There is a lot of controversy about how to best implement a good chronic pain management treatment plan.  Unfortunately, many people undergoing chronic pain management are only prescribed medication and psychological, social and cultural issues are not addressed. In addition, many people are given the “wrong” type of medication for their conditions. For example someone experiencing chronic migraines should NOT be on opiate medications due to the resultant rebound effect that actually increases both frequency and severity of the symptoms.

Ongoing use of pain medication—including opiates—may be a necessary treatment alternative for some patients. However, psychoactive medication such as opiates and benzodiazepines may be contraindicated for many chronic pain conditions due to the tendency for the user to develop tolerance or abuse/addiction problems. There are pharmacological implications that determine the proper medication to use for ongoing chronic pain conditions. I cannot emphasize enough that a multidisciplinary team approach is crucial for effective chronic pain management.

Finding the safest medication protocol possible cannot be overemphasized; when the narcotic medication is taken in increasingly larger doses due to tolerance, the side affects from the medication may become physically and/or psychologically damaging and in some cases even life-threatening.

Undergoing chronic pain management is difficult for anyone, but especially for someone with coexisting medication abuse, addiction or other psychological disorders. They can become severely depressed and discouraged. Healthcare providers often become confused and frustrated when their treatment interventions are ineffective and frequently blame their patients.

The problem of managing pain and medication for people in recovery continues to grow and healthcare professionals are left with the challenge of how to effectively address it. Given the biopsychosocial nature of addiction and chronic pain, it is imperative to understand both conditions and implement a multidisciplinary chronic pain management treatment plan.

To learn more about chronic pain management—especially medication management—for people in recovery for any addictive disorder please check out my article Managing Pain Medication in Recovery that you can download for free on our Ariticles page.

For an addition resource regarding medication management please go to our Publications page and check out my Addiction-Free Pain Management® Module Four: A Guide for Managing Pain Medication in Recovery that was co-authored by Shelia Thares, RN, MS, APNP. To purchase this module please Click Here.  You can learn more about the Addiction-Free Pain Management® System at our website www.addiction-free.com.

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