5 Tips For Switching Pain Care Providers

April 12, 2024 / Thomas Cohn, MD

If you’re just not getting the care you feel like you deserve, or your current practitioner is retiring, it may be time to begin looking for a new pain care physician. Whether you’ve been with your current provider for a couple months or many years, it’s not always going to be easy to find a new physician who will be a perfect fit for your situation. With that in mind, we wanted to use today’s blog to share five tips for finding a new doctor when you need to switch pain care providers.

Finding A New Pain Care Provider

Here are some ways that you can transition to a new pain care provider if you need to switch doctors for one reason or another.

1. Ask Your Current Provider For Recommendations – If you are on great terms with your provider, but a situation out of your control is making it such that you will no longer be able to see them for care, ask your current pain specialist for a recommendation. For example, let’s say that your pain specialist is retiring, or you are moving away for a new job. Ask your current doctor if they have any recommendations of providers in your area that would be a good fit for your situation. Odds are they would be more than willing to pass you off to someone they have extreme faith in to continue providing you with a high level of care.

2. Online Reviews – It may also be helpful to do a quick Google search for pain care specialists in your area and see what current and former patients are saying about their care. Read some positive reviews, read some negative reviews, and perhaps most importantly, see how the provider responds to any negative reviews or criticism. If the doctor is willing to try and correct any perceived issues, that suggests they really do want to do right by their patients. See what the online review sites are saying about any new doctors you are considering.

3. Check Your Network – Of course, you’ll want to make sure that any new provider you switch to is still in your insurance network. Sometimes this information is available online, while other times you may want to call the clinic or your insurance company to ensure that any change in providers will not lead to any unexpected expenses because the physician is out of network.

4. Ask Your Inner Circle – It can also be helpful to ask your friends or family for care recommendations. Just remember that you are looking for recommendations for a pain care provider and not a family medicine practitioner, so try to source information from people who have gone through similar issues. If you have friends, co-workers or members of a support group who have had a really positive experience having a similar pain issue treated by a specific physician, consider giving that provider a try. We know that your situation is unique, but chronic pain is incredibly common, so more people in your inner circle have likely worked to overcome a chronic pain issue than you realize!

5. Know That Nothing Is Final – You can do your research and crowdsource recommendations from family, friends and your current medical team, but at the end of the day, you’re going to need to see how you and the doctor mesh in person. Set up an appointment and go see how the doctor and their team handle your care. If they seem like they are willing to take the time to get to know you and listen to your concerns, they may be a good fit. If you’re turned off by the visit, look elsewhere for care. Know that whoever you switch to, the move isn’t permanent unless you decide it is. You can always work to establish care with a different provider if your first choice doesn’t seem to be a great fit.

For more information on switching providers, or to get answers to other questions you have about pain management, reach out to Dr. Cohn and his team today at (952) 738-4580.

Why Early Treatment Is Important For Chronic Pain Patients

August 31, 2023 / Thomas Cohn, MD

Early intervention is key for almost all medical conditions, but it’s even more important for certain issues. While cancer may be the most obvious condition that benefits from early treatment, so too does chronic pain. In today’s blog, we explain why early treatment can be so beneficial for patients dealing with chronic pain.

Chronic Pain And Early Intervention

If you’re dealing with chronic pain, don’t just grit your teeth and hope that the condition gets better on its own. Instead, connect with a pain specialist like Dr. Cohn sooner rather than later. Here’s why it’s so important to treat your chronic condition in its infancy.

It Oftentimes Gets Worse – Your pain condition may not be all that uncomfortable at the outset, and you may think that it’s not bothersome enough to warrant professional attention. The problem is that continuing to do the same things that led to its onset in the first place means that the condition will likely only continue to get worse. Mild discomfort will become moderate pain and moderate pain can eventually become severe and debilitating. Stop small problems before they snowball.

Easier To Treat At The Outset – Chronic pain treatment also tends to be more effective when it’s in its infancy. Smaller problems are easier to treat than severe conditions, so by putting off treatment, you’re also decreasing the likelihood that you’ll experience complete pain relief.

It Takes A Toll – Chronic pain takes a significant toll on your physical, mental and emotional health, and it can have negative consequences for all of these aspects if left untreated for long enough. Chronic pain conditions have been linked to an increased risk of mood disorders and mental health issues like anxiety or depression, so the longer you put off treatment, the greater your risk of related health problems.

Treatment Is Easier Than You Think – One thing we oftentimes hear from patients is that treatment was easier than they imagined and they wish they would have sought us out sooner. That’s not saying that treating your pain will be as simple as taking a pill once a day, but you may find major improvements to your condition and overall health by doing some simple things like tweaking your diet and doing 15 minutes of physical therapy exercises each day.

If you’re ready to take the first step in treating your chronic pain condition, don’t wait any longer. Pick up the phone and give Dr. Cohn and his team a call today at (952) 738-4580.

New Ways To Tackle Your Chronic Pain In The New Year

December 28, 2022 / Thomas Cohn, MD

If you hope that the new year will bring you chronic pain relief, know that this process won’t just happen on its own. If you’ve been struggling to find relief from your chronic pain, it’s time to switch up your current treatment plan. With that in mind, we wanted to share some new ways that you can try to better manage your chronic pain condition in the new year.

New Ways To Approach Your Pain Condition

If you want 2023 to be the year you get control over your chronic pain condition, you may need to adjust your current approach. Here are some new techniques for conquering your pain condition in the new year.

1. Consult With A Pain Specialist – Many people turn to their family doctor or a general practitioner for help with their pain condition, and while that’s a fine place to start, they likely won’t be your best resource for pain care. This year, resolve to connect with a pain management specialist who can give you the individualized attention that you and your pain condition deserve. Pain is complex, and it is best addressed by a professional who specializes solely in pain management.

2. Take Up One New Active Hobby – Chronic pain oftentimes responds to exercise and movement, but we understand that jumping into an exercise routine if you have chronic pain isn’t easy. While we still recommend an exercise routine, you may find that you have more success by finding an active hobby that you enjoy. An active hobby can give you the benefits of exercise without feeling like a traditional workout. Consider cycling, swimming, hiking, or yoga in the new year, and you may just notice an improvement in your chronic pain condition.

3. Reset Your Sleep Cycle – Quality sleep can help you get more control over your pain condition, and the opposite is also true. Poor sleep can make pain sensations feel more intense, and it can also leave you feeling tired and without the motivation to exercise and move. In the new year, really make it a point to reset your sleep schedule so that you get 7-9 hours of continuous sleep. Strive to go to bed earlier and at the same time each night so that your body can get into a better sleep rhythm. As your sleep improves, so too will your pain condition.

4. Journal – Finally, consider starting a pain journal in the new year. It’s much easier to get a true understanding of what affects our pain condition for the good and the bad if we write down our experiences so that we can reflect on them later. Write down how you’re feeling, how active you were, what you ate and drank and how quality your sleep was the night before. Odds are patterns will begin to emerge that will allow you to make more informed choices going forward that will help you better control your pain condition.

If your current approach to pain management isn’t working, try something new in the new year. For more information, or for help with your pain issue, reach out to Dr. Cohn and his team today at (952) 738-4580.

Common Misconceptions About Chronic Pain And Treatment

October 7, 2022 / Thomas Cohn, MD

Whether it’s because we read some bad information online or received some less-than-stellar advice from a relative, it’s easy to accidentally form some misconceptions about chronic pain or your pain condition. Unfortunately, these misconceptions can make it harder for patients to find relief because they are pursuing ineffective methods or don’t understand the best way to treat their condition.

In today’s blog, we take a closer look at some of the common misconceptions about chronic pain care, and we shed a light on some helpful truths.

Chronic Pain Misconceptions

Here’s a closer look at some of the common misconceptions we hear about pain and the pain care process, and why these statements simply don’t hold water.

There’s Nothing That Can Be Done For Me – We understand that chronic pain can be extremely frustrating to deal with on a daily or regular basis, but don’t let pain allow you to think that there’s nothing that can be done to help. We’re not saying that there is always a solution to completely rid you of your pain, but we are confident that we can help you find a treatment that makes things at least a little better. Whether that’s through symptom control or teaching patients how to alleviate stress and other chronic pain triggers, we know that we’ll be able to help you. Don’t assume that there’s nothing that can be done for your pain, because that’s simply not true.

Activity Makes Things Worse – We don’t want to paint with too broad a brush, but activity almost always helps to treat a chronic pain condition when performed in the right manner. We’re not saying you should get off the couch and run a marathon tomorrow if you have chronic knee pain, but getting active will serve to make structures stronger and better able to handle stress. This can help to calm inflammatory responses that are trigger chronic pain sensations. We understand that movement might be painful, but controlled activity that is matched to your current abilities and goals will almost always be best for you in the long run. Don’t become sedentary simply because movement is uncomfortable, because that can make problems worse.

Opioids Are My Best Treatment Option – As we’ve said countless times on this blog in the past, opioids can absolutely play an integral role in your treatment plan, but they are never meant to be a best option or a stand-alone option. Opioids can help to treat some of the most painful symptoms, but while pain is at bay you need to be pursuing actions like physical therapy and exercise that help to treat the underlying problem. Don’t assume that opioids are your only option or that they’ll be a long-term option, because they work best as a short-term compliment to a comprehensive treatment plan.

