Logo of Dr. Jeremy Tannenbaum, a specialist in pain medicine in Perth, Western Australia

PAIN SPECIALIST SERVICES
Perth, Western Australia

We provide specialist pain medicine assessment and interventional treatments for people living with persistent or complex pain in Perth and across Western Australia.

Our focus is on understanding why pain is occurring, how it affects your daily life, and whether targeted treatments or procedures are likely to help.

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Who This Service Is For

You may benefit from a pain specialist consultation if you have:

  • Ongoing neck, back, or spinal pain

  • Nerve pain (shooting, burning, or tingling pain)

  • Pain after surgery or injury

  • Pain that has not improved with usual treatments

  • Pain affecting your ability to work or function

  • Pain alongside conditions such as anxiety, depression, or trauma, especially where these affect pain management decisions

What Happens at a Pain Specialist Appointment

Your appointment focuses on a specialist pain assessment, including:

  • A detailed discussion of your pain and other relevant history

  • Review of previous treatments and investigations

  • Understanding how pain affects your daily activities and work

  • Discussion of possible treatment options

Mental health factors are considered and addressed when they affect pain or treatment planning. Ongoing mental healthcare is usually provided by your GP, psychiatrist or psychologist.

  • Interventional Pain Procedures

    Where appropriate, we may recommend targeted pain procedures, such as:

    • Nerve or joint injections

    • Epidural injections for nerve pain

    • Radiofrequency procedures for selected joint and nerve-related pain

    Procedures are offered only when they are likely to be helpful and as part of a broader pain management plan. If a procedure is unlikely to benefit you, this will be discussed openly.

  • Medication and Opioid Review

    We provide advice on pain medications, including:

    • Optimising non-opioid pain relief

    • Reviewing opioid safety and effectiveness

    • Reducing side effects and medication risks

    Psychiatric medications (such as antidepressants) are usually managed by your GP or psychiatrist, with advice provided where pain and mental health treatments overlap.

  • Improving Function and Daily Life

    A key goal of pain treatment is improving function, not just reducing pain.

    We may provide guidance on:

    • Activity pacing and flare-up management

    • Gradual return to work or activities

    • Working with physiotherapists or psychologists for ongoing care

    Psychological therapies are usually provided by external clinicians rather than within this clinic (at this stage).

  • Pain After Injury or Trauma

    Some people experience pain after injury or trauma where stress or trauma symptoms affect recovery.

    We assess how these factors influence pain and treatment choices, and where appropriate, work alongside your existing mental health providers.

Specialist pain physician explaining spinal anatomy during a pain consultation, demonstrating an evidence-based, non-surgical approach to complex pain care.

WHAT THIS CLINIC DOES NOT DO

To avoid confusion:

  • We do not provide ongoing general psychiatric care

  • We do not offer long-term psychotherapy

  • We do not take over routine mental health medication management

  • We do not offer procedures that are unlikely to help

YOU WILL NEED A REFERAL

You will need a referral from your GP or other medical specialist to attend.
Referrals are accepted for pain assessment, procedures, and second opinions.

More information for referrers is available on the Referrer Information page.

VIEW REFERRER PAGE

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

ABOUT THIS CLINIC

  • This clinic specialises in pain medicine. That means assessing and treating persistent or complex pain, and offering targeted pain procedures where appropriate.

    The focus is on:

    • Understanding the cause of your pain

    • Improving function and quality of life

    • Helping you decide whether treatments or procedures are likely to help

  • This is a specialist pain medicine practice, not a general pain clinic.

    We see patients who:

    • Have ongoing pain that has not improved with usual care

    • Are being considered for pain procedures

    • Need a specialist opinion about next steps

  • Yes. You will need a referral from your GP or another medical specialist to attend this clinic.

APPOINTMENTS & ASSESSMENT

  • Your first appointment is a detailed pain assessment. This usually includes:

    • Talking through your pain history

    • Reviewing previous treatments and scans

    • Understanding how pain affects your daily life and work

    • Discussing possible treatment options

    You may not have a procedure at your first visit. Decisions about procedures are made carefully and only if they are likely to help.

  • Yes. Imaging and test results are reviewed in the context of your pain, to help guide treatment decisions.

  • Mental health factors (such as stress, anxiety, depression, or trauma) are acknowledged and assessed because they can affect pain and recovery.

    However:

    • This clinic does not provide ongoing psychiatric care

    • This clinic does not provide psychotherapy

    • Ongoing mental health treatment is usually managed by your GP, psychiatrist, or psychologist

    We may make recommendations or liaise with your existing treating team if needed.

PAIN PROCEDURES

  • Yes, where appropriate. Procedures may include:

    • Nerve or joint injections

    • Epidural injections for nerve pain

    • Radiofrequency procedures for selected conditions

    Procedures are offered only when they are likely to help and are part of a broader pain management plan.

  • No. Not everyone benefits from procedures.

    If a procedure is unlikely to help you, this will be explained clearly, and other options will be discussed.

  • All procedures carry some risk. The risks and benefits are discussed carefully before any procedure is recommended.

MEDICATIONS

  • We will review your pain medications and provide advice about:

    • Optimising pain relief

    • Reducing side effects

    • Improving medication safety

  • Usually, no.

    Psychiatric medications (such as antidepressants or mood stabilisers) are normally prescribed and managed by your GP or psychiatrist. However, many medications used in psychiatry are also commonly indicated and useful in pain-related disorders due to the interrelated neurobiology and other common factors.
    If pain and mental health treatments overlap, we may discuss this with you and provide written advice to your usual prescriber.

  • Long-term opioid prescribing is not a routine part of this practice. Opioids are reviewed carefully because of their risks and limited long-term benefit for many pain conditions.

FUNCTION, WORK & RECOVERY

  • No. A key goal is improving function, such as:

    • Daily activities

    • Work participation

    • Physical capacity

    Pain reduction is important, but improving how you live with and manage pain is equally, if not more, important.

  • Yes. We often work alongside:

    • Your GP

    • Physiotherapists

    • Psychologists

    • Rehabilitation providers

    Care is most effective when everyone is working together.

INJURY, TRAUMA & COMPENSATION

  • Yes. We see patients with:

    • Workers’ compensation injuries

    • Motor vehicle accident injuries

    • Other compensable pain conditions

  • Some people experience pain after injury or trauma where stress or trauma symptoms affect recovery.

    We assess how this affects pain and treatment decisions, but ongoing treatment of PTSD or other mental health conditions is usually provided by your GP, psychiatrists or psychologists.

WHAT THIS CLINIC DOES NOT DO

    • Provide ongoing general psychiatric care

    • Offer long-term psychotherapy

    • Take over routine mental health medication management

    • Offer pain procedures that are unlikely to help

    • Take over long-term opioid prescribing or prescribe any typical (morphine-like) or injectable opioids

HOW DO I BOOK

  • Once a referral is received, the clinic will contact you regarding appointment options.

    If you have questions about referrals, your GP can find more information on the Referrer Information page.

Need more information?

If you are unsure whether this clinic is right for you, speak with your GP or referring doctor, who can help guide you, or contact us for more information.