Treatments

One of the main reasons that available treatments for chronic pain do not work is that medical schools and training programs for graduate physicians educate physicians to focus on acute pain ( acute pain is a reflex that often tells our body to remove itself from a dangerous situation). For example, if your hand touches a hot stove, reflexively your brain advises you to take your hand out of the fire to prevent a third degree burn. Acute pain is often associated with acute back strains or sprains and usually lasts less than three months.

Chronic pain is classified as pain that lasts for more than three months, and many times, this can be pain that lasts for years. It is very complex and involves a much more complicated series of nerves and neuromodulators than acute pain does. Consequently, therapies need to be focused on dealing with chronic pain pathways.

The Hayes Center for Pain & Addiction focuses on treatments that will work for chronic pain to improve a patient's quality of life and to bring a patient back to an acceptable lifestyle.

Select one of our treatment options below for more information.