Pain Management Services
Controlling pain is one of the greatest challenges of the healthcare system. Our Pain Management Program is operated by the Department of Anesthesia and Pain Management. The providers from the Department of Anesthesia and Pain Management are Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA) and have advanced education in pain management. CRNAs are advanced practice registered nurses with graduate-level education in anesthesia. FMDH’s Department of Surgical Services staff assists with the program and has training in chronic pain management. The program is multidisciplinary to address your pain on several levels.
Contact Us
Reach out to Pain Management with questions at
(406) 228-3652. Appointments with the Pain Program must be made by referral from your
Primary Physician, Physician Assistant, or Nurse Practitioner.
Multidisciplinary Pain Management
Pain affects many aspects of life, including how we feel, think, work, and play, and it often limits social interaction. Pain can cause physical and emotional changes in our bodies, too. Our multidisciplinary pain management approach attempts to address different aspects of life that have been affected by pain. This approach elicits the best advice and treatment from specialists in each area.
Our CRNA may provide specific interventions to break the pain cycle or control the pain. Our physical therapist may assist in increasing muscle strength and flexibility, and a physician may prescribe treatments and medications to limit diseases that may be the origin of the pain. A psychologist or social worker may assist in dealing with the stress of chronic pain and its impact on life.
The Pain Management Program is an interventional pain program. We help treat your pain primarily with injections. The most common procedures we perform are epidural steroid injections. Other procedures we perform include facet joint injections, select nerve root blocks, sacroiliac joint injections, and other various anesthesia nerve blocks. These spinal injections can be delivered at all levels of the spine, from the neck to the tailbone.
What to Expect During Your Consultation
The most important part of the first visit is for us to get to know each other. We will want to hear about your pain and how it has impacted your life. We will also assess other areas like your medical history. We may perform a physical examination and review any diagnostic tests pertinent to your condition.
Depending on the cause and nature of your pain, we may institute treatment on the first day or schedule you for a procedure at a later time. We also want to make sure we answer your questions about your pain. However, some types of pain may not be easily identified or explained. It’s important to remember the treatment can be started at any time convenient for you.
To get to the Pain Management Clinic, go to the Surgery Department at FMDH. The Health Unit Coordinator at the nurses’ station will assist you if you are unfamiliar with the location of the department.
Program Cost
The cost will vary depending on the treatment and extent of the problem. At your request, we will provide you with an estimated cost of your planned treatment. Much of the cost may be covered by insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid. It is advisable that you check with your insurance company to find what is covered and if preapproval is necessary. You will be financially responsible for any uncovered services. Services from the Pain Management Program will be billed by both Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital and Deaconess Radiology. Any referrals to other providers may generate a bill from that provider. Please ask if you have questions regarding the billing.
