QF Entity Signals Expansion to its Women’s Services Program
29 January 2020, Doha – Sidra Medicine, a member of Qatar Foundation, has launched an Adult Pain Clinic as an expansion to its Women’s Services program.
The Women’s Adult Pain Clinic at Sidra Medicine is staffed by a team of internationally trained pain management specialists who conduct careful and comprehensive evaluations to determine the cause of the patients’ pain, offering recommendations unique to each patient’s individual needs. The clinic treats all kinds of chronic pain conditions in women, including post caesarean section/operative pain; pelvic pain; knee, shoulder or neck pain; headaches and more.
Dr. Monzer Sadek, Division Chief of Anesthesiology at Sidra Medicine, whose team launched the Adult Pain clinic said: “The new adult pain clinic is part of Sidra Medicine’s commitment to providing women with compassionate and excellent care. We offer a holistic approach to treating chronic pain. Our treatment program includes options such as injection by guided X-rays, cognitive behavioural therapy, physiotherapy, ultrasound and advanced pain interruption techniques. If left untreated or misdiagnosed, chronic pain can lead to much suffering and disability. It is important for anyone living with this condition to undergo a thorough clinical assessment before therapy as per global best practice recommendations.”
According to the Journal of Women's Health, chronic pain is more common in women than men, with adults across the world confronting a range of undiagnosed chronic pain conditions.
All chronic long-term pain can start as acute short-term pain, caused by a specific incident such as injury, surgery or childbirth. While many short-term pain conditions are treatable, in some cases it turns into chronic pain due to causes such as sensitive nerve endings, abnormal healing or poorly controlled pain management after surgery or childbirth.
The most common chronic pain areas diagnosed in women are in the pelvic region, the back or knees. Pelvic pain is usually felt in the groin and lower abdomen. It can be caused by nerve sensitivity in the pelvic organs, painful periods, adhesions as well as urinary tract and bowel problems. Another reason for pelvic pain is endometriosis, a common condition where some of the lining of the womb spills out onto the pelvis causing severe period pain. Back pain is usually due to ageing or issues with back muscles, the backbone or spinal cord. Knee pain can be the result of degenerative osteoarthritis, ligament and soft tissue injury.
Patients with chronic pain often experience depression, sleep disturbance, fatigue, and decreased overall physical and mental functioning. The condition often requires long-term care, with frequent reassessment and adjustment of therapy.
At Sidra Medicine, patients are offered treatment which is monitored throughout the therapy duration. Treatment of chronic pain may involve medication, nerve blocks, active physical therapy, behavioural interventions, and assistance with vocational evaluation and training. Patients are referred to the clinic internally and the hospital also accepts external referrals from other clinics and general practitioners.
“We conduct a full examination to help determine the cause of the pain. We discuss the available treatment options with patients so that they can decide on the one that best suits them. It is our multi-disciplinary clinic approach that makes healthcare at Sidra Medicine stand out, as our patient and family centered care features input from a range of specialists in different disciplines, including gynecology, pain medicine, physiotherapy and clinical psychology” explained Dr. Sandeep Kulkarni, one of the senior attending physicians.
The Adult Pain Clinic is part of a vast array patient centered care programs offered by Sidra Medicine’s Women's Services. It is available for female adults from 18 years old and above. The clinic is not aimed at cancer patients or those on palliative care. It is also not available to patients with a history of drug abuse including recreational substances and chronic alcoholism.
Sidra Medicine’s Women’s Services includes gynecology, obstetrics, maternal-fetal medicine and perinatal mental health services. Its maternity services program also offers lactation consultations, thyroid and diabetes treatment in pregnancy and post-pregnancy. The services are in addition to the Women's Urgent Care and Obstetric Triage Services.
Women or patients seeking details about the Sidra Medicine Women Services can call Sidra Medicine directly. For more information, please contact the Women’s Care Coordination team at wcct@sidra.org | 4003 3333 or visit www.sidra.org/womens.