Pain Care and COVID-19: What You Should Know

If you have arthritis, fibromyalgia, spinal stenosis, or another chronic pain condition, your pain hasn’t disappeared as the COVID-19 pandemic has swept across our country and the world. Stay-at-home orders and social distancing are sometimes vague, and you might be wondering about how to get the care you need when you’re supposed to stay at home. 

Our anesthesiologist and pain management expert Syed Nasir, MD, here at Skilled Pain Care Clinic, PA, in Houston and Katy, Texas, is committed to helping you live a healthy, active, and pain-free life. We're taking every precaution to ensure the safety of our patients and our team, so we can continue to provide the innovative pain management treatments you need.

Safety first

Patients with chronic pain are often immunocompromised, elderly, or have comorbidities that increase their risk of contracting COVID-19. Additionally, long-term opioid therapy and steroids impact your immune system and increase your vulnerability. 

We request anyone coming into our offices wear a mask to protect themselves and others. You might be socially distancing and protecting yourself, but you don’t know what anyone else is doing. Keeping your mouth and nose covered, even if you don’t have symptoms, increases everyone's safety. 

If you have COVID-19 symptoms, stay at home. Some of the warning signs of the virus include:

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue
• Muscle and body aches
• Headaches
• Sore throat
• Congestion and runny nose

You can call our team here at the Skilled Pain Clinic for advice if you have COVID-19 symptoms. We provide customized advice to meet your needs and keep you safe.

Pain care in the time of COVID-19

Our office is open, but we’re limiting the number of patients and staff to reduce the risk of spreading the illness. As a medical practice, hygiene is paramount, so we’re taking extra steps to ensure our entire office, from the waiting room to the treatment rooms, is sanitized frequently throughout the day. 

We aim to provide the same high-quality interventional pain management services you’ve come to expect from us. With limited hours and availability, you can make sure you get the treatment you need by keeping an eye on your meds and carefully monitoring your symptoms. 

You don’t want to get caught out with an empty prescription and have to wait for a refill. We do our best to accommodate your needs, but we can’t control your pharmacy. Additionally, don’t wait until the last minute to schedule follow-up appointments. If you know you’re due for a joint or spine injection in the next month or two, book your appointment now. 

Managing COVID-19–related pain

Many patients report that COVID-19 causes severe body aches and pains. Pay attention to your regular pain, and if it changes, call us. Medications like ibuprofen and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) mask other COVID-19 symptoms. If you hide or lessen your symptoms, you might not know if your condition is worsening. 

Instead, talk to Dr. Nasir about your pain, new symptoms, and other changes. He might adjust your prescription or recommend a different therapy to manage your pain. 

If you’re concerned about receiving your pain management treatments, have a high risk of COVID-19, or have had a positive test, call us or make an appointment online for personalized advice.