Key Takeaways
- More than 50 million U.S. adults have chronic pain (pain lasting over three months), and managing it effectively usually means using a team-based approach.
- Pain specialists use advanced diagnostics like nerve blocks and imaging to create specific treatment plans that can include medication, physical therapy, and interventional procedures.
- Things like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), acupuncture, and exercise are now seen as fundamental parts of any long-term pain management plan.
- In Georgia, workers hurt on the job often need a lawyer to get through the complicated workers’ comp system just to get the right and continuous care.
Dealing with chronic pain can take over your entire life. It’s a huge issue for a lot of people in Columbus, Georgia, who are just trying to find a way to manage the constant discomfort. We spoke with Dr. Evelyn Reed, a board-certified pain specialist from the Midtown area, about what chronic pain really is and how people can get back some control. Her take is that real management goes beyond just masking symptoms. It’s about figuring out the body’s messed-up signals and building a treatment plan that revolves around the actual patient.
Understanding Chronic Pain: A Condition in Itself
Dr. Reed calls chronic pain any pain that sticks around for more than three months, long after a normal injury should have healed. “It’s a huge distinction,” she says. “Acute pain is your body’s alarm system. But chronic pain? That alarm gets stuck in the ‘on’ position and becomes its own problem, changing your nerves and even your brain.” When pain just doesn’t stop, it pulls other problems along with it, you can’t sleep, you get anxious or depressed, you stop moving around, and it all feeds a cycle that’s tough to escape without help.
The numbers are just huge. The CDC’s data from 2021 shows that over 51.6 million American adults are living with chronic pain, and for 17.1 million of them, it’s so bad it severely limits what they can do each day. You can read the full breakdown in the CDC report from 2022. Dr. Reed says the situation in her Columbus clinic is a perfect reflection of this national problem. “We see it all,” she notes, “from standard chronic back pain or neuropathic pain to really complicated things like fibromyalgia and complex regional pain syndrome. No two cases are the same, so the diagnosis has to be just as specific.”
A diagnosis always starts with talking to the patient and doing a physical exam, but that’s just the beginning. Dr. Reed’s team relies on advanced tools to get the full picture. “The real source of the pain can be hidden,” she says. “So we might use something like a diagnostic nerve block to figure out exactly which nerve is sending the pain signals, or we’ll get an MRI or CT scan to see what’s physically going on with the spine or a joint.” For nerve damage, especially suspected neuropathy, they might run electromyography (EMG) and nerve conduction studies (NCS). Getting this level of detail is the only way to build a plan that actually works.
The Multidisciplinary Approach to Pain Management
“There’s no cookie-cutter fix for chronic pain,” Dr. Reed states. “You need a multidisciplinary approach that pulls in different therapies to hit the pain from both a physical and psychological angle.” It’s about teamwork. A patient’s team might have a physical therapist, an occupational therapist, a psychologist, and maybe a nutritionist, with the pain specialist acting as the quarterback for the whole operation.
Medications are still a bedrock of treatment, but Dr. Reed is clear that you have to be careful and responsible. “Meds can help a lot, but they’re just one piece of the puzzle,” she says. “We’re almost always going to start with non-opioids, things like NSAIDs, drugs for nerve pain, or muscle relaxants. If we have to consider opioids for a patient, it’s with extremely tight monitoring and a plan for how and when to stop.” She’s wary of leaning too heavily on opioids, especially given the public health crisis, and points to resources from SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) on safe prescribing as a guide for her clinic.
For a lot of patients, interventional procedures are the next step after medication. “These procedures go right to the source to block the pain signals,” Dr. Reed explains. This could mean an epidural steroid injection for a bad back, using radiofrequency ablation to quiet a problematic nerve, or even installing a spinal cord stimulator for nerve pain that just won’t quit. “Take a patient with lumbar radiculopathy, that’s a pinched nerve in the low back. We could give them an epidural injection to calm the inflammation. If that works but wears off, then a longer-term option like radiofrequency ablation becomes a real possibility.” Most of these are outpatient procedures, so patients are in and out the same day.
