Questions to Consider Asking Your Doctor When Dealing With Chronic Pain

About Nicole Pajer

Nicole Pajer is a Los Angeles-based freelance published in The New York Times, Woman's Day, AARP, Parade, Wired, Glamour, People and more.

Do you or a loved one deal with chronic pain? You’re not alone. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that per 2023 data, around 24.3% of United States adults live with some degree of chronic pain. Feeling pain that lingers can be scary and it can get in the way of your quality of life. If you notice pain that isn’t subsiding, it’s time to see a doctor for help in managing it. Here are a few questions to consider asking your doctor during your next appointment.

1. What might be causing my pain?

Understanding the root of your pain is an important first step in finding relief. The causes of chronic pain can be different for everyone but some of the more common causes are:

Injuries
Diseases
Nerve damage
Muscle strain
Health issues like osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis or fibromyalgia
Inflammation

Keep a log of things that you notice may make your pain feel worse and show it to your doctor. Then, ask what they think may be contributing to your symptoms and whether any additional testing, such as imaging or lab work, could help clarify the cause.

2. What are my treatment options?

Since the causes of chronic pain are all different, the treatment options also vary. Your treatment options could include any of the following, depending on the cause of your chronic pain:

Reducing your stress
Physical or occupational therapy
Weight management
Medications like muscle relaxers and pain killers
Botox, TENs treatments or steroid injections
Massage therapy, acupuncture, biofeedback or meditation
Cognitive behavioral therapy and mental health care
Clinical trials
Disease or illness management

3. Are there any lifestyle changes that could help?

Ask your doctor about what things you can do on your own at home that may help to manage your condition. Some things they might recommend could include:

Deep breathing, yoga or meditation to manage stress
Exercising for a dose of natural feel-good endorphins
Reducing alcohol
Quitting smoking
Tracking your pain level and activities
Joining a support group
Getting a massage
Eating a healthy diet

4. What are the possible side effects of chronic pain medications?

Many pain-relieving drugs, such as NSAIDs like Ibuprofen, can help to relieve pain and swelling. For some, they may cause nausea, stomach aches, stomach bleeding or ulcers. Other medications, such as opioids for pain management (in more extreme cases), can cause constipation, nausea and vomiting and can potentially lead to addiction.

You also want to make sure that any new medications that you are prescribed are okay to be taken with your existing medication and supplement list. Your doctor will go over the pros and cons of each medication and work with you to find the right treatment options.

6. How often should I see you for appointments?

Your doctor will let you know when it’s time to see them again. Typically, they’ll prescribe a course of treatment and then determine when you should check in to see how it’s working. They’ll also likely tell you to keep tabs on your pain level and to call them sooner if anything changes.

7. When does pain become chronic?

Acute pain is defined as pain that occurs for a few weeks or months. When pain lasts three months or longer, it’s generally considered to be chronic pain. There could always be exceptions, like a severely broken bone that takes a bit longer to heal than a traditional break. But that is the general rule of thumb. Your doctor will help assess whether they believe your pain is chronic and discuss what they can do to help you feel more comfortable. Another important thing to note is that pain doesn’t have to occur daily for it to be chronic. It can come and go, linger or flare up from time to time. This can happen indefinitely.

8. Could my pain be related to another health condition?

Chronic pain can sometimes be a symptom of an undiagnosed condition, such as

fibromyalgia, diabetes or an autoimmune disease. Bring a full list of symptoms to your doctor’s appointment with you, as that may help your physician understand more about whether you have symptoms in addition to pain that could flag additional testing for a specific condition.

9. Is there anything I should avoid that could make the pain worse?

In general, it’s best to pay attention to anything that seems to make your chronic pain worse and to avoid or limit them whenever you can. Certain things like pushing your body too hard to do activities that don’t feel good, taking certain medications or eating certain foods may cause your pain to worsen or interfere with treatments.

10. What are our goals for working together?

When it comes to chronic pain, your condition may improve but may still linger to some degree. That’s why it’s important to talk with your doctor about realistic treatment goals you can work on together. These goals might include improving your mobility so you can participate in activities you enjoy, reducing inflammation through dietary changes or managing pain that interferes with your sleep. Getting on the same page with your doctor—and becoming clear on what each of your roles are—can help set you up for your best treatment success.

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