Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How long has Dr. Helm been practicing Interventional Pain Management?
A. Dr. Helm started practicing Interventional Pain Management in 1982 as an adjunct to his Anesthesia Practice. At that time, the interventions available were quite limited. As the field developed, Dr. Helm found that more of his time was spent practicing Interventional Pain Management. In 1999, he devoted all of his time to the pain practice.
Dr. Helm is highly involved in the effort to ensure that patients have access to pain management services, that pain management is scientifically based and that procedures are done safely by well-trained physicians.
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Q. Do you accept my insurance?
A. We accept most insurance, including PPOs, Medicare, Tricare, Workers’ Compensation and some HMOs. For the specifics regarding your insurance, please contact our Laguna Hills office.
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Q. What is the BBHI Questionnaire for?
A. BBHI stands for Brief Battery for Health Improvement. The test was developed by a psychologist to document pain complaints and to see if there are any barriers to recovery.
We use the test for both reasons.
It provides us a good, specific way to document your improvement. Also, when you have chronic pain, it is difficult to not have this pain influence you, how you feel, how you interact with friends and loved ones and how much you enjoy life. Oftentimes, in chronic pain, it is as important to learn techniques from a psychologist to deal with these problems as it is to have medication or injections. The BBHI will help us decide whether a referral to a psychologist would help you have a better quality of life.
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Q. What can I do for my pain until I can see the Doctor?
A. At the Helm Center, we make every effort to see you quickly. We understand that you may be experiencing a great deal of pain; however, we cannot provide you any medication or other therapies until we have seen you.
If your need for a procedure is urgent, we are happy to see you at the facility where the procedure will be done so that you can have the procedure with no delay. Otherwise, we prefer to see you in the office first, as it allows more time for discussion of your situation and how we wish to treat it.
If you need medication, continue on the medication that you have already been taking until the consultation.
Our goal is to get you in as early as possible.
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Q. I have questions regarding the procedure I am going to have.
A. It is very important that you understand the procedure you are going to have, including the benefits of the procedure, the risks associated with the procedure, alternative therapies or treatments, and the consequences, if any, of not having the procedure.
The Helm Center offers many ways of getting information about the procedures. Our providers will discuss them with you, either in the office or at the time of the procedure.
This site also offers significant information about the procedures we offer.
Remember, always make sure that you understand the procedure you are about to have before agreeing to have it.
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Q. Why do I have to give a urine sample?
A. If you are being prescribed Controlled Substances (drugs like morphine or Vicodin), we have to be careful to comply with California and Federal laws governing giving you these medications. A large part of this compliance is making sure that there is no abuse (taking too much medication or taking medications not prescribed) or diversion (selling medication).
By giving us a urine sample for a drug screen, you allow us to demonstrate that you are taking your medications as prescribed, thus allowing us to continue to provide Controlled Substances to our patients.
We appreciate your support in allowing us to document that patients who need medications are receiving them and using them wisely.
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Q. Can I eat before a procedure?
A. We request that you not eat or drink anything for four hours before a procedure.
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Q. Should I take my blood thinners or herbal medications?
A. If you take blood thinners, we ask that you stop them before the procedure. Coumadin should be stopped three (3) days before the procedure. We may obtain a clotting study (a PT and INR) to ensure that your blood levels are low enough. Plavix or Aspirin should be stopped one week before the procedure.
Always check with the physician prescribing your blood thinner that it is safe for you to be off it for that length of time. Sometimes, the risk of being off the medication is too great to warrant doing the procedure. In rare cases, we can start Heparin to replace the other blood thinner.
You may take your other medications, including pain medications, with a sip of water, according to your regular schedule.
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