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. Florida has 714 practicing pain medicine doctors. Broken out by city, pain medicine doctor density in Lady Lake is 2, in Lake Butler is 1, in Lake City is 8, in Lake Wales is 2, in Lake Worth is 12, in Lakeland is 14, in Land O Lakes is 1, in Lantana is 1, in Largo is 5, in Lauderdale By The Sea is 1, in Lauderdale Lakes is 4, in Lauderhill is 1, in Lecanto is 2, in Leesburg is 13, in Live Oak is 4, in Longwood is 5, in Loxahatchee is 4, and in Lutz is 2.

Florida’s warm and humid subtropical climate makes it a winter destination for many. Population in 2000 was 15,982,378, according to census statistics. Tallahassee, located in the north panhandle area, is the state capital. Tourism is a major industry in Florida, with Cape Canaveral, Disney World, the Everglades National Park, Universal Studios, the Atlantic coast and the Gulf coast all destinations for visitors and residents. Year-round outdoor activities include camping, golf, scuba diving, snorkeling, fishing and boating.

According to 2005 Census estimates, Florida has a population of 17,789,864. Of this population, 3,975,071 are under the age of 18 and 2,978,335 are at or above the age of 65.