Case Report: The Chronification of Pain - Low back pain in setting of chronic pancreatitis treated with long term opioids

Spine & Nerve

In this week's episode of the Spine & Nerve podcast, Dr. Brian Joves and Dr. Nicolas Karvelas expand on their recent discussion of pain chronification. The doctors discuss a fairly common scenario in which a patient with very chronic pain develops a relatively new pain condition. In this setting, the new onset pain process can be significantly amplified and difficult to treat.

Previously, the doctors summarized processes including central and peripheral sensitization, which contribute significantly to the severity and refractory nature of chronic pain conditions. Listen as the doctors review chronification of pain in the context of a patient case example and discuss treatment approaches, particularly optimizing medication management.

Chronic pain disease processes are very challenging to diagnose and treat, especially when multiple body parts are involved. However, there are a growing number of tools available to make a positive impact for our patients, and with a carefully crafted treatment plan, progress can be made. Although optimizing patients' health, function, and safety may be a long and winding road, this goal is achievable!

This podcast is for information and educational purposes only, it is not meant to be medical advice. If anything discussed may pertain to you, please seek council with your healthcare provider. The views expressed are those of the individuals expressing them, they may not represent the views of Spine & Nerve.

References:
1. Borsook D, Youssef AM, Simons L, Elman I, Eccleston C. When pain gets stuck: the evolution of pain chronification and treatment resistance. Pain. 2018;159(12):2421-2436.

2. Ossipov MH, Morimura K, Porreca F. Descending pain modulation and chronification of pain. Curr Opin Support Palliat Care. 2014 Jun;8(2):143-51.

3. Morlion B, Coluzzi F, Aldington D, Kocot-Kepska M, Pergolizzi J, Mangas AC, Ahlbeck K, Kalso E. Pain chronification: what should a non-pain medicine specialist know? Curr Med Res Opin. 2018 Jul;34(7):1169-1178.

4. A Comprehensive Review of the Celiac Plexus Block for the Management of Chronic Abdominal Pain. Current Pain and Headache Reports. 2020.

5. Khanna IK, Pillarisetti S. Buprenorphine - an attractive opioid with underutilized potential in treatment of chronic pain. J Pain Res. 2015 Dec 4;8:859-70.