Sidra introduces first of its kind pain clinic for women

Sidra Medicine, a member of Qatar Foundation, has launched a first of its kind Adult Pain Clinic as part of the expansion plan of its Women’s Services programme.

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 others. It is the first clinic in Qatar which provides specialised care for the most common pelvic pain in women. 

The Women’s Adult Pain Clinic at Sidra Medicine is staffed by a team of internationally trained pain management specialists offering a holistic approach to treating chronic pain in women, said Dr Monzer Sadek, Division Chief of Anesthesiology at Sidra Medicine, during a media tour of the new women’s services, recently. 

“The new adult pain clinic is part of Sidra Medicine’s commitment to providing women with compassionate and excellent care. We conduct careful and comprehensive evaluations to determine the cause of the patients’ pain, offering recommendations unique to each patient’s individual needs,” said Dr Sadek.

“Our treatment programme includes options such as injection by guided X-rays, cognitive behavioural therapy, physiotherapy, ultrasound and advanced pain interruption techniques,” he added. 

Dr Sadek also emphasised that Sidra Medicine is the only centre in the region which administrates morphine with the epidural injection, which reduce after effects for women who undergo C-section surgery. His team including two Attending Physicians and Adult Anesthesiologists — Dr Timothy Pavy and Dr Sandeep Kulkarni — has launched the Adult Pain Clinic at Sidra Medicine.  If left untreated or misdiagnosed, chronic pain in women can lead to much suffering and disability.  

“Research shows that one in five adults have some type of pain. More than three quarter of women at reproductive age undergo some type of pain and it is under treated all over the world,” said Dr Pavy. 

“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,” he added. 

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. 

“Women outweigh men when it comes to pain,” said Dr Kulkarni. “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,” he added.