Treatments

All treatments are preceded by a comprehensive multidisciplinary assessment as noted above. Treatment may be provided on an out-patient, day patient or in-patient basis. For in-patients, the Centre has its own beds located on Ward 7C and insured patients may also receive in-patient treatment at the co-located North Shore Private Hospital.

Multimodal treatment will often be necessary because of the array of problems associated with chronic pain, which may each need to be addressed in order to achieve a favourable outcome.
Treatment options:

• Pharmacotherapy including rationalisation of current medication, where necessary weaning of opioid drugs, targeting of neuropathic pain with specific agents
• Spinal drug administration via epidural and intrathecal drug delivery systems
• Spinal dorsal column stimulation
• Peripheral nerve stimulation (eg. Suboccipital)
• Radio frequency lesioning (eg. Medial branch of dorsal ramus for mechanical neck and low back pain), lateral branch for Sacro-Iliac joint
• Neural blockade techniques including epidural corticosteroid and local anaesthetic, intra-articular local anaesthetic and steroid, celiac plexus, lumbar sympathetic, etc.
• Other temporary neural blockade techniques such as brachial plexus blocks in combination with rehabilitative physical therapy
• Individualised clinical psychology services for pain management and conditions associated with pain including anxiety disorders such as PTSD, fear avoidance problems, adjustment disorders, etc.
• Individual physiotherapy services such as training in self directed exercise and activity programs, reduction in use of unnecessary aids, postural analysis and correction, etc.
• Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) and acupuncture
• ADAPT program

Regardless of the use of pharmacotherapy, neural blockade or other options to reduce pain, many patient will require treatment with one of the Centre’s two cognitive behavioural programs namely the ADAPT program and the Intervene Program which aim to assist patients to return to as normal as possible physical and mental functioning, which have invariably been impaired in association with chronic pain.

Orofacial pain management (including Acute Dental Pain, Trigeminal Neuralgia, Burning Mouth Syndrome, Oral Neuropathic Pain, Temporomandibular Disorder, and Phantom Tooth Pain) specialised treatment are available.