
How to prepare for your first pain medicine appointment
A first consultation for chronic pain covers a great deal of ground. A little preparation makes the difference between a useful appointment and a preliminary one.
Plain-language articles on headache, nerve pain and chronic pain — written to help you understand your condition and make better use of your appointment.

A first consultation for chronic pain covers a great deal of ground. A little preparation makes the difference between a useful appointment and a preliminary one.

“Sciatica” describes a symptom, not a diagnosis. Several different problems produce pain down the leg, and they are not treated the same way.

Most headaches are not dangerous, but some patterns deserve a neurological opinion. Here is how to tell the difference, and what an evaluation actually involves.
General articles can only go so far. A consultation looks at your history, your examination and your prior investigations.