Our Approach to Pain Management

The staff of Pain Management of North Idaho is dedicated to treating all pain disorders, ranging from pain as a symptom of disease to pain as the primary disease. The pain physician serves as a consultant to other physicians but is often the principal treating physician (as distinguished from the primary care physician) and may provide care at various levels, such as treating the patient directly, prescribing medication, prescribing rehabilitative services, performing pain relieving procedures, behavioral therapy, counseling patients and families, directing a multidisciplinary team, and coordinating care with other health care providers. Each patient is given a thorough, comprehensive evaluation to determine the most appropriate plan of care.

Pain Medicine specialists typically formulate comprehensive treatment plans, to relieve, reduce, or manage pain and help patients return to the best of the patients’everyday activities. Evaluation techniques include interpretation of historical data; review of previous laboratory, imaging, and electrodiagnostic studies; assessment of behavioral, social, occupational, and avocational issues; and interview and examination of the patient by the pain specialist.