Chronic Pain with Addiction
The Illinois Institute for Addiction Recovery at Proctor Hospital in Peoria,
Illinois and Advocate BroMenn Medical Center in Normal, Illinois have been
providing a special service to their respective communities. This is a treatment
program
that identifies, evaluates and treats chemical and process addictions and chronic
pain. Addiction and chronic pain are treated separately but simultaneously
by utilizing a chronic pain treatment team, consisting of: an ASAM certified
addictionologist, an anesthesiologist (board certified in pain), a clinical
psychologist and licensed or certified counselors in consultation with a psychiatrist,
a physiatrist, a neurologist, and a physical therapist.
This program has treated addicts with pain from: back injuries,
arthritis, post-laminectory syndrome, cancer pain, shingles, headaches, fibromyalgia,
peripheral neuropathies, pelvic and neck injuries, or surgeries.
Everyone admitted to the IIAR for addiction treatment is also assessed for
issues with pain. If a person reports having had pain for more than six months,
the individual is evaluated by the chronic pain team to develop treatment plans
to address the chronic pain. The IIAR will also assist recovering chemical
addicts who have developed chronic pain related to illness or injury, by developing
a treatment plan to assist them in coping with the chronic pain while maintaining
their recovery and improving their quality of life.
The IIAR Chronic Pain Team specializes in assessing and evaluating those people
with chronic pain who have been unable to use pain medications as prescribed.
These persons are admitted to the IIAR inpatient program for a seven-to-ten-day
evaluation. During the evaluation, it is determined if the person meets the
DSM IV-TR diagnostic criteria for chemical dependence or abuse, combined with
chronic pain, or if the person is a chemical addict with drug-seeking behavior.
If the person is diagnosed with chemical dependency or abuse, he or she is
treated for it at the same time he or she is being treated for chronic pain.
The IIAR has also had many persons who were not chemically addicted but had
chronic pain that was being undertreated. In these cases, the Chronic Pain
Team would evaluate the treatment approaches being used and develop new treatment
recommendations for the person. This person would then be referred back to
their primary care physician for follow-up care.
The primary goals of this program are:
- Evaluate for chemical dependency or abuse
- Obtain a thorough evaluation to determine etiology of pain
- Increase control of pain and decrease stress and disability associated
with pain
- Educate patient on theraputic exercises that will increase the ability
to improve daily functioning and may decrease the need for pain medication
- Teach patient and concerned others coping mechanisms to address problems
associated with chronic pain
- Address psychological issues related to chronic pain such as insomnia,
anxiety, and depression
- Reduce dependence on mood-altering drugs
The Illinois Institute for Addiction Recovery has centers at the following locations: