Managing your pain when opioids are a problem .
Advanced Pain Treatment & Diagnostics was founded to treat two
groups of patients. The Addiction group is the first. The next and widely
under-served group is those pain patients who iatrogenically have become
opioid dependent. Advanced Pain Treatment is excited to break ground
in this field with an aggressive expansion to treat these special cases.
Many of our clients were started on pain meds and now either no longer have a pain generator or aren't sure if their level of pain warrants the use of the medication. Very often their use escalated because of tolerance or prolonged treatment.
The biggest client question, “What if I still have pain?” Advanced Pain Treatment and Diagnostics Group won't know how to best manage your condition until we take you off of everything. Our role is to both manage your withdrawal as well as craft a long ranging treatment plan for any residual pain you experience. We will work with you and your physician to develop a long term plan for coping with your pain. As experts in pain medication, we can advise you on the best course to help you manage your condition. |
Chronic pain is pain that persists beyond the expected time of healing. The time course for the development of chronic pain is variable and arbitrary time classifications (e.g., longer than 6 months) will often be inaccurate. The ongoing pain itself has now become a significant disease process, not just a symptom of a disease process. The transition to chronic pain is marked by changes in both physiological and psychological responses. Instead of trying to escape the painful situation, the patient is now trying to adapt to ongoing pain.
The neuroendocrine stress response is typically exhausted in chronic pain states, and catecholamine induced changes are now absent. Vegetative responses predominate, including sleep disorders, irritability, depression, and decreased motor activity. Patients often appear subdued, sleepy or sad in appearance.
Psychological factors are important in chronic pain. Withdrawal and depression are common, causing severe strain on social and family support systems. Narcotic tolerance is frequent, further complicating the treatment of this patient group.
While chronic pain can be somatic or visceral, it is very often neuropathic in nature. Nervous system tissue has been damaged, and abnormally maintains the sensation of pain without any external stimulus. Neuropathic pain is usually associated with some form of sensory deficit, and is described as typically raw or burning in nature.
Unlike acute pain, narcotics alone are usually ineffective in relieving chronic pain. Treatment of chronic pain states involves the use of antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and/or corticosteroids. Additionally, diagnostic and therapeutic nerve blocks can be helpful.
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Definition:
i·at·ro·gen·ic adj. Induced
in a patient by a physician's activity, manner, or therapy. Used especially
of an infection or other complication of treatment.
