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Pain Management The Pain Management Program (P.M.P.) at OSPTA was founded to help those patients with whom pain has become a multi-factorial experience demanding a multi-disciplinary approach to pain managment. The primary purpose of OSPTA's P.M.P. is to minimize the patient's perception of his or her disability, objectively indentify physical impairment and return the patient to the most productive lifestyle that is possible. Research demonstrates that irreversible disability becomes more likely as pain becomes chronic. to prevent this from occurring those patients with significant non-organic barriers to recovery are identified at the earliest possible moment. For patients identified as having "chronic pain syndrome," the P.M.P., under the direction of Cynthia B. Starling, seeks to help patients understand how they may be perpetuating their own complaint through inappropriate lifestyles, how stress may exacerbate symptoms and how the patients's pain perception may be augmented by these and many other factors. By coordinating patient care through appropriate healthcare practitioners which may include the patient's referring physician or an outside consultant such as a psychologist or psychiatrist, the best opportunity exists to remove barriers to recovery, restore dignity and effect assimiliation into a productive lifestyle. Research also indicates that this type of coordinated case management approach will conserve healthcare dollars both now and in the future. OSPTA remains dedicated to providing state of the art treatment to assist the patient towards realizing a more functional lifestyle. The Pain Management program at OSPTA is in keeping with this goal.
Breaking the Cycle of Pain Approximately ten to fifteen percent of adults in the United States have some sort of work disability due to back pain alone (Goodman, CC & Boisonnault, E (1998) Pathology; Philadelphia: WB Saunders). Other painful conditions such as TMJ, carpal tunnel syndrome, fibromyaliga, arthritis, shingles, and headaches have sent patients to specialists in search of a "cure" for their chronic pain. Aside from being constantly uncomfortable, chronic pain affects the way people feel about themselves and life in general. Although a "cure" is not always possible, there are ways to deal with chronic pain. In order for pain management techniques to work, it must be recognized that the patient's pain is real. "The number of patients who knowingly are exaggerating their complaint is few, despite beliefs to the contrary by society at large and insurance companies in particular" (D'Orazio, BP (1999) Low Back Pain Handbook, Butterworth). The Pain Management Program at OSPTA offers a variety of ways to treat patients in pain. Our approach includes a thorough evaluation by physical therapists who have specialized training in chronic pain management, and patient education. By combining physical therapy with behavioral changes, patients can continue their own recovery after rehabilitation, thereby breaking the cycle of pain.
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