My pain management doctor did prescribe pain meds for me. He pushed me to get injections in my knees, and for bursitis in my hips and cortisone in my back. The back injections were such a relief.

Pain docs are required to do specific drug tests, regular appts, and a host of other things to comply with laws. Mine has a contract with me to not see another pain doctor or seek pain meds from any other doctor. This is most likely the reason RA doctors do not prescribe pain meds.

Prednisone can be used to help relieve a RA flare. If the pain becomes to great, I believe the ER doctors can prescribe pain meds/shots, also.

Pain management doctors can get very expensive with all they do, especially with the drug tests. The drug tests evaluate that the correct amount of the prescribed drug is in your system and that there are no street drugs in your system. If they do not detect pain meds in your system, there is reason to believe you are selling them. Crazy, huh?

I no longer see my pain management doctor as we have moved farther away, but if I seek another pain doc, I will probably need to nullify that contract.

Hope this gives you a bit of insight.

I am on pain medication but I hope I can get off it once my meds start to work. I find taking hot baths very very helpful for my pain. Massage is great too but not when the flair is too bad. Sleeping with pillows under my knees and arms also help relieve the pain. Hope this is helpful.

Pain management is a necessary aspect of RA. It can take many directions. Pain meds are most common but other things such as physical therapy and for me yoga has helped. Each and every one of us has to deal with this and the answer is usually somewhat unique for each person.

Mine is a neurologist and only prescribes meds. I do have pain issues other than RA as well. There's different types of PMs. Anesthesiologists usually do procedures like spinal injections, rhizotomies etc. Some prescribe meds too but some only do procedures. I've been to both. Then there's "pain specialists" like mine who just prescribe meds. Drs like mine are getting rarer everyday. Im in Atlanta & he's the only one within 100 mi. RA is a painful disease and does qualify for PM. Like the others said, you have to sign a contract, submit to random urine tests and sometimes be on call for pill counts to make sure you're taking as prescribed and not selling them or taking too much/not enough. You also can't get any narcotics from other drs. That includes dentists, ER docs etc without their consent. You usually have to use the same pharmacy every month. They pull the statewide database report to verify that you haven't gotten meds from anyone/anywhere else. It's really not fun but suffering in pain isn't either. But those are the new laws of the land.

Emerald is right on target. There is no other doctor like a PM.
Contracts & rules, drug tests etc...
All necessary in fairness. Yes they are not as common as other speciality Drs. So many changes with the government stepping in.

I have a PM & he is my saving grace. He's also a Anesthesiologist.
Before my RA DX I had spinal & Myofacsial problems. So injections in the spine had me a wee bit scared. I opted for a PM doctor trained for injecting. Made perfect sense.
Now it's nerve blocks & Rhizotomys. If I need injections do to my RA I know I'm in good hands.
Have to say I would not have a productive life without my PM.
Took years to build a form of trust. If & when I need anything for pain he does not hesitate.
The office treats a lot of RA patients so I know it's common. Then again a lot of RA patients end up with spine issues.
Can't hurt to have a good PM on your team with a disease like RA.
If your considering PM start looking for a good one. Like all doctors there is the good, bad & ugly. Because they are not as common can be a little more difficult to find a good one.
Blessings, sammy