Pain Management Doctor in San Francisco, CA
Dr. Robert Savala MD provides his patients with a variety of options for helping them manage pain. If you want to start living life again, then visit Presidio Pain Relief.
For more information, contact us or book an appointment online. We are conveniently located at 2000 Van Ness Ave, #208 San Francisco, CA 94109.
What are my options when it comes to pain management?
Pain is a fact of life – at some point or another, we will all experience pain. Pain can come in many forms, from mild pain to excruciating pain and it can last for various periods.
When people experience chronic, long-lasting pain that they are unable to experience relief from, they will often seek out the help and expertise of a pain management doctor who can provide our patients with a variety of options for helping to manage their pain, so they can go about their days as close to normal as possible. Chronic pain often isn’t treatable, so a pain management program is required to help control the pain and keep it at a manageable level.
Pain can be managed through a wide variety of medications that can vary in strength and targeted types of pain, with the stronger types carrying a higher risk of negative side effects or addiction.
Additional treatments can be used to help control pain that doesn’t involve medication, such as acupuncture, massage, chiropractic therapy, hypnosis, surgery, physical therapy, and a whole list of additional treatments.
Dr. Robert Savala MD will provide patients with a full comprehensive treatment program based on each patient’s symptoms and pain experience.
What are some basic types of pain?
Several different types of pain can be caused by any number of different situations.
The basic types of pain include acute pain which comes on suddenly and disappears upon healing, long-lasting chronic pain, breakthrough pain, bone pain, nerve pain, phantom pain, soft tissue pain, and referred pain. While some pain can be easily explained, due to an injury or accident, other pain can be more difficult to diagnose and therefore treat.
Pain can also be the result of an illness or disease that affects different systems of the body or as the result of pain or inflammation in an entirely different area of the body. A doctor who specializes in pain management can help patients find the source of the pain, regardless of what type of pain it is.
Understanding where the pain is coming from and what may be causing it is key to ensuring that the right course of pain treatment is being used.
Who can benefit from a pain management doctor?
Pain management doctors have received additional education and training in all areas of pain treatment, including proper diagnosis, treatment options, and therapies that can be used as part of a pain management program.
Primary care physicians can treat pain as well, however, their treatment can be limited in scope depending on the type of pain, the cause, and treatment options.
Patients who are experiencing acute pain as the direct result of an accident or injury that requires straightforward treatment can receive adequate pain management through their primary care physician.
For more complex pain cases, such as chronic pain or pain that is the result of a disease or medical condition, patients would be best served seeking out treatment from a pain management doctor.
In some cases of acute pain, a primary care physician may refer their patients to a pain management doctor for a more comprehensive treatment plan.
When to see a doctor for pain management?
There are many reasons to seek out the expertise of a pain management doctor or to seek medical help from your primary care physician.
There are many different types of pain and many reasons why we experience pain. In most cases, minor pain can be easily managed and treated using over-the-counter medications in the form of acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
In other cases, pain can be treated through massage, chiropractic care, acupuncture, or other non-medication techniques. When these methods don’t work, or only provide temporary relief, people should seek the opinion of a medical professional.
Making an appointment with your doctor or a pain management doctor is also a good idea when there is no explanation for the pain, as it could be an indication of a more serious condition.
Your doctor may be able to provide you with treatment options or refer you to someone like Dr. Robert Savala MD at Presidio Pain Relief for a more comprehensive pain management program.
For more information, contact us or book an appointment with the experienced team at Presidio Pain Relief in San Francisco, California. We are conveniently located at 2000 Van Ness Ave, #208 San Francisco, CA 94109. We serve patients from Daly City CA, Sunset District CA, Bernal Heights CA, Bayview CA, Mission District CA, and surrounding areas.