I have been under pain management care for many years now. I have maxed out on the number of steroid injections I can get. I didn't think they were helping that much until I've now gone about a year and a half without one. Thanks to the government getting involved with trying to control narcotic prescriptions, if you have a condition that might require long term treatment or narcotic meds, you are going to be referred to pain management. Your regular doctor is not going to have any choice. They can do some things to help. Best of luck to you!