Yo my own detriment, I may have lost almost a year of getting diagnosed and properly treated due to my own misconceptions about pain clinics or pain management Dr's.

Most are neurologists or anesthesiologists and while some may be willing to write prescription for narcotics or opiods to help you get through a bad flare up, the majority will recommend anything but. As for familiarity with RSD, they seem much more aware of it then the numerous neurologists I saw before finding the one who helped diagnose me at the Hospital for Special Surgery in NY.

One of the current doctors I am seeing for cervical blocks, lumbar blocks and possibly ketamine soon is part of a "Pain Management Center" and while he has told me he has no issue writing those prescriptions for me if I need them, my main goal is to stay off them and he certainly doesn't push them.

He's also very big on prescribing physical therapy and psychotherapy to help people through this. His degree is in Neurology but he spent an additional few years training in pain management with a focus on RSD.

Please don't fall into the trap I did and stay away from the doctors who could actually help you the most. Research them ahead of time and ask the right questions when you meet, most importantly, find out just how familiar and experienced they truly are with RSD and how many patients they have with it.



Red