Frequently asked questions about pain management
This page answers common questions about pain conditions, pain management appointments, and treatment options available through Pain Specialists WA in Perth.
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When should I see a pain specialist?
Is chronic pain always curable?
Seeing a pain specialist
You may consider seeing a pain specialist if pain is not improving despite treatment from your GP, if it affects your sleep, work, walking, daily activities or mood, or if it spreads to another part of the body with symptoms like numbness, tingling or pins and needles.
A pain specialist can assess the possible source of your pain and discuss a management plan that may include education, physiotherapy, medication review, injections or other options. Learn more about seeing a pain specialist in Perth.
A pain specialist looks at more than the painful area. They take a detailed history, review previous treatments, examine you, and may request scans or other tests if needed. The aim is to understand what may be driving the pain and how it affects your daily life.
Treatment may include simple lifestyle changes, medication review, physiotherapy, pain management injections, nerve blocks or referral to other health professionals where appropriate.
Not always. Chronic pain can be complex, and sometimes there is no single cause or simple cure. The goal is often to reduce pain, improve function, support sleep, and help you return to meaningful activities where possible.
This is why a pain management plan is usually tailored to the person, not just the scan result. For more information, read about seeing a Perth pain specialist.
Pain specialist appointments and procedures may be partly covered by Medicare or private health insurance, depending on your referral, treatment plan, hospital cover and individual policy. Some treatments may involve out-of-pocket costs, and some options, such as certain infusion therapies, may not be covered by Medicare.
Before your appointment or procedure, we can explain the expected fees, rebates and any hospital or anaesthetic costs where relevant. If you have private health insurance, it is also worth checking directly with your insurer so you understand what is included in your cover.
Medicare website
Appointments and assessment
At your first visit, the pain specialist will ask about your symptoms, medical history, previous treatments, medications, scans, work, sleep and daily function. A physical examination is usually performed, and further investigations may be requested if needed.
Not everyone needs an injection. Sometimes the first step is education, medication changes, physiotherapy or lifestyle advice. Learn more about your first visit to a pain clinic in Perth.
Bring a list of your current medications, details of painkillers you have already tried, scan reports if you have them, and the name of the radiology centre where your imaging was done. Completing the clinic forms before your appointment can also help make the consultation more useful.
If you are unsure what to bring, contact the clinic before your appointment.
Usually, no. A pain injection is only recommended after a proper assessment and when it is suitable for your condition. If an injection is discussed, the pain specialist will explain why it may help, what the risks are, and what you may need to do before and after the procedure.
Pain Specialists WA offers consultations in Perth, with clinic locations listed on the contact page. You can check the current address details before your visit.
About pain management approach
No. Medication may be part of a pain management plan, but it is not the only option. A pain clinic may also discuss physiotherapy, rehabilitation, lifestyle changes, sleep, mood, supplements, injections, nerve blocks or referral to allied health professionals.
Pain management is often like building a toolkit; the aim is to use the right mix of strategies for your situation. Learn more about common misconceptions about pain clinics.
No. Injections are only one part of pain management. They may help reduce pain for a period of time, which can create a window to move better, engage in physiotherapy and rebuild function.
For some people, simple changes, education or physiotherapy may be more appropriate than an injection. A consultation helps work out what is suitable.
No. Pain specialists often help with chronic pain, but they may also assist with acute pain after injury, pain after surgery, severe flare-ups, or pain that is difficult to manage with usual treatments.
If pain is stopping you from moving, sleeping or recovering, speak with your GP or contact the clinic to discuss whether a referral is appropriate.
Do pain clinics only prescribe pain medication?
Is pain management only for chronic pain?
What are my options for knee osteoarthritis pain relief?
What causes nerve pain?
Joint and knee pain
Joint pain is pain felt in or around a joint, such as the knee, hip, shoulder, ankle, wrist, fingers or facet joints in the spine. It may be constant, or it may only appear during certain movements.
Common causes include osteoarthritis, inflammation, injury, overuse, cartilage problems, ligament problems and autoimmune conditions. Learn more about joint pain.
Knee osteoarthritis pain relief may start with simple steps such as pacing activity, physiotherapy, strengthening exercises, heat or cold packs, TENS, gentle movement, weight management and suitable pain medication.
If these measures are not enough, other options may include steroid injections, platelet-rich plasma injections, hyaluronic acid injections or genicular rhizotomy in selected cases. Learn more about osteoarthritis knee pain relief.
If knee pain is persistent, recurring, or not improving after usual care, start with your GP. Depending on the cause, you may be referred to a physiotherapist, orthopaedic surgeon, rheumatologist or pain specialist.
A knee pain specialist in Perth may help when the pain source is unclear, when pain continues after other treatments, or when diagnostic injections may help identify where the pain is coming from.
Nerve pain and radiating pain
Nerve pain can feel like burning, tingling, pins and needles, shooting pain, numbness, crawling sensations or pain in an area that also feels numb. It may travel along the path of a nerve, such as from the lower back into the leg.
Because nerve pain can be hard to describe, a detailed assessment is important. Learn more about nerve pain.
Nerve pain can happen when a nerve is irritated, compressed, damaged or not functioning normally. Common causes include sciatica, carpal tunnel syndrome, diabetes, shingles, alcohol-related nerve damage, vitamin deficiencies, chemotherapy, injury or previous surgery.
Treatment depends on the cause, so a careful diagnosis is the first step.
