Pain Management

Let Us Help You With Chronic Pain Management

Everyone experiences pain from time to time, but chronic pain is completely different. Suffering from chronic pain does not have to be a way of life. At the Kittell Clinic you have hope thanks to our team. We provide the highest quality pain management to our patients suffering from chronic pain conditions. We're here to help you reach your goal of managing your pain and we recognize the complex nature of pain. We give our patients a personalized pain management plan to provide relief. We believe that no one should have to live in pain or be limited from having the life they used to know.
  • What is pain management?

    Pain management is a branch of medicine that applies science to the reduction of pain. 

  • What do I need to know before my appointment?

    One of the main things you must remember is that pain management does not equal narcotic prescriptions. Narcotics are just one tool out of many that are used, and one tool cannot work at all times for many people. Pain management is not about injections, nor is pain management just about psychology. The goal is to come to appointments, and follow through with rehabilitation programs. Pain management is a commitment.

  • What may happen during a pain management appointment?

    As a first-time patient coming to the Kittell Clinic for pain management, you might experience the following:

    • An evaluation
    • Diagnostic tests, if necessary
    • Referral to a surgeon, if indicated by the tests and the evaluation
    • Interventional treatment, such as injections and spinal cord stimulation
    • Physical therapy to increase range of motion and strength
    • Psychiatry to deal with depression, anxiety, and/or other issues that may accompany  the chronic pain you are experiencing
    • Alternative medicine to provide a complement to your other treatments
  • What is the goal of pain management?

    The goal of pain management is to minimize your pain, rather than completely eliminate it. This is the goal do to quite often it is not possible to completely do away with it. Other goals are to improve function and increase your quality of life.

  • What are the treatment options?

    Depending on the level of pain you have, pain management can be simple or very complex. Depending on your condition, your treatment options may include medications, therapies, and mind-body techniques.

What is Chronic Pain?

  • How common is chronic pain?

    Throughout the world 1 in 5 people suffer from moderate to severe chronic pain. In the United States, chronic pain affects more people than cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes combined. 

  • What is chronic pain?

     Doctors often define chronic pain as any pain that lasts for 3 to 6 months or more beyond the usual recovery period for an injury or illnes. The pain is usually not constant but can interfere with your daily life and your mental health.

  • Is my pain all in my head?

    Sometimes it is difficult to pin down a specific physical cause of the pain, but this does not lessen the suffering. When you experience pain, it is in both your body and mind. We cannot seperate the physical and psychological affects any situation has on us. 

  • Which conditions cause chronic pain?

    At times, chronic pain can start without any "real" cause like an injury, but for most people, there are many reasons to develop chronic pain. Some of the leading causes include:

    • Past injuries or surgeries
    • Arthritis
    • Nerve damage
    • Infections
    • Migraines
    • Fibromyalgia, a condition in which people feel muscle pain throughout their bodies

  • What are some symptoms of chronic pain?

    Symptoms of chronic pain can range from mild to severe, and can continue day after day or come and go. The pain can feel like:

    • A dull ache
    • Throbbing
    • Burning
    • Shooting
    • Squeezing
    • Stinging
    • Soreness
    • Stiffness
  • Is chronic pain just "PAIN"?

    Sometimes pain is just one of many symptoms you will with chronic pain. Other symptoms may include:

    • Feeling very tired or wiped out
    • Not feeling hungry
    • Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
    • Mood changes
    • Weakness
    • A lack of energy