Tag Archives: arizona pain

Chronic narcotic medication management alters hormone levels

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Long-term opioid treatment for chronic pain can be extremely effective in allowing patientsPain clinics in Arizona to decrease their pain and enjoy functional lives. However, there can be significant hormonal abnormalities that result from this long-term narcotic medication management.

A new study presented recently at the American Academy of Pain Medicine show exactly how significant those hormonal abnormalities can be. The study included over 20 individuals with intractable pain who were being treated in a California pain clinic for over 20 years.

The patients participating in the study did not receive any hormone replacement treatment and their morphine equivalency dosages daily range from approximately 500 to over 5000 mg per day.

55% of the study patients had low testosterone and this was the most common abnormal finding. Low follicle-stimulating hormone was present in 30% of the patients, and low cortisol and ACTH was seen in 9% each. There were some other abnormal findings as well such as abnormal estrogen levels seen in 5% of patients.

AZ pain clinics

Chronic narcotics can result in hormone abnormalities, which can cause depression.

The lead author on the study concluded that the low testosterone and follicle-stimulating hormone had major effects on the body. He also concluded that these abnormal hormone levels most likely showed that the opioid treatment was inadequate in a lot of patients in the study.

Additionally, it was noted that individuals who are on chronic pain management should have hormone screenings performed to check for either deficient or excessive hormone levels based on how common they were in the study.  In addition to the blood testing, the study used a survey for depression. In general, the participants in the study reported a good quality of life and a low incidence of depression. This was very different than what the hormone level abnormalites showed.

Even if patients say they may have adequate pain control, they may not be sleeping well and may have some mood abnormalities due to these hormonal deficiencies or excessive levels. Study authors recommended asking questions about these issues.  It is important to try and maintain normal levels of important hormones such as cortisol, as excessive levels can lead to osteoporosis and spinal fractures.

If you live in chronic pain and are in Arizona, the best pain management in the state is at Pain Doctor PhoenixArizona Pain Specialists. They have multiple AZ pain clinics throughout the Phoenix metropolitan area, serving Phoenix, Scottsdale, Glendale, Chandler, Mesa, Tempe, Gilbert,Surprise and more.

The clinic has Board Certified, Award Winning Arizona pain doctors including pain management specialists, Phoenix chiropractor doctors, and physical rehabilitation specialists. Acupuncture and spinal decompression therapy are also offered at all clinics.

The clinics take all major medical insurances along with Medicare, Mercy Care, APIPA, Personal Injury, workers compensation, and self pay options.

Call 602-507-6550 today for scheduling.

United Health Care Pain Management Clinics in Phoenix Arizona

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If you have United Health Care and need the best pain management clinic or chiropractor United pain doctor Phoenixin the Phoenix and Scottsdale metropolitan area, let Arizona Pain Specialist help you. Arizona pain has multiple AZ pain clinics located throughout the valley, and all of them accept United Health Care as in network providers.

The providers offer comprehensive treatments which include such options as narcotic medication management, interventional pain treatments, acupuncture, spinal adjustments, physical rehabilitation, spinal decompression therapy, TENS units and more.

As an in network provider for United Health Care, patients will not have to use their out-of-network benefits and be stuck with a second deductible outside of the usual.

The success rate with the comprehensive pain management and chiropractic treatment options is over 90%.

The clinics serve Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale, Glendale, Tempe, Gilbert, Chandler, Peoria, United pain clinic PhoenixSurprise, Goodyear and more.

For those individuals with United Health Care, the best pain management doctors in Arizona can be reached at 602-507-6550 for scheduling. Call today.

How Do You Know If A Patient’s Pain Is Real Or He’s a Drug Seeker?

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When a patient comes into the office and says, “Doctor I have a lot of back pain and the only thing that works is Oxycontin, I’ve tried everything else,” how does the doctor know if the patient is legitimate or not?

Unfortunately there are few tools to objectively measure a patient’s pain to know whether it is legitimate or if the patient is faking. Usually, patients are asked to give a pain score on the Visual Analog Scale which is pain on a scale of 0 to 10. There is also a scale which uses facial expressions for pain severity, which is great for children.

A widely held estimate is that 15 to 20% of patients are malingering (faking) their symptoms in order to obtain drugs illegitimately. They are either abusing them or selling them (or both), and faking an illness is the most effective way of obtaining their inventory. Another reason for faking is to obtain disability, which provides for a nice paycheck to patients while everyone else in society pays for it.

Opioids are now the second leading cause of accidental death in the US, only behind car crashes. While the Institute of medicine is reporting that pain is often undertreated, the Office of National Drug Control Policy reported that narcotic prescriptions are up 48% since 1999.
There are some well known red flags to patients who are “drug seekers”. Patients who call in saying they are from out of town and cannot obtain their medical records from their previous pain doctor are suspicious. Also, if a patient states they do not have insurance and want to pay cash for their treatment may be utilizing their insurance at another pain doctor and trying to hide that by skipping their insurance plan payments.

Over 35 states have instituted statewide prescription registries including Arizona, where doctors can see if patients are receiving narcotics from other doctors. There are a few problems with the system, including the delay in prescriptions registering, incomplete participation, and the fact the systems cover only that individual state. A nationwide system, signed into effect by President Bush in 2005, has not been fully implemented due to lack of funding.

About 80% of pain issues are handled by primary care doctors. And it can be very tricky. Even the best of tools available to fellowship trained, board certified spine doctors show that over 50% of the time an exact diagnosis evades medical specialists. Figuring out the pain generator can be elusive, hence figuring out whether a patient is faking can be tough to discern.

It’s not just inner city drug addicts who sell or abuse their prescriptions. Retired folks do it, executives do it, and even legitimate chronic pain patients take too much of their medications, effectively abusing them.

So what to do? Well, there are no go-to methods for detection that are foolproof. A few helpful tools include urine or oral drug testing (screening), pain management agreements, and as mentioned the prescription registry monitoring system. Otherwise, keep your radar up for red flags.

Preferred Pain Center helps patients every day with acute and chronic pain issues successfully achieve pain relief. Options include the best AZ Pain Doctors, Phoenix Chiropractors, Phoenix Physical Therapy, Spinal Decompression Therapy, and Manipulation Under Anesthesia.

If you have chronic pain, back pain, neck pain, arm pain, leg pain == Preferred Pain Center can HELP! Call us TODAY at 602 507-6550 and ask about our 24 Hour Guarantee!