Pain Management

What is Pain Management?
Pain in its chronic form should be seen and treated as a disease process untoitself with focused management on pain and its related conditions. Offering comprehensive care for the treatment of low back pain, neck pain, and painful extremeties is one of Affinity's specialties. The Pain Center specializes in Injection Therapy of the Spine and Related Structures, Medical Management of Pain, Physical Therapy Modalties, and Psychological Assessments.

Physicians
Marion O'Neill Lee, M.D.

Controlling Pain
Pain Management Pays Off in Improved Quality of Life

Dr. Marion Lee, pain specialist with Affinity Health Group, is quick to tell his chronic pain patients in order to get better they must want to get better.   "My patients must take an extremely active role in their pain management program," said Dr. Lee.   "They must be motivated, follow our advice and they can get better."

When Dr. Lee says better he means a better quality of life - not a cure.   "Pain management is not a cure for chronic pain," explained Dr. Lee.   "The pain will always be there, but I hope to lessen the pain for the patient and restore function so they can maintain a better quality of life."

The main goals for Dr. Lee and his staff at the Pain Center at Affinity Health Group in Tifton is to better understand how his patients are being affected by chronic pain, determine the source of the pain and develop a course of action for a reduction in pain.

Once a patient is referred to Dr. Lee by their primary care physician, he and his staff must try and determine the cause of the pain.   "A patient might suffer from pain in their foot," said Dr. Lee. "But we must determine if the pain is really originating in the toe or somewhere else, such as the spinal cord and just causing pain in the foot."

According to Dr. Lee there are a host of ailments that can cause chronic pain including arthritis, spinal conditions, surgery (post-surgical pain), and herniated disks.    The most unusual or unique cause of chronic pain that Dr. Lee has seen is complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) which occurs in about 5% of patients.    CRPS is characterized by a burning or swelling of the extremities and can be caused by something as simple as bumping into a table or something as complex as a limb amputation.

After the cause of the pain is identified, Dr. Lee and his staff can determine the patients pain score and begin treatment. "Everyone's threshold and tolerance of pain is different," said Dr. Lee.   "We try to determine a person's pain score, for example it might be a seven out of ten. We then try to lower the patient's pain score with a customized pain management program."

A variety of treatment options are available to chronic pain sufferers depending on the cause of their pain. Dr. Lee's philosophy is "less is more" with respect to medication. "If we can manage a patient's pain without medication that is wonderful," said Dr. Lee.

The treatments for chronic pain include physical therapy, surgery, injection therapy, and medication management.

There are several different kinds of injection therapy including diagnostic blocks, permanent nerve blocks, intra-discal procedures and spinal cord stimulation which are used mainly for back pain and neck pain such spinal stenosis, bulging disks and herniated disks.   Dr. Lee said the most common type of therapy we use on patients for pain is injection therapy.   Another invasive technique used by Dr. Lee on spinal arthritic pain patients is rhizotomy.   This is where the actual nerve is burned to reduce the pain in the spinal cord.

When appropriate, medication management is used to treat patients.   Since the medications used may be strong, patients are monitored closely on a monthly basis for dosage changes and other effects.   "It is extremely important for patients in the medication program that they comply and follow our guidelines," said Dr. Lee.   "We want to reduce their pain, but they must help by being involved in their care."

Pain may be best relieved with a combination of medication and psychological assistance.   In these cases, patients may be referred to counseling.   The psychological aspect of pain includes anxiety and chronic depression which is often associated with chronic pain patients.   The psychological aspect of pain management also helps to develop coping skills to be in control of the pain.  

"Acceptance of pain by the patient is vital," said Dr. Lee.   "Patients must realize they may begin the program with a pain score of eight and get to a five.   The key is the patient learns to accept that their pain may always be no better than a five."

Some patients seek treatment for years, some for just a few months.   The pain generally lasts for a lifetime; however, with a proper diagnosis and treatment course chronic pain does not have to debilitate a patient's life.

"Our objective is to reduce a patient's pain so they can once again engage in the activities of everyday life," said Dr. Lee.

Dr. Lee, a board certified anesthesiologist and interventional pain physician, is also a member of the editorial review board of the nationally recognized journal "Pain Physician" and a board member of the American Board of Pain Physicians.   He is also an examiner for certification in interventional pain procedures.   Patients interested in learning more about the services of The Pain Center should first seek a referral from their primary care physician. The Pain Center is located at 1493 Kennedy Road, Suite B in Tifton. For more information, call 229-382-8216.