Pain Management for Work Injuries in Chicago
Pain that will not settle makes everything harder: sleeping, therapy, getting back to work. Pain management at Illinois Orthopedic Network is part of your overall treatment plan, not a separate office you have to find.
- For pain that is not improving with rest and therapy
- Part of the same network as your doctor and therapists
- A plan built around your injury and your job
- Reports go to the insurer through your case manager
Request an appointment
Takes 30 seconds. The scheduling team calls you back during office hours.
When pain management can help
Most work injuries get less painful as they heal. Pain management is usually considered when:
- Pain is not improving after several weeks of treatment
- Pain is stopping you from doing therapy
- Pain spreads into an arm or leg, or comes with numbness or tingling
- Pain is keeping you from sleeping or working within your restrictions
What pain management may involve
Your plan depends on your injury and your exam. Options your provider may discuss include:
- Changes to activity and work tasks
- Medication prescribed and monitored by your provider
- Injections for some back, neck and joint problems
- Physical therapy alongside other treatment
Your provider will explain what each option is for, the risks and the alternatives, before anything is decided.
Why it works better as part of one team
Pain management works best when it is tied to the rest of your care. Your doctor, therapists and pain management provider share notes, so the goal stays the same: less pain, better movement and a safe return to work.
Who pays for pain management
For an accepted work injury, reasonable and necessary treatment, including pain management, is paid by the employer’s workers’ compensation insurance. See who pays for treatment.
Go to the ER now for sudden severe pain with weakness in a leg, loss of bladder or bowel control, or numbness in the groin area.
Common questions
Is pain management just pills?
No. Medication can be one part, but pain management may also include activity changes, therapy and, for some injuries, injections. Your provider builds the plan around your injury.
Do I need a referral for pain management?
Usually your treating doctor refers you after an exam. Under Illinois workers’ comp, specialists your chosen doctor refers you to do not use up one of your doctor choices.
Will pain management help me get back to work?
That is the goal. Controlling pain can make therapy and light duty possible. Your provider and doctor decide your work restrictions together.
Is pain management covered by workers’ comp?
When the claim is accepted, reasonable and necessary treatment for the work injury is covered by the employer’s insurance, with no copays or deductibles.
Hurt at work in Chicago? See a doctor first. Illinois Orthopedic Network usually sees injured workers the same day or the next.
General information only, not medical advice. Treatment depends on your injury and your provider’s exam. No outcome is guaranteed.