Getting hurt on the job in Georgia is one thing. Getting chronic pain from it and then trying to get the right treatment covered by workers’ comp is a whole other mess. It can be a nightmare. This is where a Georgia personal-injury and workers’ comp firm like Bader Law comes in, because they know the system and the specific roadblocks injured workers hit. They can fight to make sure your workers’ comp actually covers what you need, like seeing a pain specialist or getting those interventional procedures. Knowing your rights and the legal options is how you get the care you need when the pain is from a workplace accident. If you need to see what a Georgia injury lawyer can do, you can find more on Bader Law’s Workers’ Compensation page.
The Power of Non-Pharmacological Therapies
Dr. Reed pushes hard for non-pharmacological therapies, building them into patient plans right from the start. “Meds and procedures can give you a break from the pain, but the real, lasting change happens when patients learn to manage their pain themselves,” she says. Physical therapy is a no-brainer for almost everyone. It’s about getting stronger, more flexible, and fixing your posture. “A good PT,” she adds, “shows you how to move to avoid hurting yourself again and gives you exercises to build up the muscles that support you, which is everything for something like chronic back pain.”
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an incredibly useful tool for people with chronic pain. Dr. Reed clarifies what it does: “CBT isn’t a magic wand that makes pain disappear. What it does is change how you think about and respond to the pain you feel.” The therapy gives patients techniques to break out of negative thought cycles and handle the emotional toll that comes with being in pain all the time. Plenty of research backs this up, including studies in the journal Pain, showing CBT can lower perceived pain levels and help people get back to their lives. A 2018 review in Pain Reports also confirmed how well it works for a bunch of different chronic pain problems.
There are other therapies that can help, too. Take acupuncture, we’re still figuring out exactly how it works, but a lot of patients swear by it for some kinds of chronic pain. “We see it firsthand,” Dr. Reed says. “Many people, especially those with muscle and joint pain, get a lot of relief from acupuncture.” Things like mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), yoga, and changing what you eat can also help you feel better and might even turn down the pain volume. “The key is to explore these things with a professional,” she advises. “It’s all about finding the combination that fits your body and your life.”
Working through the Journey: A Patient’s Role and Realistic Goals
Setting realistic expectations is one of the hardest parts of managing chronic pain. “There isn’t a magic bullet,” Dr. Reed is quick to point out. “For most of these conditions, there’s no ‘cure.’ Our goal is to get the pain down to a level you can live with, get you moving again, and improve your quality of life.” Getting patients to accept this is a big step, moving them away from chasing a complete cure and toward a mindset of managing the condition they have.
The patient has to be in the driver’s seat. “We can give someone all the tools and information in the world, but they’re the one who has to use them every single day,” she says. That means actually taking the meds on schedule, showing up for physical therapy, and doing the stress-reduction work. The follow-up appointments are for tweaking the plan, tackling new issues, and acknowledging the progress, no matter how small. “It has to be a partnership,” Dr. Reed finishes. “The patient and the whole team have to be on the same page, and that only happens with good communication.”
If you’re in Columbus, Georgia, and looking for a pain specialist, you need to find someone who offers more than just a prescription pad. Dr. Reed suggests asking potential clinics about their core philosophy, what kinds of treatments they offer, and how they combine different therapies into one plan. Are they just looking for a quick fix, or are they invested in patient education and long-term health? Finding the right fit can change everything about the experience of managing chronic pain.
What is the primary difference between acute and chronic pain?
Acute pain is short-term, it’s your body’s reaction to an injury or sickness and goes away when you heal. Chronic pain is different. It’s pain that lasts for three months or more and becomes its own medical problem that you have to manage.
Can chronic pain be cured completely?
A complete cure is rare for most chronic pain conditions. The goal of treatment is usually to get the pain down to a tolerable level so you can function better and have a better quality of life.
What role do lifestyle changes play in managing chronic pain?
Lifestyle changes are huge. Things like consistent exercise, eating well, getting enough sleep, and learning to manage stress can support your overall health and help prevent pain flare-ups.
Are opioids the only effective treatment for severe chronic pain?
No. Opioids might be used carefully for severe pain, but a good treatment plan will also include non-opioid meds, physical therapy, injections or other procedures, and therapies like CBT. These other options are usually safer and work better in the long run.
How often should I see a pain specialist for chronic pain?
It really depends on your specific situation and treatment plan. After the first few appointments, you’ll likely have regular check-ins every few weeks or months so your specialist can see how you’re doing and make any needed changes to your therapy.
