My husband

[Gramsof7]

We live in Wisconsin and been to a couple of different doctors, and they tell us that he has several disk from L1 down to S2 that are real bad. He has had several nerve burns and steroids injections done with no help at all. would he benefit from pain management. He is not willing to have another surgery again.
Thank you,
Gramsof7

[Tuckamore]

Hi Gramsof7,

Welcome Fellow Wisconsinite. I am sorry to hear about your husband's pain. Chronic pain (CP) often disrupts our lives and can be difficult to live with.

I don't know if Point has a Pain Management Clinic but if not you should find one in a larger city. My experience (and others from our state) has been that PMP in WI do only treatments such as your husband has already had. They do an extensive work up with a multi-disciplinary team (mine was over two or three days) and than determine what type of treatment will be best for you. They do not prescribe narcotics and they do not "follow" patients as a PCP does.  


In most other states a PMP will prescribe narcotics and follow you monthly for pain control, not true in WI. I asked my PCP why this was after telling her of what I had learned on our forum. She says it is because WI is such a rural state that PCP follow and prescribe narcotics for their patients.

I have a wonderful Internal Medicine D.O. that is my PCP. She treats and manages my chronic pain. I live about an hour and a half south of you and am not real familiar with the medical system in your area. I know that UW Madison and Waukesha Hospital have PMP and Clinics. I have been to both. And of course Mayo Clinic has one which my Aunt traveled too but even they did not "follow" her for Fibro.      

Does your husband see or has he seen a D.O (Doctor of Osteopathy) that does OTM? D.O.s receive extra training in the musculoskeletal system-your body's interconnected system of nerves, muscles and bones that make up two-thirds of your body mass. This training provides osteopathic physicians with a better understanding of the ways that an illness or injury in one part of your body can affect another.

Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) is incorporated into the training and practice of osteopathic physicians. With OMT, osteopathic physicians use their hands to diagnose illness and injury and to encourage your body's natural tendency toward good health. Not all D.O.'s continue with this practice as many specialize in cardiology, pediatrics or other specialties just as an MD. I am blessed that mine does OMT and specializes in Internal Medicine. It is a great combination.

Best of luck to you and your husband. I searched for years for a diagnosis and for good pain management and found it by quite by accident in a new D.O. I hope you will keep in touch and let us know how your husband is doing. If you have any questions please feel free to send me a PM (Personal Message).  We will look forward to hearing from you again.

Take Care,
Tuck  

[RunningMom]

Yes, especially if he finds a good pain management doctor.  I have permanent nerve damage with two additional herniated discs.  Right now I'm lucky enough to be treated with my PCP.  I too, have had many injections and surgery is not an option right now to fix the other two discs.  I recently had a single fusion 6 months ago.  Living in severe chronic pain is extremely difficult and I'm lucky to have wonderful support from my husband and friends.

[sandee1818]

I believe he would benifit from PM as the doctors deal with chronic pain daily and they keep up with all the new and improved treatments that become available.
Pain management is just that they do not do any thing else but manage pain. they can offer you many options that you would not be offered from your regular PCP.
I wish him the best of luck and hope he does find the help he needs. Dealing with pain is very difficult and support is important, I am sure he appreciates your support very much.
Please let us know what we can do to help:)