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Finding Pain Relief at Advanced Pain Medicine Associates: AT ADVANCED PAIN Medicine Associates (APMA) in Wichita, Kansas, founder Jon Parks, MD, and his staff have a goal of not just treating chronic pain symptoms but finding the source of the pain. " We want to go beyond treating the symptoms. We want to target that pain generator with the most appropriate ther- apy," says Dr. Parks, who is board-certified by the American Board of Anesthesiology and a member of the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians. "Our job isn't going to be to get a patient pain free ... It's to optimize functional- ity and minimize suffering," he says. "Patients may have some discomfort, but I want it to be so minimized that it doesn't interrupt their abilities to do daily work, daily things and take care of themselves." By per for m i ng a g g ressive a ssess- ments that involve ex tensive medica l histor y reviews, laborator y tests a nd radiographic studies, Dr. Parks and his medica l staff can formulate a patient's treatment pla n. They refer to it a s a customized treatment plan because it's based on what's happening within that pa r ticula r patient 's body to cause the pain. The persona lized approach helps Dr. Parks and his staff — which includes physiatrist George Fluter, MD, and four physician assistants with critica l care backgrounds — create the most effective treatment plan. Chronic pain affects about 50 million U.S. adults, or one in five individuals, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics from 2016. Approximately 19.5 mil- lion, or 8% of the U.S. adult population, have high-impact chronic pain. An article by the American Council on Science and Health cited estimates that chronic pain conditions cost more than half a trillion dollars annually in medical costs, disability programs and lost productivity. While some pain management practices may specialize in treating certain types of chronic pain, APMA, which calls itself a full-service pain center, sees patients who suffer from any type of pain in any part of the body. Providing Hope for Pain Sufferers BY AMY GEISZLER-JONES SYMPTOMS OF CHRONIC PAIN CAN AGGR AVATE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL CONDITIONS AND CONTRIBUTE TO HIGH HE ALTHCARE COSTS AND LOST PRODUCTIVIT Y. 0 8❱❱❱❱❱ C O V E R F E A T U R E