Why Are Real Phoenix Pain Clinics So Rare?

There are all types of specialists in the medical world, but pain specialists aren’t as well-known as cardiologists, pediatricians, and many other household-name specialists. Integrated Pain Consultants is your Phoenix pain clinic committed exclusively to helping you reduce pain safely and effectively. Why are pain specialists in such short supply and so needed right now? Consider the opioid epidemic. In 2019, the US vs. Littleford case found that one physician overprescribed opioids to such a degree that two patients died. This physician wrote one patient a prescription for 840 tablets of 30-mg oxycodone, 360 tablets of Percocet, 240 tablets of Klonopin, 240 tablets of morphine, 120 tablets of 80-mg oxycodone, and 240 tablets of Soma—in just one day!

This led to the question of who exactly a pain specialist is and how are they different than general physicians? According to the Department of Justice, Littleford touted himself as a doctor in the pain management field although he actually hadn’t even completed a proper medical residency. This is a reminder that it’s very important to consider the background of your doctors when searching for a Phoenix pain clinic.

Here’s How Pain Management Education Works

There are no residency programs to specialize in pain medicine. However, there are avenues to achieve board-certification in Pain Management. It requires a doctor to complete a complementary residency program (neurology or anesthesiology are common paths). This is followed by another one-year fellowship in pain medicine or substantial pain medicine training. As you can imagine, this process is one reason why it’s so tough to find a pain management specialist who is actually qualified. That’s tough, considering that there are roughly 30,000 people in the U.S. living with chronic pain for every singular pain care specialist who is actually board-certified.

For those in Arizona, you’re in luck. This Phoenix pain clinic is committed to proper pain management with board-certified specialists in pain management. Only trust your well-being to the real experts. To learn more or to scheduled a detailed evaluation with Integrated Pain Consultants, call (480) 626-2552 today.