Living with Chronic Pain? A Physiatrist May Have Answers

Chronic pain is common, but finding the right treatment can be challenging. For many, surgery may feel like the next step — but it isn’t always the best option.

If you’ve been dealing with ongoing back, neck, joint or tendon pain, and don’t know where to turn, a physiatrist may have answers.  

“If I had one piece of advice for people living with chronic pain, it's this: Don’t give up,” says Llewellyn Packia Raj, MD, physiatrist at Overlake Clinics Musculoskeletal Medicine. “There’s always hope for reducing pain. And if you’re not sure where to go or what to do next, we’re here to help.”

What Do Physiatrists Do?

Physiatrists, also called physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) specialists, focus on diagnosing and treating pain and improving physical limitations, without surgery.

At Overlake, physiatrists can help your day-to-day functioning and quality of life by:

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• Taking a comprehensive history of your symptoms. This includes not only what type of pain you have, but when and how it impacts your life.
• Using imaging and other diagnostic tools to get to the root of your symptoms. This may include X-rays, ultrasound, MRI and other tests, depending on your circumstances.
• Determining if your pain is related to an underlying condition that requires more intense scrutiny, surgery or care from a different specialist.
• Developing a care plan based on your current level of activity, likes (and dislikes), and your general overall routine with the goal of returning you to your best possible life. 

When to See a Physiatrist 

Physiatrists can help if you have:

• Pain that affects your mood or how you move, work, sleep or exercise.
• Ongoing back, neck, joint or tendon pain that hasn’t improved with basic treatments.
• Nerve pain, such as sciatica, or tingling and numbness.
• Pain as a result of an injury, accident or overuse.
• Difficulty returning to normal activities after an illness or injury.

How Physiatrists Can Help  

A physiatrist can guide you toward the best treatments for your specific type of pain. You might discuss:

• Ice or heat treatments.
• Physical therapy or occupational therapy.
• Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy, which uses your own blood to help heal injured or painful tissue.
• Tenex, a minimally invasive procedure that removes damaged tendon tissue to help relieve pain and support healing.
• Medication, when appropriate, to help manage pain or inflammation.
• Referral to other health professionals, like chiropractors and acupuncturists.
• Talking to mental health professionals, such as social workers, psychologists and pain counselors.

“Pain can take over your life and cause you to withdraw from activities you love,” Dr. Packia-Raj says. “So addressing the psychological aspects of chronic pain can be very beneficial. This might mean working with a counselor to better understand how the brain-body connection can amplify pain or talking through the grief of not being able to do your usual activities."

Overlake’s Musculoskeletal Medicine program is led by expert physiatrists who help patients of all ages and activity levels — from individuals seeking to live each day with less pain to competitive athletes who want to return to high-level play.