Pain management is a comprehensive approach to diagnosing, treating, and controlling pain. It uses a multipronged and individualized treatment plan to coordinate safe and effective options that can address the physical, emotional, social, and psychological aspects of pain. In a balanced approach to pain management, people with pain, along with their family members and caregivers, learn to manage the pain in safe, effective, responsible, and healthy ways to improve or maintain their overall well-being.

Components of a balanced pain management plan include:

• physical therapy and rehabilitation;

• psychological counseling;

• social support;

• medication;

• complementary approaches.

When medications are necessary, there must be full recognition of potential side effects and appropriate management of the medications.

It is important that individuals afflicted with pain know that they will have to be active participants in their journey from being a patient to a functional person — all with the assistance of their support network. Balanced pain management means a team approach to ensure that people with pain can improve their quality of life, increase function and reduce suffering.

Pain isn’t just a symptom, it’s also a condition—one that only you truly understand. But, that doesn’t mean your doctor can’t help you. If you take a closer look at your pain, describe it thoroughly, and ask some thoughtful questions, you can help your pain management team develop a results-oriented treatment plan for you. Having pain can make you feel isolated because you’re the one experiencing it, but you are not alone. In fact, more than 100 million Americans have chronic pain—and that’s only one type of pain among a vast number of symptoms.