCA. Permalink.
This article discusses the role of pain consultants in detail.
Pain consultants are defined as medically qualified experts who specialize in pain management techniques for a series of disorders.
Also known as pain management consultants, these professionals possess expertise in management of pain associated with various medical conditions, ranging from acute to chronic pain.
Pain consultants commonly operate as an independent multi-disciplinary team for the management of painful conditions. Such consultants offer a vast range of services to their patients.
Some of the most common painful conditions treated by the pain consultants can be studied under the following subheads.
Neuropathic Pain
Complex Pain
The chief mission of a pain consultant is to provide high quality care to patients in pain, in a compassionate manner and environment.
The main functions of pain consultants can be listed as the following sub-heads:
Here we have discussed each one of these in detail.
Pain consultants employ a vast series of evaluation processes to classify the specific conditions experienced by their patients. A number of diagnostic tools are used by these consultants to assess the extent and nature of the disorders.
The main diagnostics tools used include X-rays, MRI scans, spinal diagnostic injections and the like.
Pain consultants primarily specialize in the minimally invasive pain management techniques.
Here we briefly list some of the main treatment options which are commonly provided by the pain consultants.
The multidisciplinary team approach of pain consultants makes their treatment modalities highly efficient and result-oriented.
Here we list some of the most common treatment modalities followed by the teams of pain consultants.
Evidence-based medicine is one of the most popular approaches followed by pain consultants.
The concept of evidence-based medicine is typically defined as an approach to healthcare practice in which the clinician is aware of the evidence in support of his/her clinical practice and the strength of that evidence.
As per the Center for Evidence-Based Medicine, “Evidence-based medicine is the conscientious, explicit and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients.”
To achieve its purpose, the concept of EBM employs a series of techniques from the fields of science, engineering and statistics. Some of these include meta-analysis of scientific literature, risk-benefit analysis and randomized controlled trials.
The entire model of EBM is based on innovative steps devised to instill a scientific approach in medical care. It is the integration of clinical expertise, patient values and the best evidence into the decision making process for patient care.
For a result-oriented treatment procedure, pain consultants generally build up their approach with the following steps:
For a planned EBM process, generally the below steps are followed:
Pain management is relatively a modern concept of medicine. Similarly, pain consultants are also one of the most result-oriented professionals in the modern medicine.
As medical professionals, pain consultants generally operate in office-settings wherein they meet patients on appointments and scheduled meetings. Patients are normally not required to stay overnight, unless individual circumstances require otherwise.
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© London Pain Consultants 2006. Telephone: 0845 045 0250.