Chronic Pain Management Program
Description
Pain can be very difficult to control and sometimes, even after many months of treatment, the patient may still suffer from pain. This can have many deleterious effects on one’s life. It may affect their job, home and relationships with others. Chronic pain management programs are designed to help individuals cope with some of the effects of long-term pain. An ideal chronic pain management program would be one designed to reduce or eliminate the use of pain medications, maximize physical functioning, overcome psychosocial barriers to recovery and bring the patient to maximum medical improvement. If the patient has not been able to work because of pain, the program may also focus on returning him/her to work or involvement in retraining for a different career.
Conditions Treated
Chronic pain, failed back surgery syndrome and other painful conditions non-responsive to other interventions.
What Does a Chronic Pain Management Program Involve?
- Typically, there is a comprehensive evaluation process that includes reviewing all treatments to date and their impact, results of any recent diagnostic evaluations, psychological screening and evaluations of the patient’s goals for treatment.
- Patients are usually required to participate in the program for 6 to 8 hours a day, 5 days a week for 4 to 8 weeks.
- Components of most chronic pain management programs include:
- A strong focus on physical activity to gain flexibility, strength and endurance
- Education
- Psychological strategies for coping with pain and reintegration strategies
- Medical intervention as needed
- Typically, patients are evaluated weekly to determine progress made in the areas of strength, flexibility and endurance and to modify their activities accordingly.
- Most programs make contact with patients who have completed this type of treatment to determine if results are being maintained.
Learn more about Texas Back Institute's own Conquering Pain Effectively (CoPE) pain management program.