Patient guide
When to see a pain management specialist
Most pain eases as the body heals. When it lasts past three months, keeps coming back or gets in the way of your days, a pain management specialist can look for the source and treat it.
- Most plans need no referral
- Five clinics
Conceptual illustration
Medically reviewed by Joshua L. Hare, DO, Founder & Medical Director
Updated October 2026
The short answer
See a pain management specialist when pain has lasted about three months, when it has outlasted the injury that started it, or when it keeps you from work, sleep or the things you enjoy despite treatment. Chronic pain lasts longer than three months or the time in which you should have healed.[1] Most insurance plans let you book with us directly, without a referral.
Eight signs
Signs it is time to see a pain specialist
Pain that started with an injury, a flare of arthritis or surgery usually settles as you heal. If any of these describe your pain, it is worth seeing a specialist:
- It has lasted three months or longer.
- It has outlasted the injury or surgery that started it. Chronic pain can persist after an injury or known cause is resolved.[2]
- It gets in the way of daily life. Pain can make it harder to do necessary tasks, work, and enjoy activities.[2]
- It travels or tingles. Pain that radiates away from the back into the buttocks, leg, or hip,[3] or comes with numbness or tingling, is a reason to be seen.
- Rest, over-the-counter medicine and physical therapy have not brought it under control.
- You are taking more pain medicine to get through the day, or you want options besides opioids.
- It is affecting your sleep or mood. Chronic pain can affect all aspects of daily life, including your mood and relationships.[1]
- You have been told surgery is the next step and want to know what else can be tried first.
Pain that began more recently can be worth an early visit too. The CDC's 2022 guideline notes that unresolved acute pain or subacute pain,[4] which it defines as pain present for one to three months, can evolve into chronic pain.[4]
The specialty
What a pain management specialist does
A pain management specialist is a physician whose work is finding where pain comes from and treating it. The field started in anesthesiology, and its training developed into a multidisciplinary specialty over time;[5] doctors now enter it from anesthesiology, neurology, physical medicine and rehabilitation and other specialties. Our physicians are board-certified in pain medicine with fellowship training. Our founder and medical director, Joshua L. Hare, DO, trained in anesthesiology and completed a pain medicine fellowship.
The work starts with a diagnosis. The CDC guideline says that for complex pain syndromes, consultation with a pain specialist can be considered to assist with diagnosis and management,[4] and that diagnosis can help identify disease-specific interventions to reverse, ameliorate, or prevent worsening of pain and improve function.[4]
Treatment usually combines several approaches. The goal of pain management is to improve quality of life and function.[2] The CDC guideline describes how interventional pain management specialists offer additional interventions that can alleviate pain as part of a comprehensive pain management approach,[4] including epidural steroid injections (for lumbar radiculopathy with herniated disc), nerve ablation procedures (e.g., radiofrequency denervation for low back pain), and neurostimulation procedures (e.g., peripheral nerve stimulation and spinal cord stimulation).[4]
| Treatment | Examples at IPC |
|---|---|
| Spinal injections | Epidural steroid injection, facet joint injection |
| Nerve blocks | Medial branch block, occipital nerve block, genicular nerve block |
| Radiofrequency ablation | Lumbar, cervical and knee RFA |
| Neuromodulation | Spinal cord stimulation, peripheral nerve stimulation |
| Minimally invasive spine procedures | Kyphoplasty, the MILD procedure |
| Medicine | Medication management |
For a side-by-side look at two of the most common procedures, read nerve block vs. radiofrequency ablation.
Talk with our team
Request a callback
The team calls you back within one business day, Monday to Thursday.
Insurance we acceptYour first appointment
What happens at your first visit
Most first visits take 30 to 60 minutes. Please arrive 15 to 30 minutes early to finish any paperwork, and bring a photo ID, your insurance card, a list of your current medicines and any X-rays, MRIs or CT scans you have.
- Your history. Your doctor will ask questions about your medical and family history,[6] where the pain is and when it started. Expect questions such as “What makes the pain worse or better?[6]”
- How it affects you. You may be asked to rate your pain on a scale from 1 to 10[6] and how it limits work, sleep and daily tasks.
- An exam. The exam includes testing your reflexes, muscle strength, and sensation.[6]
- Your imaging. Your physician reviews the scans you bring and decides whether anything else is needed.
- A plan. You leave knowing what is likely causing your pain and what we recommend next.
Our new patient page has the full checklist.
Do not wait on these
When back pain needs a doctor right away
Some symptoms should be checked promptly by a doctor rather than waiting for a specialist appointment. NIAMS advises seeing a doctor if your pain does not improve after a few weeks,[3] or if back pain comes with any of these:
- Trouble urinating[3]
- Weakness, pain, or numbness in your legs[3]
- Fever[3]
- Weight loss that you did not intend[3]
- Back pain after a fall or injury[3]
If symptoms come on suddenly or are severe, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
Common questions
Do I need a referral to see a pain management specialist?
Most plans let you book with us directly. Some insurance plans do require a referral from your primary care physician, and our team can find out whether yours does when you call (706) 847-0826.
Are pain management doctors anesthesiologists?
Many are. While anesthesia was home to the initial Pain Medicine fellowships,[5] the specialty now trains doctors from neurology, physical medicine and rehabilitation and other fields too. What they share is subspecialty training in pain medicine.
What is the difference between acute and chronic pain?
Acute pain starts suddenly and ends when its cause is treated or healed.[2] The CDC guideline uses three time frames: acute (duration of <1 month), subacute (duration of 1–3 months), and chronic (duration of >3 months).[4]
Will a pain specialist prescribe opioids?
Sometimes, but rarely as the first treatment. Under the CDC's 2022 guideline, nonopioid therapies are preferred for subacute and chronic pain,[4] and clinicians should maximize use of nonpharmacologic and nonopioid pharmacologic therapies as appropriate for the specific condition and patient.[4] Our medication management page explains how we use medicine alongside procedures.
What does interventional pain management mean?
It means treating pain at its source with image-guided procedures such as injections, nerve blocks, radiofrequency ablation and nerve stimulation, usually alongside medicine and physical therapy.
Can I see a pain specialist before trying surgery?
Yes. NIAMS notes that surgery for back pain may be suggested if all other treatments tried have not relieved your pain,[6] so many people see a pain specialist first to try the nonsurgical options.
References
Clinical sources for this page.
- MedlinePlus. Chronic Pain. National Library of Medicine; accessed October 30, 2026. Back to first citation ↑
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Pain. National Institutes of Health; accessed October 30, 2026. Back to first citation ↑
- National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. Back Pain: Symptoms, Types, and Causes. Last reviewed February 2023. Back to first citation ↑
- Dowell D, Ragan KR, Jones CM, Baldwin GT, Chou R. CDC Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Pain — United States, 2022. MMWR Recommendations and Reports. 2022;71(3):1–95. Back to first citation ↑
- Christiansen S, Pritzlaff S, Escobar A, Kohan L. A sudden shift for Pain Medicine fellowships: a recount of the 2024 match. Interventional Pain Medicine. 2024;3(2):100404. Back to first citation ↑
- National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. Back Pain: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Steps to Take. Accessed October 30, 2026. Back to first citation ↑
Five clinics
Book your first visit
Most plans need no referral. Call (706) 847-0826 or request a callback, and we will schedule you at the clinic you prefer.