What is Integrated Pain Management?

There are different approaches to pain management that can benefit a patient suffering from chronic pain. Integrated pain management has emerged as a holistic approach to treating a patient instead of eliminating the symptom. In this piece, we discuss what integrated pain management is.

What is Integrated Pain Management?

The phrase that defines integrated pain management is ‘the whole is greater than a summation of parts.’ That implies that it is best to treat the whole patient when seeking treatment for a patient than treat parts of the ailing patient. The traditional medicine approach treats symptoms, and IPM is the opposite of that. IPM comes up with healing options that align with a patient’s choices, beliefs, and interests. IPM creates a working relationship between patients, their families, physicians, and overall healthcare providers. 

This treatment program is part of long-term care for patients who suffer from chronic pain. IPM utilizes individualized prescriptions around sleep, nutrition, emotional health, mental health, environment, and nervous system regulations. All the lifestyle decisions, choices, and resources go into proper health management and hence the name integrative.

Choosing an Integrative Pain Management Program 

People with chronic pain may look okay on the outside, but they may suffer from discomfort in small activities like sitting or getting up. The source of pain is sometimes unknown, making it hard for traditional medicine to work for these patients. The most effective integrative pain management program for a patient depends on their medical history and the degree of their pain. An integrative pain management program may comprise treatment approaches such as massage, physical therapy, acupuncture, laser technology, and patient education.

Why It Is Important to Treat the Pain

Pain is multidimensional, and thus the need for an integrative approach to managing it. The physician conducts an accurate assessment of the patient’s pain to develop workable solutions. The physician evaluates the solutions and makes relevant changes to improve pain management. Failure to treat chronic pain lowers the quality of a patient’s life and may cause them to exhibit symptoms such as

• Falls
• Depression
• Impaired posture
• Limited mobility
• Decreased socialization

The core goals of integrated pain management are to manage pain, increase physical and mental function, and improve the quality of a patient’s life. The benefits for the patient include less pain, better mood, improved sleep, and better relationships with other people.

Educating the Involved Parties

Integrative pain management is effective when the patient has information about their pain, the cause, and the strategies to alleviate it. The caregivers and family should also have the relevant information to help them in their active role. This information includes documentation of the health outcome from different pain management approaches. The overall goal is to bring the patient’s integrative pain management treatment to an optimum level.

In a nutshell, integrative pain management seeks to treat the whole person and not just the pain symptoms. With effective treatment, integrative pain management increases a patient’s functioning, lowers their pain perception, and increases the quality of their life. Contact Southeast Pain & Spine Care for integrative pain management today. You will fill out a form with your information. The medical professionals will then use this information to craft a personalized IPM program to suit your needs. You can also learn about other pain treatment programs and therapies from the blog here.