Chronic Pain Management The Chronic Pain Management Department at Kaiser Permanente San Francisco offers comprehensive pain management services for adults who experience chronic, benign pain and who have exhausted standard medical treatment options.
Full Answer
Are all treatments covered by Kaiser Permanente?
Not all treatments or services described are covered benefits for Kaiser Permanente members or offered as services by Kaiser Permanente. For a list of covered benefits, please refer to your Evidence of Coverage or Summary Plan Description. For recommended treatments, please consult with your health care provider.
What is a pain management clinic?
Pain clinics are places where patients can get their pain diagnosed and managed. Therefore, they are also called pain management clinics. A doctor in a hospital can refer a patient to a pain management clinic when he feels that conventional treatment is not helping the patient who is in chronic pain.
What are the treatment options for chronic pain?
Many different treatments can ease pain. Medicines are the most common treatment. But to feel better, you will need to do more than take medicine, such as reducing your stress level or changing how you think. You also can try physical therapy, relaxation, acupuncture, and other ways to feel better.
How do pain clinics work?
They often work by either treating a particular type of pain or whole-body pain in general, as well as providing physical, behavioral and psychological therapies. Another purpose of the clinic is to educate the patients about their pain. Professionals teach how to avoid worsening your pain by avoiding damaging behaviors.
What is the preferred treatment plan for chronic pain?
1. Nonpharmacologic therapy and nonopioid pharmacologic therapy are preferred for chronic pain. Clinicians should consider opioid therapy only if expected benefits for both pain and function are anticipated to outweigh risks to the patient.
What does proper pain management include?
Traditionally, most experts have recommended a stepwise approach to pain management, starting with acetaminophen or NSAIDs, then progressing to a weak opioid (such as codeine, dihydrocodeine, or tramadol), before changing to a strong opioid (such as fentanyl, morphine, oxycodone).
What should I not tell my pain management doctor?
Don'ts: Things Pain Patients Wish Doctors Would AvoidDon't label patients. ... Don't tell patients the pain is 'in our heads. ... Don't tell us to just 'live with the pain.
What can my doctor prescribe me for pain?
Doctors prescribe opioids – like hydrocodone, oxycodone, and morphine – to treat moderate to severe pain. Opioids are often prescribed following a surgery or injury or for certain health conditions.
What are 3 different types of pain management?
Key pain management strategies include:pain medicines.physical therapies (such as heat or cold packs, massage, hydrotherapy and exercise)psychological therapies (such as cognitive behavioural therapy, relaxation techniques and meditation)mind and body techniques (such as acupuncture)community support groups.
What is the strongest pain medication?
Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic (human-made) opioid that is 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine, and is prescribed for extreme pain. It is extremely dangerous if misused, and is sometimes added to illicit drugs sold by drug dealers. Find out more about Fentanyl.
When does chronic pain become unbearable?
Liz Bestic. Chronic pain is that which persists for more than three to six months after healing should have taken place. Most people go to see their GP when chronic pain starts to interfere with their lives.
Can a doctor refuse to give you pain medication?
Know your rights! As someone with a diagnosed, painful condition, your care team has a moral and ethical obligation to help you. In saying this, your physician can refuse you pain medication or deny you as a patient.
Is oxycodone the same as Percocet?
The key differences between them are: Oxycodone is a derivative of opium and sold under different brand names, including OxyContin. Percocet is a combination of oxycodone and acetaminophen. Oxycodone and Percocet are both classified as narcotic analgesics.
Which is stronger hydrocodone or oxycodone?
In a study with both drugs, researchers found that both oxycodone and hydrocodone were equally effective at treating pain caused by fractures. Participants experienced equal pain relief 30 and 60 minutes after the medication was taken.
Is tramadol stronger than codeine?
Official Answer. Both tramadol and codeine are prescription opioid painkillers, and they seem to be equally effective in terms of pain relief.
How to get rid of pain?
Many different treatments can ease pain. Medicines are the most common treatment. But to feel better, you will need to do more than take medicine, such as reducing your stress level or changing how you think.
What is acute pain?
Pain that starts quickly and lasts for a short time is called acute pain. Examples include pain from an injury, a headache, childbirth, or right after surgery. Pain that goes on for months or years is called chronic pain.
How to find out how much pain a person has?
Use a pain scale . Health professionals often use a pain scale to find out how much pain a person has. The scale is from 0 to 10, with "0" being no pain and "10" being the worst possible pain. To use a pain scale, write down how strong your pain is and when it comes and goes. Use a pain diary.
How to know how much pain you have?
Using a pain scale and a pain diary can help you know how much pain you're having. These tools also can help you tell your doctor what your pain feels like so that he or she can help you. You can use these tools for short-term or long-term pain.
What are some examples of nerve pain?
Diabetes, shingles, and sciatica are examples of health problems that cause nerve pain. Organs. Pain in your organs occurs because of injuries, infections, or health problems such as cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, pelvic pain, and stomach ulcers.
How does the body feel pain?
Your body feels pain through nerves in your skin and organs. These nerve endings send pain signals to your brain.
What is the best way to focus your mind on something other than your pain?
Hypnosis. This may help you focus your mind on something other than your pain.
How to treat chronic pain?
