Pain Management

COMPREHENSIVE PAIN CENTER

The Comprehensive Pain Center has been serving the Howard County community for over two years. The Center is directed by Dr. Mark Matsunaga, who is double-boarded in Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine. His goals are to work with a team of specialists to help people with the diagnosis, management and treatment of their pain conditions.

The Center will see patients with a host of conditions and types of pain, including:
• Headaches
• Foot pain
• Back pain (the most common pain entity)
• Acute, chronic and cancer-related pain

The major goals for patients enrolled in the Comprehensive Pain Center are to:
• Maintain or gain function
• Decrease the reliance on the local health care system
• Return individuals to a more functional lifestyle

For more information call our office at 410-997-7246.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the difference between acute pain and chronic pain?
A: Acute pain usually only lasts a few hours or days, and is usually the result of an injury, surgery or illness. Chronic pain is an ongoing condition, often in the back, neck, head, feet, as well as nerve or neuropathic pain, and pain related to illness. Pinpointing the cause of the pain is crucial to the management of your pain.

Q: When should a person see a pain management specialist?
A: Seek out a pain management specialist when pain does not respond to the usual and customary treatments within a reasonable amount of time. Your primary care physician should be able to help you determine if pain management will help you. Don’t wait until chronic pain overwhelms you. Untreated chronic pain can lead to inability to work, loss of appetite, exhaustion, irritability and depression.

Q: Is pain management covered by insurance?
A: Most policies do provide for pain management. Call our office at 410-997-7246 for more information on what your insurance company provides.

For more information on pain management, visit the National Pain Foundation: http://www.nationalpainfoundation.org/