CentraCare Neurosciences Pain Center

Among the procedures we offer include:

We evaluate and treat patients with neck and back pain according to best medical practice. Our experts place patients on an appropriate clinical pathway according to their medical history and physical examination. This means we will coordinate a patient’s spine care to achieve the best clinical outcome.

It is important patients understand the appropriateness of the timing for spine treatments. We work closely with physical therapy, neurology and neurosurgery to ensure patients receive the right diagnostic tests and treatments at the right time.

Through the Opioid Transition Clinic, we assist patients in transitioning from full agonist opioids to safer medications, or taper off medications completely.

We believe it is important for patients to know that even if they have been on opioids for a very long time, they can taper off opioids and still have pain relief. This process will involve an interdisciplinary care team that consists of, but is not limited to, a medical provider, pharmacist and nurse.

Clinic Details:

• Who: Patients who are committed to decrease or stop taking their opioid medications to manage their pain and improve their life.
• Goal: To optimize the medications and other therapies a patient may utilize for pain and improvement of their life.
  
• Program Length: Up to three months of specialty care prior to transitioning back to your primary care medical home for medication maintenance.
• Cost: The patient is responsible for any co-pays and/or deductibles.

The CentraCare Neurosciences Pain Center will provide medication only for the treatment of pain.

Patients and surgeons should weigh the risks and benefits when pursuing surgery for the treatment of pain. This process should involve a global assessment of the patient and not be limited solely to a radiographic assessment.

Our assessment includes defining the goals of the surgical procedure and the likelihood of achieving those goals. We assist in screening patients for potential barriers to the best surgical outcome including a patient’s level of fitness, emotional and psychological condition and the patient’s insight on the whole process.

Our providers can recommend advice on perioperative pain medication and procedures that can help optimize a patient’s recovery from surgery.

Treating pain is often an ongoing process for patients that includes prescription medications. At the Neurosciences Pain Center, we strive to help patients find safe and effective medications to treat their pain.

This process occurs through medication therapy management clinic appointments with a pharmacist. A pain pharmacist monitors the safety and efficacy of medications as part of a coordinated interdisciplinary team approach to a patient’s pain care. 

Some patients have complex pain issues that need a dedicated team for evaluation and treatment. We offer select appointments for interdisciplinary pain consultations to patients with high impact chronic pain.

These appointments are a half day commitment. The patient is evaluated all morning for 3-4 hours with multiple providers from a variety of disciplines. These disciplines can include a medical provider, physical therapist, pharmacist, psychologist, vocational rehab counselor and/or nurse.

After the morning evaluation, the patient gets lunch and then comes back to the clinic in the afternoon for a team conference. At the team conference, the interdisciplinary pain care team will discuss their findings with the patient and develop a comprehensive pain care plan.

Every patient will have a report sent to their primary care provider discussing the findings and recommendations of the interdisciplinary pain care team. Often, patients will receive continuing care at the pain center.