Dr. Harvey Finkelstein found himself faced with a compelling reason to pursue pain management as a career path. His grandmother was a victim of chronic pain. Chronic pain is a common complaint among today’s patients, with thousands of injuries and conditions contributing to pain that is difficult to manage. Dr. Finkelstein encourages medical students to explore pain management as a career option, as he is a pain management specialist himself and offers important insights in this rewarding field. Pain Management Requirements and Career Responsibilities A pain management specialist is a fully certified medical doctor. Medical students must complete a four-year degree, attend medical school, earn a license and certifications, and then choose and pursue a specialty. Pain management doctors generally specialize in anesthesiology, neurology, physiatry, or orthopedics. Some pain management specialists are surgeons. Specialization requires successful completion of course requirements and certifications from the American Board of Pain Medicine or the appropriate specialty board, such as the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. While it requires dedication and hard work to make it through the educational path traveled to become a doctor, pain management offers rewarding experiences and compensation for those willing to complete the course. The flexibility in pain management offers a variety of exciting career paths. Pain management specialists can work with many types of patients (for example, cancer patients, migraine sufferers, or those who have been injured) and choose to specialize in one of the various areas (chronic pain, addiction and so on). These highly-specialized doctors get to work with a select group of patients, placing them at the heart of what is important to them and why they chose to pursue medicine. Considerations for Choosing a Pain Management Specialization Much like many feel called to pursue medicine, many specialists have personal reasons and experiences that have led them down their career path. There are many pain specialists who have experienced the effects of living with chronic pain in some way. According to Dr. Harvey Finkelstein, “One of the most common complaints that chronic pain sufferers express is exhaustion. They are extremely tired, and can’t identify where their exhaustion comes from, or how to get rid of it.” It is important to choose a specialization that you enjoy and is important to you. Each medical student and doctor will have their own reasons for choosing the paths that they do, and being informed can only help students realize what could await them in the field. The area you choose to specialize in will also impact how you diagnose and administer treatments. Treatments are designed to reduce or manage pain through a variety of methods. First and foremost, the pain management specialist must assess a patient’s case and analyze test results to decide upon the most effective course of action. Depending on the type of pain and area, medications, injections, physical therapy, implantable devices, or surgery may be prescribed. There are many pain relief treatments available and safe for use, and more innovations and methods are coming all the time. Pain management offers an exciting position at the helm of this wave of innovation, encouraging specialists to continue pursuing safer and more-effective courses of pain management. Dr. Harvey Finkelstein recognizes the importance of technological advances in the medical field have made diagnosing and treating patients simpler. Diagnostic equipment aids pain management doctors in locating the problem more efficiently than in the past. Quite a few people that suffer from pain try to seek alternative treatment methods. Things they have considered or tried consist of hypnosis, meditation and acupuncture. It may also be necessary to have joint replacement surgery if pain persists. However, this is typically the last resort. The orthopedic surgeon works in conjunction with a pain management doctor to determine how best to boost your recovery. Doctors are trained in a variety of treatment methods for patients including drug intervention. Local anesthetics combined with corticosteroids are often used for severe pain management. Typically the medication is injected around the nerve roots or into the muscles and joints. The process is designed to relieve irritation, muscle spasms and swelling. Nerve blocks is another method certain pain management doctors recommend for patients. Treatment involves injections with local anesthetics to block the pain. The focus is always the patient, but medical students need to carefully consider their options to choose the path that leads them to a rewarding and successful career. Pain management offers flexibility and the rewarding experience of improving lives for those suffering from pain. Like Dr. Harvey Finkelstein, many pain management specialists feel that their specialty has allowed them to take their medical career to new heights and help patients in the ways that they have always dreamed of. Source