It’s All In Your Head – An unfortunate reality for many chronic pain sufferers is having to deal with people who think they are making their pain up or that it’s “all in your head.” We know that this isn’t true. Don’t let uninformed individuals guide your actions or cause you to doubt yourself. Pain is real to you, and that’s what matters.

Pain Is One-Dimensional – Finally, much of the focus of chronic pain and even chronic pain treatment is on the physical. However, chronic pain is much more complex than that. Chronic pain affects us physically, mentally and emotionally, and it needs to be treated as such. You need to connect with a provider who understands the total impact that chronic pain has on a person so that they can move forward with a multi-dimensional approach to treat the mental and physical aspects of the condition. Chronic pain is so much more than just physical pain.

To connect with a provider who understands how chronic pain conditions and care can get misconstrued, reach out to Dr. Cohn. He knows the obstacles that chronic pain patients face when searching for the right treatment, and he can help guide you to the right solution. For more information, or for help with a different pain problem, contact his office today at (952) 738-4580.

Law Change Helps Patients Fighting Chronic Pain In Minnesota

August 8, 2022 / Thomas Cohn, MD

A number of new laws went into effect on August 1, but one law in particular could be a godsend for certain chronic pain patients in Minnesota. The law clarifies and updates how doctors can prescribe medications to patients battling chronic pain, which will make it easier for some patients battling complex pain problems to receive the medications they so desperately need.

The new law came after some concerns developed in the wake of the 2016 CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain. Those guidelines really attempted to reduce opioid addiction and overdose deaths by placing limits and restrictions on the types of medication that patients with chronic pain could receive. However, as we’ve talked about on the blog in the past, chronic pain is highly individualized, so attempting to paint all pain patients with a broad brush stroke and subject them all to the same restrictions was bound to cause problems for some patients.

The 2016 guidelines featured specific numeric thresholds for opioid prescribing, which were later adopted widely and used in regulations and state laws to police opioid prescribing. But these restrictions also had an unintended effect – patients who could no longer get the crucial medication they needed to help with their pain would sometimes turn to the streets for painkillers.

“Many have turned to the streets out of desperation,” said Laura Johnson, a chronic pain patient who spoke to the Minnesota Senate during a spring hearing. “Many more have ended their lives.”

Both the American Medical Association and the Minnesota Medical Association backed up Johnson’s testimony, sending letters in support of a proposed change.

The New Guidelines

The updated guidelines essentially allow doctors more freedom to continue prescribing opioids past the previous threshold so long as they are doing so with a clear purpose and accurate documentation. The revised statute provides new or updated definitions for treating problems like intractable pain, palliative care and other rare conditions. Here’s what they say:

No physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or physician assistant shall be subject to disciplinary action by the Board of Medical Practice or Board of Nursing for appropriately prescribing or administering a controlled substance in Schedules II to V of section 152.02 in the course of treatment of a patient for intractable pain, provided the physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or physician assistant keeps accurate records of the purpose, use, prescription, and disposal of controlled substances, writes accurate prescriptions, and prescribes medications in conformance with chapter 147 or 148 or in accordance with the current standard of care.

No physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or physician assistant, acting in good faith and based on the needs of the patient, shall be subject to disenrollment or termination by the commissioner of health solely for prescribing a dosage that equates to an upward deviation from morphine milligram equivalent dosage recommendations or thresholds specified in state or federal opioid prescribing guidelines or policies, including but not limited to the Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Minnesota Opioid Prescribing Guidelines.

Prescribers are prohibited from tapering a patient’s medication dosage solely to meet a predetermined dosage recommendation or threshold if the patient is stable; is experiencing no serious harm from the level of medication prescribed, and is in compliance with treatment plan and patient-provider agreement.

No pharmacist, health plan company or pharmacy benefit manager shall refuse to fill a prescription for an opiate issued by a licensed practitioner authorized to prescribe opiates solely based on the prescription exceeding a predetermined morphine milligram equivalent dosage recommendation or threshold.

Prescribers and patients are required to enter into an agreement that includes the patient’s and prescriber’s expectations, responsibilities, and rights according to the best practices and current standard of care with agreement to be signed by the patient and the prescriber, and a copy of the agreement included with the patient’s medical record and a copy to the patient, to be reviewed at least annually and when there are any changes to treatment plan.

Absent clear evidence of drug diversion, nonadherence with the agreement must not be used as the sole reason to stop a patient’s treatment with scheduled drugs.

These updated guidelines should ensure that patients and providers who are doing everything in their power to correctly address a chronic pain issue won’t run into problems with access to medications that they need. Hopefully we see these intended results in the near future. And if you need help with a pain issue in the greater Twin Cities area, reach out to Dr. Cohn and his team today at (953) 738-4580.