Effective Treatment for Clients with Chronic Pain
In today's media-saturated world, where it often seems like every other television commercial or online advertisement is for a prescription pill or an over-the-counter drug, it is understandable that some people reach the erroneous conclusion that medication is the answer to all of life's aches and pains.
But at Twelve Oaks Recovery Center, we know better - and we're pretty sure that you do, too. Not only does the "a pill for every ache" philosophy fail to provide adequate relief for folks who are suffering from chronic pain, but taking too many medications can actually make the condition worse.
A Positive Approach to Pain Management
The experienced and dedicated members of the Twelve Oaks treatment team have helped hundreds of people in their efforts to recover from chronic pain, overcome drug dependency, and end addictions. And though some of our patients do require prescription or over-the-counter medications to help ease their symptoms, many clients are pleasantly surprised to discover that their pain eases dramatically once they have been safely and successfully weaned from the habit-forming drugs that they had mistakenly believed were helping them.
By learning how to help your brain and body adapt a healthier means of processing signals that may have previously led you to an over-reliance on medications, you can free yourself of many of the obstacles that once stood in the way of a happier and healthier life.
Understanding the True Nature of Pain
Most people use the word "pain" to describe sensations that range from the fleeting discomfort of a minor ache to the enduring anguish that accompanies a serious injury or a debilitating disease. But within the professional medical community, this somewhat vague and often-misunderstood term is clarified by dividing "pain" into two distinct categories:
- Acute pain describes temporary pain (enduring for less than six months), that has occurred as a result of trauma, disease, or some other condition that can be addressed and treated. In other words, acute pain is a symptom, though if the underlying cause is ignored or treated ineffectively, the pain can become chronic.
- Chronic pain is pain that continues to exist (longer than six months) even after the condition that caused it has been remedied. For example, if a person who was in an auto accident continues to suffer from pain even after his injuries have healed, his pain may be considered to be chronic. The effects of chronic pain extend far beyond physical discomfort, and can drastically impact a person's mental health and quality of life.
Treating Both the Patient & the Condition
If you've been suffering from chronic pain, there's a good chance you've encountered more than a fair share of frustration when it comes to receiving treatment - or even an acknowledgement that what you've been suffering through is an actual medical condition.
At Twelve Oaks, you won't have to convince us that your chronic pain is real.
One of the first steps in your treatment will involve an acknowledgement that what you've been feeling isn't "all in your head." We know that chronic pain is real, and painful, and frustrating.
But we also know that it's treatable.
According to the American Pain Society (APS), many people who are suffering from chronic pain run into three significant roadblocks in their attempts to find effective treatment:
- Many health care professionals have little or no training in pain management.
- People affected by pain are not aware that they can ask for pain treatment.
- Some population groups, including the elderly, women, and members of racial and ethnic minorities, are more likely to be under-treated for pain than others.
These obstacles do not exist at Twelve Oaks Recovery Center. Your experience with us will be marked by consistent professionalism and continued respect. We know that chronic pain is a legitimate medical condition, and we remain dedicated to working with you to help ease your suffering and enhance your quality of life.
Overcoming Addiction & Dependency
Many pain patients have been "pre-wired" to suffer from chronic pain because of events in their lives that occurred long before the injury or event that produced the initial pain. The following factors may have put you at greater risk for developing chronic pain:
- A personal or familial history of addiction
- The occurrence of significant trauma early in life
- The existence of a co-occurring psychiatric disorder
- A history of having been placed on opiates at an early age
Though many chronic pain patients describe themselves as being "addicted" to certain substances that they employ in an attempt to ease their suffering, we at Twelve Oaks know that chronic pain does not necessarily result from or lead to an addiction.
Regardless of whether you are addicted to pain medications or merely dependent upon the substances you have been using, your experience at Twelve Oaks will free you from your unhealthy reliance and put you back on the path toward a less painful life.
The vast majority of our chronic pain patients discover that their suffering subsides significantly following an initial detoxification process, often within the first three weeks.
Working Toward a Pain-Free Tomorrow
Once we have helped you overcome any reliance on narcotics or other habit-forming substances, our treatment team can focus on preparing you for a pain-free future.
With a personalized treatment plan that involves individual counseling and group therapy, regular structured physical activity, close medical monitoring, and relapse prevention assistance, our Twelve Oaks program will help you make significant improvements to your physical and emotional health.
