Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/307452
SPECI A L+FE AT UR E T REATING CHRONIC BACK pain is not simply a matter of offering relief strategies. Structural dam- age is responsible for initial pain impulses, and when the anatomy heals, the nervous system sends new pain responses, beginning a cycle of avoidance strategies and return to pain. All the while, the patient is left with secondary weakness and lack of mobility. Short term "relief techniques" don't address functional deficits so therapies to treat acute pain aren't effective in the long term. Providers at Physicians' Diagnostics & Rehabilitation (PDR) Clinics tailor com- prehensive management plans that, in two to three months, address the whole body's function, as well as the patient's emotional response to pain, for optimal long-term pain management. "In acute situations, our therapists teach skills such as breathing and relaxation techniques to decrease the pain response, pacing so patients don't overwork their bodies, and icing when necessary, to manage future exacerba- tions," says Jennifer Missling, MPT, Director of Rehabilitation and physical therapist at PDR Clinics. "Our approach emphasizes teaching long-term pain management skills that allow patients to stay out of the doctor's office." Collaborative Planning PDR's team of physiatrists, physical thera- pists, occupational therapists and physical therapist assistants customize rehabilitation plans for each patient. Patients meet initially with a physiatrist who provides medical oversight throughout the rehabilitation process, elucidates the nature and severity of pain and helps determine the best treatment path for their condition. Establishing realistic, functional goals is one of the most important components of the initial evaluation. Providers work with patients to determine specific, measur- able, action-based, realistic and time-based "As healthcare providers in today's cultural landscape, we need to take off the white coat and walk alongside patients. We're not here to fix their pain, we're here to walk with them through every step of treatment and help them successfully return to the quality of life they desire." — Jennifer Missling, MPT, Director of Rehabilitation and physical therapist at Physicians' Diagnostics & Rehabilitation By Michael Ferguson BY REDIRECTING PATIENT EXPECTATIONS FROM PAIN RELIEF TO REGAINING FUNCTION, PROVIDERS AT PHYSICIANS' DIAGNOSTICS & REHABILITATION CLINICS DELIVER THE TOOLS NECESSARY FOR PEOPLE WITH LONG-TERM BACK PAIN TO RETURN TO LIFE ON THEIR OWN TERMS. By Michael Ferguson By Michael Ferguson Changing the Conversation about Pain 2 2 | Minnesota MD NEWS ■ M D N E W S . CO M