You can use home treatment for mild pain or pain that you have now and then. Exercising and getting enough sleep may help reduce chronic pain.
What is pain medicine?
Pain medicines or medicines to treat problems that are linked to chronic pain. For more information, see Medications. Treatments such as counseling, physical therapy, and complementary therapies. For more information, see Other Treatment.
What to do if your pain doesn't go away?
Talk to your doctor if your pain does not go away or if it gets worse. You may need to try different treatments to find what works for you. Medicines you take by mouth, shots of numbing medicine, acupuncture, nerve stimulation, and surgery are used for some types of chronic pain.
How long does it take for pain to come back?
Chronic pain may be mild to severe. It may come back from time to time over several weeks, months, or years. Exercise, regular massages, and pain-relieving medicines—such as acetaminophen or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen or aspirin—may be enough to manage your symptoms.
What happens when you have chronic pain?
Whether your chronic pain develops after an injury or illness or on its own, the result is often the same: a cycle of sleeplessness, inactivity, irritability, depression, and more pain.
What happens if you have pain for a long time?
If you have pain for a long time, it can make you feel very tired and may lead to depression.
Where does chronic pain occur?
Chronic pain can occur anywhere in your body. It can range from being mild and annoying to being so bad that it gets in the way of your daily activities.
What is the best treatment for chronic pain?
Some chronic pain clinics have a stronger emphasis on invasive treatment, such as injections and surgical procedures, than others. Look for a clinic that offers you a choice of noninvasive treatments, including cognitive-behavioral therapy. Before having an invasive pain treatment, ask your doctor about his or her experience with that treatment. Also, ask about research that shows how well it works for your condition.
What is a physical therapist?
Physical therapists. They teach exercises for improving and maintaining strength, function, and mobility.
What kind of doctor is a physiatrist?
Physiatrists. These medical doctors specialize in physical medicine and rehabilitation. They often coordinate a chronic pain treatment team.
What are the reactions to chronic pain?
Common reactions to chronic pain over time include fear, frustration, anger, depression, and anxiety. These feelings can make it harder to manage chronic pain, especially if you use alcohol or drugs to deal with your symptoms.
What causes pain in the body?
Pain signals are somehow triggered by the nervous system and continue to fire for months or even years. (It is also possible that certain brain chemicals that suppress pain do not work properly.)
Can you get multidisciplinary treatment for chronic pain?
You can get multidisciplinary treatment from a team of specialists there. Some chronic pain clinics have a stronger emphasis on invasive treatment, such as injections and surgical procedures, than others. Look for a clinic that offers you a choice of noninvasive treatments, including cognitive-behavioral therapy.
What is the best treatment for pain?
For immediate pain relief, patients are also prescribed different tonics, herbal teas, pain-relieving creams, lotions, and even oral medication. Over the counter, (OTC) analgesics like paracetamol or ibuprofen are given as the first line of treatment for immediate relief.
What is pain management clinic?
Pain clinics are places where patients can get their pain diagnosed and managed. Therefore, they are also called pain management clinics. A doctor in a hospital can refer a patient to a pain management clinic when he feels that conventional treatment is not helping the patient who is in chronic pain. These clinics can be especially helpful for these people. They often work by either treating a particular type of pain or whole-body pain in general, as well as providing physical, behavioral and psychological therapies.
Why do we need a pain clinic?
Another purpose of the clinic is to educate the patients about their pain. Professionals teach how to avoid worsening your pain by avoiding damaging behaviors. Counseling is among the most important services offered. If the patient avoids activities that cause pain, like carrying heavy things, eating the wrong kind of food or just poor posture, he or she will not have to go through with pain. Once pain is lowered, the quality of life (QoL) of patients can be enhanced and patients can go back to doing their everyday tasks without inconvenience.
What is the purpose of a pain clinic?
Another purpose of the clinic is to educate the patients about their pain. Professionals teach how to avoid worsening your pain ...
What is the best way to manage pain?
Physical therapy is another option for managing pain. A physical therapist is a professional who knows how to ensure smooth body movements. He helps the patient exercise their body in such a way that cramps, sprains, and strains can be decreased in intensity.
How to help a shoulder that is aching?
Meditation, massage, and acupuncture help patients relax and release all the tension and negative energy from inside them. Once their shoulders are lighter, a positive impact on their lives will be visible in the shape of better health. Physical therapy is another option for managing pain.
How to get rid of a sore joint?
Use ice and heat. Heat works best for soreness and stiffness — try a heating pad, hot shower, or hot pack 2 or 3 times a day for 20 to 30 minutes. Cold works best for swollen joints — try putting cold packs on a painful joint 2 or 3 times a day for 10 to 20 minutes. Be sure to put a thin towel between the ice and your skin.
How to get rid of arthritis pain?
Get gentle exercise. Stretching, muscle-strengthening, walking, and aerobic activity can all help relieve arthritis pain. Go slowly at first, and rest when you need to. Exercises that are gentle on joints include bicycling, swimming or water walking, yoga, tai chi, and qi gong.
Can arthritis cause pain?
Most people have had some pain and stiffness from overusing muscles and joints. But arthritis means ongoing joint aches, stiffness, or swelling that cause chronic pain.