In 2014, a county in New Jersey recorded heroin overdose rates as vastly high, “nearly seven times the national average.” Seemingly endemic within New Jersey, pandemic abuse currently seeps into the national bloodstream, oftentimes initially activated through prescribed pain medications/narcotics. The insidious stronghold of addiction renders a need for an interdisciplinary plan to deal with those afflicted by chronic pain, including strategies and tools which aide in alleviating discomfort while improving overall daily functioning.
It is specifically within the area of pain medicine/management, where a balance among physical, psychological and behavioral components takes place. Nina Abbonizio RMA and surgical coordinator at Relievus, a pain management neurology practice in N.J., shared details regarding the general assessment, care and oversight of patients.
A wide mix of ages and genders utilizes pain treatment centers. Every new patient requires a baseline assessment consisting of initial formal evaluations and various tests, including MRI’S or X-rays to detect injuries, herniations, ailments or damages. After a thorough evaluation and a verifiable diagnosis, a personal plan is devised for each patient.
Physical afflictions are mitigated through various resources including therapy, trigger point injections,TENS units, chiropractic care and Acupuncture. Psychological aspects may be addressed within the fields of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and hypnosis. Medications to relieve and reduce muscle and nerve inflammation (NSAIDS), are often interwoven to render comprehensive treatment.
Issues occur, however, when a patient self-medicates. Oftentimes, they possess inordinate degrees of pain and manage their aches with dosages and frequencies unaligned within their prescribed regimen. Unable to await their next appointment or call in for an immediate doctor-led medicinal ‘tweaking’, they compromise their healing and compound the initial ailment by cycling into a continuous abatement of pain, backsliding into the psychological realm of addiction.
“There is no control over what people choose to do at home,” says Ms. Abbonizio. Therefore, responsibility takes precedence. Drug testing is mandatory at every appointment and the measured “amount must be assured.” Undetected prescribed drugs or identified illegal substances become grounds for dismissal. Additionally, assigning one doctor exclusively for one (medication) plan weakens the opportunity for “pharmacy hopping,” procuring multiple prescriptions at various pharmacies. Pharmaceutical databases also assist as overseers, alerting doctors of possible misuse among patients.
Pain management provides supportive, thorough relief for those with unrelenting afflictions.
Cindy Weinstein, degreed in special education, with training primarily for the deaf pre-school and elementary populations, is our ground reporter from Medford, N.J. She spends her spare time musing life’s “magic” as it unfolds, while dabbling in yoga, journalistic writing and poetry. She cites tap dancing as a serious bucket-list item.
From Medford, N.J.:
A Fine Line
Pain Management and Addiction Vulnerability
By Cindy Weinstein