CHRONIC PAIN TREATMENT CENTER

Chronic pain management and addiction treatment programs often go hand-in-hand. Addictive substances are often prescribed to treat chronic pains. This can add an extra layer to an already complex set of challenges for both the physicians treating addiction and the patients in recovery.

At Lakeview Health, we offer a comprehensive and highly effective chronic pain treatment program. Those who are suffering from pain and who are struggling with addiction can find hope and healing in our Jacksonville recovery center.

Reach out to our team today at 904.677.5010 or connect with us online to get started on the road to recovery.

Learn more about pain recovery services in our free eBook!

What Is Chronic Pain?

Chronic pain involves pain that persists for at least three months that cannot be effectively managed with treatment like over-the-counter medication. 

This type of pain can impact a specific body part, like the lower back, or can involve the whole body, such as in the case of fibromyalgia or osteoarthritis. Chronic pain is not just a symptom of a disease or injury. Instead, it can be considered to be a disease in and of itself. Just like any disease, chronic pain requires targeted treatment.

Tens of millions of individuals in the United States alone suffer from chronic pain. This condition can exacerbate or lead to substance use issues. Recovery from chronic pain and addiction is possible, and at Lakeview Health, we offer a treatment program designed to give our patients the tools they need to feel relief.

Chronic Pain and Addiction

Why is chronic pain often linked to addiction? Physicians commonly prescribe opiates, which can include Oxycontin, Vicodin, or Percocet, or other narcotic medications to individuals struggling with chronic pain. However, there’s a catch: while they are effective at relieving pain, opiates are also highly addictive. Add to that the fact many people quickly develop tolerance to opiates, and opiate addiction can spiral out of control. As the medication becomes less effective due to tolerance, more medication is needed, but taking more opiate medication does not always turn out as planned. While the benefits of taking the medication decrease, the negative side effects increase. Individuals can end up with opiate addiction in addition to their chronic pain condition, and those in recovery from alcohol or substance use can develop a secondary disorder in addition to their initial substance use disorder.

Our Approach to Chronic Pain Treatment

At Lakeview Health, we’ve developed an integrative, multi-modal program designed specifically for patients in recovery from alcohol and substance use disorders who are also managing a chronic pain condition.

When you partner with Lakeview Health, you receive an individualized pain recovery plan tailored by our clinical team to best meet your needs. Our pain recovery plans work in tandem with our residential and outpatient treatment programs, including our partial hospitalization program and intensive outpatient program. If you have chronic pain issues, your pain recovery plan includes cutting-edge strategies to successfully manage chronic pain while working toward total health and sobriety. The pain recovery component of your treatment plan includes three elements:

Comprehensive Treatment for the Whole Person

In our pain recovery program, patients attend two process groups per week over an eight-week period. During these sessions, patients learn to integrate healthy pain management into their substance abuse recovery program.

Chronic pain can be linked to:

In our program, patients learn about the role chronic pain may play in their substance use or co-occurring disorder. At the same time, they learn strategies and techniques to reduce the impact of chronic pain and the associated negative emotions on the mind, body, and spirit. The entire process is monitored by our fully certified and licensed staff of medical professionals, and we collaborate with each patient to modify their program based on what works and what doesn’t. Feedback guides the direction of the program, while our clinical expertise will maximize its overall effectiveness.

Physical Fitness and Pain Recovery

Why is physical fitness such an integral part of this treatment program? Physical activity not only strengthens the body, but it can make movement less painful. Staying active can trigger a release of endorphins in the brain in a similar way to pain-relieving medications.

Additionally, physical activity can:

At Lakeview, we incorporate physical activity into treatment after a thorough physical assessment by a certified exercise physiologist. We’ll create an individualized activity plan and introduce it at an appropriate pace. In our fitness center, patients work on improving their strength, flexibility, and overall physical functioning. Additionally, the exercises we prescribe should reduce pain and discomfort.

The Lakeview Health treatment team includes certified personal trainers and physical therapists who are experienced in working with individuals who suffer from a variety of chronic pain conditions.

Non-Addictive Medications for Chronic Pain

Many of the medications that are commonly prescribed to treat chronic pain are also incredibly addictive. Instead of relying on these habit-forming substances in our treatment programs, we incorporate safer yet still effective options into our patients’ treatment plans. First, we complete a medication review. During this assessment, our team works to understand the benefits and adverse effects of prior medications our patients have used for pain. Then, we can prescribe alternative medications that address our patients’ needs.

These non-addictive medications can be used to treat the joints, muscles, and nerves that transmit the pain rather than masking the pain itself. Medication can also:

We also incorporate nutrition education and a balanced diet into treatment plans. Our full-time dietician creates meal plans that address issues like inflammation which might contribute to pain.

Stress Management Techniques

Stress can be a contributing factor in substance use issues as well as chronic pain. Making lifestyle adjustments that reduce stress can be an invaluable step on the road to recovery. During both group and individual therapy sessions, patients develop healthy coping skills that can help them find relief from stress.

Counseling and group therapy are part of every level of care we offer, from detox to outpatient treatment. These sessions help our patients make healthy changes in their thoughts, emotions, judgment, decision-making, and behavior.

Exercise can be a healthy outlet for stress, as can creative pursuits like journaling or painting. At Lakeview Health, we help our patients receive pleasure and fulfillment from healthy relationships, social activities, hobbies, and other leisure activities. These healthy lifestyle changes often include reconnecting with family, friends, and activities that were a source of pleasure and fulfillment in the past.

Rebuilding Your Life in Recovery

The combined effects of chronic pain, the medications used to treat it, and substance use can create a destructive cycle of suffering that’s challenging to break. Our multimodal approach can lift you out of that cycle and give you the tools you need to live the life you want to live. Comprehensive rehab aftercare programs help you prepare for life after treatment. Once you complete your careful transition from addictive to non-addictive medications, implement your routine of healthy physical activity, understand the emotional side effects of your chronic pain and addiction disorder, and begin to practice effective stress-management techniques, you will feel better physically, emotionally, and spiritually. When that happens, you’re likely to begin rebuilding your life by:

In short, you get back what’s most important in your life – family, friends, and doing the things you love every day.

Begin to Heal at Lakeview Health

If chronic pain and addiction have disrupted your life, Lakeview Recovery offers the help you need. Find healing, hope, and support for the road to recovery in our Jacksonville treatment center.

In addition to our chronic pain treatment program, other addiction treatment programs we offer include:

Connect with our team by reaching out to us at 904.677.5010
or by contacting us online. Take back your life from chronic pain, starting today.