For Orthopedic Surgeon, Dr. Brion Gardner, when patients complain of chronic pain, his first step is to evaluate them thoroughly for any correctable cause, such as a pinched nerve. If he can’t help, his priority is to get his patients to a pain physician who can best treat them. A pain physician has specialized training and experience in evaluating, treating and preventing chronic pain, particularly pain that can be complicated to diagnose and address.

In the article, Treating Patients Suffering from Chronic Pain: Collaboration Between the Orthopedic Surgeon & the Pain Management Physician, Dr. Gardner highlights different chronic pain management solutions, including collaborating with pain management physicians (PMPs), through exploring:

• How you know it’s time for a PMP intervention
• Protecting patients from opioid abuse
• Impacts of the new pain management guidelines