Pain Management Beyond Opioids
Helping Patients Find Relief
Gold Coast Private Pain Medicine and Rehabilitation Specialist Dr Charles Chou
Living with chronic pain is all-consuming. It affects every aspect of a person's life. Unlike acute pain, which serves as a warning signal for injury or illness and subsides with treatment, chronic pain persists for months or even years. This relentless pain can lead to physical and emotional distress, impacting daily activities, relationships and overall quality of life.
Unfortunately, chronic pain sufferers are among some of the highest long-term users of opioids in Australia. And although they are an important component in the treatment of chronic pain, opioids are rarely sufficient, providing less than a third pain reduction in studies extending beyond 18 months, so it is important they are used as one-part of a multidimensional approach.
Gold Coast Private’s pain medicine service provides comprehensive, compassionate care, giving hope and relief to people enduring this debilitating condition, without solely relying on opioids.
We spoke to Pain Medicine and Rehabilitation Specialist, Dr Charles Chou, to find out what else is available to patients experiencing chronic pain.
Understanding Chronic Pain
Chronic pain is a complex and multifaceted issue that can stem from various sources, including arthritis, fibromyalgia, nerve damage, migraine and back problems. It is not just a physical sensation but a condition that can significantly affect mental health, leading to anxiety, depression and social isolation. The persistent nature of chronic pain often forces individuals to withdraw from activities they once enjoyed, further diminishing their quality of life.
The Role of Pain Medicine
Pain medicine is a specialised field focused on the diagnosis and treatment of chronic pain. Using a multidisciplinary approach, a quality pain management service integrates various treatments and therapies to effectively manage pain through the use of medication, interventional procedures, physical therapy, psychological support, complementary therapies and lifestyle modifications.
Each patient’s pain and situation is unique, requiring a personalised treatment plan for the best outcomes and a team of professionals including specialist physicians and allied health professionals.
More To It Than Popping Pills
Many people manage chronic pain using a concoction of pharmaceutical drugs, including opioids, but there are other options that may prove more effective – this is where a pain medicine specialist can assist.
While the careful balance of prescription medications can help reduce pain, increase function and improve quality of life, Dr Chou says complementing these with other interventions yields the best results.
Interventions Improving Lives
Minimising the use of opioids while providing relief from chronic pain is the aim of pain medicine specialists. Infusions and minimally-invasive procedures are some of the innovative treatments at the fore of pain management available to patients at Gold Coast Private.
Here we’ll explore three offered by Dr Chou:
1. Subcutaneous Ketamine Infusion
Ketamine inhibits the transmission of pain signals in the nervous system, helping restore balance to neurotransmitters while reducing pain perception and hypersensitivity. It can be highly effective in reducing high opioid consumption and in the treatment of chronic pain conditions including Refractory Neuropathic Pain, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome and Phantom Limb Pain. The Ketamine infusions are carried out as an inpatient in hospital.
2. Spinal Cord Stimulation
Spinal Cord Stimulation involves the implantation of electrodes to deliver electrical impulses to and from the spinal cord to manage low back pain and various other conditions including Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, Neuropathic Pain, Ischemic Pain, Painful Diabetic Neuropathy and Post Laminectomy Pain Syndrome.
Patients will first undergo a minimally-invasive procedure to implant a temporary spinal cord stimulator for a trial period, enabling them to assess its effectiveness in relieving pain and improving other facets of life including sleep, mood and physical function, before committing to a permanent implantation.
3. Radio Frequency Ablation
Radio Frequency Ablation is a minimally-invasive procedure that uses high-frequency electrical currents to treat a variety of painful conditions including Joint Pain, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, Complex Headache Disorders, Post-Herpetic Neuralgia and Nerve Pain.
The interventional procedure is typically performed in the Day Surgery Unit under light sedation, lasting around 30 minutes to an hour. Pain relief may take a few weeks to become noticeable and patients will have follow-up appointments to monitor progress and assess its effectiveness.
Regaining Quality of Life
The ultimate goal of pain medicine is to help patients regain their quality of life. If you are ready to speak to a specialist about how a comprehensive, compassionate pain management treatment plan can support you through your chronic pain journey while minimising the use of opioids, reach out to one of our specialists.