Sciatica often causes sharp, shooting, zapping or electric pain that starts in the lower back or buttock and travels down one leg. It may come with numbness, tingling, heaviness or pain that worsens with sitting, bending, coughing or sneezing.
Sciatica can be caused by a disc bulge, spinal narrowing, spondylolisthesis, piriformis irritation or injury. Learn more about sciatica treatment in Perth.
Neck, back and arm pain
Cervical radiculopathy happens when a nerve in the neck becomes irritated or compressed. It can cause neck pain that spreads into the shoulder, arm or hand, and may come with tingling, numbness, weakness or reduced reflexes.
Common causes include bulging discs, arthritis, bone spurs or injury. Learn more about cervical radiculopathy.
You should seek medical advice if neck pain spreads into the arm or hand, especially if it causes weakness, numbness, pins and needles, loss of grip strength or symptoms that are getting worse.
A pain specialist may assess the pattern of symptoms, perform an examination, review scans and discuss options such as medication, physiotherapy, epidural injections or nerve root sleeve injections where appropriate.
Yes. Shoulder pain can come from the shoulder joint itself, but it can also be referred from the neck. This is why two people with similar shoulder pain may need very different treatment.
If shoulder pain is persistent, unclear or not responding to usual care, a detailed assessment can help identify whether the source is the shoulder, neck, nerves or another structure. Learn more from the shoulder pain specialist Perth page.
Headaches and migraines
A migraine is a type of headache, but not every headache is a migraine. Migraine often causes intense throbbing pain on one or both sides of the head and may come with nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light or sound.
Other headache types include tension headache, occipital neuralgia and cervicogenic headache. Learn more about headaches and migraines.
You should speak with your GP if headaches are frequent, severe, changing, affecting your daily life, or needing regular painkillers. Some headaches are managed by a neurologist, while a pain specialist may help with selected headache types, especially when the neck, nerves or pain pathways are involved.
A proper assessment helps identify whether the headache is primary, such as migraine, or secondary to another condition.
Treatment depends on the headache type and cause. Options may include medication review, trigger management, sleep and routine changes, physiotherapy, occipital nerve procedures, sphenopalatine ganglion block, cervical facet rhizotomy or injection treatment for migraine in selected cases.
Speak with the clinic or your GP to understand what is appropriate for your symptoms.
When should I get neck pain with arm symptoms checked?
When should I see a pain specialist for headaches?
What are pain management injections?
Do I need to rest after a pain injection?
Injections and procedures
Pain management injections are procedures where medication is placed into a specific area to help diagnose the source of pain or reduce pain. Some injections target joints, while others target nerves or the space around spinal nerves.
They are not suitable for everyone and are usually considered after a proper assessment. Learn more about pain management injections.
An injection is the general term for placing medication into a specific area of the body. A nerve block is a type of injection that targets a nerve or group of nerves to reduce pain signals from a particular area.
In simple terms, all nerve blocks are injections, but not all injections are nerve blocks.
This depends on the type of injection and your individual instructions. In some cases, you may need to be careful while local anaesthetic is active, especially if a limb feels numb or weak.
For some injections, gentle movement and normal activities are encouraged when safe, because the information gained after the injection can help with diagnosis and treatment planning. Always follow the advice given by your treating doctor.
Rhizotomy
Rhizotomy, also called radiofrequency ablation, denervation or neurotomy, is a procedure that targets nerves carrying pain signals. It may use heat, cold or pulsed electrical energy to disrupt pain signals from selected nerves.
It is usually not a first-line treatment and is generally considered after more conservative options have been tried. Learn more about rhizotomy for pain relief.
Rhizotomy may be used for selected pain conditions involving the neck, mid back, lower back, sacroiliac region, knees, hips, shoulders, pelvis, chest wall or some peripheral nerves.
The right technique depends on the pain source, previous response to treatment and the individual risks and benefits.
Rhizotomy is a medical procedure and, like any procedure, it carries risks. These can include infection, bleeding, temporary pain flare-up, nerve irritation, numbness, medication reaction, anaesthetic risks or limited effectiveness.
Before any invasive procedure, you should discuss the risks, benefits and alternatives with an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
Medication and ketamine infusion
Not always. Opioids may help in some short-term situations, but long-term use can carry risks such as tolerance, dependence, hormonal changes, mood effects, breathing problems, interactions with other medications and increased sensitivity to pain.
A pain specialist may discuss safer or more suitable options depending on your diagnosis, goals and previous treatments. Learn more about prescription pain medication.
The decision is based on your diagnosis, medical history, previous treatments, current medications, goals and the type of pain involved. For example, nerve pain may need a different approach from arthritis pain or muscular pain.
Medication is usually only one part of a broader pain management plan.
Ketamine infusion therapy may be considered for selected chronic pain conditions that have not responded well to other treatments, such as complex nerve pain, fibromyalgia, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, persistent headaches or migraines, or some cases where opioid reduction is part of the plan.
It is not suitable for everyone and is only considered after a full consultation. Learn more about ketamine infusion in Perth.
What areas can rhizotomy treat?
How does a pain specialist decide which pain medication is suitable?
Pain Specialists WA for Pain management FAQ Perth
Pain Specialists WA in Perth is a pain management clinic located in Nedlands and Ardross. Consultations are available at Hollywood Medical Centre in Nedlands and at our private practice in Ardross.
Call Pain Specialists WA in Perth or request an appointment online.