Pain medicine specialists work with patients to relieve suffering and discomfort that may be present during a medical or surgical procedure, or because of a disease or condition. An anesthesiologist is a physician who has had special training and is board-certified in pain management. A pain medicine specialist can be an anesthesiologist, neurologist, or psychiatrist. This specialist is either the primary physician, or acts as a consultant, to coordinate a patient’s care with other physicians.

For chronic or severe pain, narcotics are often used. Narcotics carry with them a potential for side effects and addiction, so patients and physicians must weigh the level of pain against these concerns in the pain management process.

Doctor density varies by specialty and location. Colorado has 137 practicing pain medicine doctors. Broken out by city, pain medicine doctor density in Arvada is 2, in Aspen is 2, in Aurora is 22, in Boulder is 10, in Brighton is 1, in Broomfield is 1, in Canon City is 1, in Centennial is 1, in Colorado Springs is 30, in Craig is 1, in Denver is 39, in Durango is 5, in Edwards is 2, in Englewood is 9, in Fort Collins is 8, in Fort Morgan is 1, in Frisco is 3, in Glenwood Springs is 1, in Golden is 7, in Grand Junction is 7, in Greeley is 3, in Greenwood Village is 7, in Lafayette is 3, in Lakewood is 2, in Littleton is 4, in Lone Tree is 1, in Longmont is 3, in Loveland is 4, in Parker is 3, in Pueblo is 12, in Salida is 1, in Steamboat Springs is 1, in Tamarron is 2, in Thornton is 5, in Vail is 2, in Westminster is 4, and in Wheat Ridge is 7.

Colorado is the Centennial state; having won statehood in 1876. Its capital is Denver, called the “Mile High City,” because its altitude at the state capitol steps is 5,280 feet. Colorado’s population is 4,653,023, and over half the state’s population is in the Denver metro area. Known for its Rocky Mountains and abundant outdoor sports opportunities, such as skiing, hiking, fishing and hunting, Colorado also offers tourists Pike’s Peak, the Royal Gorge, and the Red Rocks outdoor amphitheater. Denver is home to an active theater culture, a world-class symphony, and many sports activities. You can visit a gold mine, tour the state capitol building, climb a mountain, or relax in some therapeutic natural hot springs.

According to 2005 Census estimates, Colorado has a population of 4,665,177. Of this population, 1,140,002 are under the age of 18 and 462,190 are at or above the age of 65.