St. Louis Pain Treatment and
Management Center

Possibly not. People who have experienced chronic pain can live normal lives with the right care. Our approach to treatment incorporates traditional medical care as well as alternative care. We believe that an individualized patient centered approach is best.

This situation arises when you have a drug tolerance. This physiological reaction takes place when a substance’s initial dose slowly loses its effectiveness. It is usually resolved by adjusting the dosage or the drug or by reducing the pain generators. One does not necessarily get addicted to a drug by developing tolerance to it. Our entire program is designed to reduce the underlying metabolic inflammation which results in the pain itself, and thereby reduces the need for pain medications. Most of our patients are able to reduce their medications and actually have less overall pain and improved function.

Do not delay taking pain medicine until it becomes severe. Moderate pain is more easily managed than severe pain. However, if you take pain medication and you have mild or no symptoms you will develop a significant increased tolerance to the medication. You will retrain your nerves to become more dependent on the prescribed medications rather than the endorphins your own body produces.

Pain that lasts for more than 3 months is called chronic pain. Managing and treating chronic pain is a consistent process that often requires changes in lifestyle, behavior, coaching, medications, and procedures. Although there are no guarantees in eliminating all of the symptoms, one can make certain lifestyle changes to minimize it.

The first step in reducing or eliminating pain is to locate a pain management physician who can understand your discomfort. While doing your research, keep an open mind about the reality of pain management treatments. Your pain management doctor’s expertise will assist in outlining a course of treatment. One of the critical elements in finding the right pain management doctor is their attention to all of the factors that may be affecting your health, which includes an understanding of factors causing metabolic inflammation such as diet, activity, sleep, work, rest, environmental exposures, and genetic history to name just a few. The intake history should be extensive because no two patients are identical and therefore no two patients’ will have the exact same treatment. Keep in mind that at least 40-50% of treating pain involves patient lifestyle coaching, it’s not just about taking a pill or getting an injection.

Opioids and other painkillers have been shown to have adverse effects. These side effects can be severe. Even the side effects of over-the-counter medications can be life threatening. A frank conversation with your team is an absolute necessity.

Pain treatment should be individualized to the specific patient, and may include medications, procedures, therapy, lifestyle modification, and coaching. Our philosophy is to encourage the patient to make systemic changes to improve the likelihood of success. We do not believe that opioid pain medication alone has many benefits long term due to the rapid tolerance that occurs.