When you're in pain, it's natural to go to an orthopaedic doctor or a neurosurgeon. But most chronic pain conditions — back pain, nerve pain, joint pain, pelvic pain — don't need surgery. They need a specialist trained in finding the exact source of pain and treating it precisely, without cutting.
What Is a Pain Specialist?
A pain specialist (also called an interventional pain physician) is a doctor who has undergone advanced training specifically in diagnosing and treating chronic pain. Unlike an orthopaedic surgeon — who is trained to fix bones, joints, and ligaments — or a neurosurgeon — who is trained to operate on the brain and spine — a pain specialist's entire focus is on relieving pain through non-surgical methods.
Dr. Priya Rathi is an Anaesthesiologist who has dedicated her career exclusively to chronic pain management. She uses precision techniques like ultrasound-guided injections, nerve blocks, dry needling, and radiofrequency ablation to treat the root cause of pain — not just its symptoms.
Why Not Go to an Orthopaedic Surgeon First?
Orthopaedic surgeons are excellent at what they do — fixing fractures, performing joint replacements, repairing ligaments. But chronic pain is not always a structural problem. It often involves nerves, muscles, and the central nervous system — areas that fall outside an orthopaedic surgeon's training.
If your back pain, knee pain, or shoulder pain has persisted despite orthopaedic treatment, it may be because the true source of pain was never identified. An orthopaedic surgeon typically follows what the MRI shows. A pain specialist evaluates the patient — and pain doesn't always show up on a scan.
Why Not Go to a Neurosurgeon First?
Neurosurgeons are essential for serious conditions — tumour removal, spinal cord compression, emergency decompression. But surgery is a last resort, not a first step. For most patients with chronic back pain, sciatica, or nerve pain, surgery is not needed and can sometimes make things worse.
A pain specialist bridges the gap between "take painkillers and rest" and "you need an operation." There is a wide range of highly effective non-surgical treatments available that most patients are never offered — simply because they were never referred to the right specialist.
Six Reasons to See a Pain Specialist First
Pain doesn't always show up on an MRI. Many patients with severe, debilitating pain have normal or mild scans. An orthopaedic surgeon or neurosurgeon may dismiss you — or offer surgery that doesn't fix anything. A pain specialist finds the real source through detailed clinical examination, not just imaging.
Surgery is irreversible — pain treatment is not. Once a spine is fused or a nerve is cut, it cannot be undone. Starting with a pain specialist gives you non-surgical options first. If surgery is later found to be truly necessary, you will know it — not just be offered it as a default.
Pain specialists are trained for conditions others miss. Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), pelvic pain, post-surgical pain, cancer pain, and chronic nerve pain require a doctor who has specifically trained in pain medicine. This is a discipline most orthopaedic and neurosurgeons do not cover.
Precision treatment means less medication and faster recovery. Ultrasound-guided injections, nerve blocks, dry needling, and radiofrequency ablation deliver targeted relief at the exact source of pain — far more precise than general painkillers, and with minimal recovery time.
Radiofrequency ablation can provide long-term relief. Contrary to the belief that injections are a temporary fix, radiofrequency ablation can offer relief lasting one to two years or more — and when combined with physiotherapy, results can be sustained even longer.
International guidelines now recommend a pain specialist first. For chronic pain lasting more than three months, pain medicine guidelines recommend referral to a pain specialist before considering surgery. Many patients unnecessarily wait years before finding their way to the right doctor.
Common Myths — and the Truth
"My MRI shows a disc bulge — I must need surgery." Not necessarily. Studies show that a large number of people with disc bulges on MRI have no pain at all. Conversely, many patients with severe pain have near-normal scans. A pain specialist evaluates the whole patient, not just the report — and can often resolve disc-related pain entirely without surgery.
"I've had pain for years — nothing can help me." Chronic pain is not the same as untreatable pain. Many patients who have suffered for years find significant relief through procedures that were never previously offered — including radiofrequency ablation, nerve blocks, or ultrasound-guided dry needling.
"A pain specialist just prescribes painkillers." Modern pain medicine has moved far beyond tablets. Dr. Rathi's approach is interventional and non-surgical — using precise procedures to address the source of pain, often reducing or eliminating the need for long-term medication.
"I should see an orthopaedic doctor first — that's the standard." This is changing. Pain medicine is now recognised as a distinct specialty precisely because orthopaedic and surgical pathways were leaving chronic pain patients without answers. Seeing a pain specialist early can save you years of unnecessary waiting, wrong treatments, and avoidable surgery.
What Conditions Does Dr. Rathi Treat?
Dr. Priya Rathi treats a wide range of chronic pain conditions including back pain, neck pain, sciatica, knee pain, shoulder pain, pelvic pain, nerve pain (neuropathy), Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), post-surgical pain, cancer pain, frozen shoulder, tennis elbow, facet joint arthritis, sacroiliac joint pain, tailbone pain (coccydynia), and headaches arising from neck problems.
If you have been told that "nothing can be done" or that surgery is your only option, a second opinion with a pain specialist is worth considering.
About Dr. Priya Rathi
Dr. Priya Rathi (MBBS, MD Anaesthesia, DNB, FCPM, FIAPM) is a Consultant Pain and Spine Specialist with over 13 years of experience. She is one of very few pain physicians in Pune trained specifically in ultrasound-guided muscle pain treatment, and she brings particular expertise to women's pain conditions including pelvic and post-surgical pain. She consults at Sigma Spine & Pain Clinic in Baner, Asian Ortho Spine Clinic in Aundh, and as Consultant Pain Physician at Manipal Hospitals, Baner.
Book a Consultation
A single appointment with Dr. Rathi can clarify what is truly causing your pain — and whether surgery is actually needed. Call 98237 43726 or WhatsApp to book.
