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Pain Management
Effective treatment options, compassionate care, and advanced therapies designed to help patients find lasting relief.
CHRISTUS Health provides pain management care for people dealing with acute and chronic pain. The goal is to reduce pain, improve function, and support a better quality of life through personalized treatment plans and a multidisciplinary approach.
What Is Pain Management?
Acute pain usually happens after a recent injury or surgery and often improves during healing. Chronic pain can last for weeks, months, or even years. Some pain may come from known conditions like arthritis or cancer, while other pain may continue without a clear cause.
While some pain responds to over-the-counter medication or prescriptions, other cases require more advanced treatment options. Pain management brings together different therapies, medications, and procedures to help patients manage symptoms safely and effectively.
Types of Pain
Pain related to autoimmune disorders and infections.
Pain caused by abnormal stress and strain on the body.
Pain affecting muscles, bones, nerves, and connective tissues.
Pain linked to physical injury and tissue damage.
Pain caused by nerve damage or nervous system disorders.
Pain influenced by behavioral, emotional, or psychological factors.
Pain Management Treatments
Pain management often uses a combination of therapies to reduce pain and help patients function better in everyday life.
Restorative Therapies
- Physiotherapy
- Therapeutic exercise
- Massage therapy
- Application of heat and cold
- Electric nerve stimulation
Interventional Approaches
- Cryo-neuroablation
Epidural steroid injections
- Intrathecal medication pumps
- Neuromodulation
- Nerve blocks
- Radio-frequency ablation
- Trigger point injections
Medication Options
- Analgesics, including acetaminophen and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
- Anticonvulsants for conditions such as fibromyalgia, migraines, and nerve pain
- Anti-anxiety medications when anxiety is part of the pain experience
- Antidepressants for chronic pain conditions
- Musculoskeletal agents for conditions such as
osteoarthritis
- Opioids, used carefully because of their significant risks and side effects
Behavioral Health Support
Pain can affect more than the body, so behavioral health approaches may also be part of care. These can include acceptance and commitment therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and mindfulness-based stress reduction.
Safe and Compassionate Opioid Management
CHRISTUS Health also offers a dedicated opioid management approach for patients who need ongoing opioid therapy as part of chronic pain treatment. Care is centered on safety, close monitoring, education, and support.
Treatment plans are personalized around each patient’s health history, current needs, and goals for daily function. Whenever possible, non-opioid therapies and supportive treatments are included to help improve quality of life.
What Patients Can Expect
- Evaluation of current opioid use and dosage
- Personalized treatment planning
- Coordination with primary care providers and specialists
- Education on medication safety and risk reduction
- Ongoing monitoring and support
Conditions Commonly Treated
- Cancer-related pain
- Chronic musculoskeletal pain
- Neuropathic pain
- Failed back surgery syndrome
- Spinal stenosis
- Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)
- Post-surgical pain requiring long-term management
