Will i need to have a diagnosis to go to a pain management center?

Diagnosis: You just have to have the pain. The pain doc will diagnose and treat the pain eventually with the help of other specialists, part of your team that will develop a plan and a strategy to eliminate the pain.

Probably: More often than not these days you would require a referral from your primary care doctor to see a pain specialist. This would require him/her to give you that referral with a diagnosis for insurance to cover evaluation and possible treatment.

It is helpful to: Have a diagnosis. However, a pain specialist may be able to help you anyway and direct you to a physician to help elucidate the core problem.

No: No, but it helps if your primary doctor has ruled out emergent problems: kidney stones/infection, bowel perforation or appendix. Pain physicians can make diagnoses, but if you had test done already, bring them with you.