My 85 year old mother starting having back pain two weeks ago. The doctor took an xray only, one week ago. Today my mother woke up from the pain and that's when they said that she needs to be referred to a pain management clinic. Shouldn't there be other tests done to make sure that it isn't more serious?
It may also reflect the medical movement to decrease dependency on opioids. That's become a major concern, and from what friends in medicine are telling me, has resulted in less prescription of pain meds.
It seems like they don't see a cause for the pain that they can treat. But the dear woman needs some relief from pain, so let's have the experts on pain management work with her.
It is too bad the doctor didn't give you a more complete explanation. Or did the doctor only talk to your mother?
What have you in mind?
If your mother is showing other symptoms that are frightening you, such as weight loss, then tell her doctor about them and ask about additional investigations. Otherwise, as long as it won't take long for the pain clinic to see her, that sounds like a sensible plan to me.
My first gues is that in an 85 yr old it is likely to be some form of arthritis or even compressed vertebrae.
A pain clinic is not just somewhere that they dish out pain pills. They have lots of other tricks up their sleeves to help Mom. Give them a fair change change does not happen overnight