Vim & Vigor - Winter 2017 - Community Healthcare - 7

"The earlier we treat a patient, in most
cases, the better the result. However,
the appropriate treatment needs to be
targeted to the appropriate diagnosis.
It is important to get beyond a blanket
diagnosis such as 'chronic pain' and try to
understand what is actually causing the
pain and treat it."
-Shariq Ibrahim, MD, Community Care
Network Pain Management Physician

as diabetes or shingles, both of which
can lead to painful nerve damage.
Years ago, the standard fi rst-line
treatment for chronic pain included
prescription painkillers.
However, over time opioid medications-including OxyContin, Vicodin
and Percocet, known for their addictive
qualities-have been responsible for
hundreds of thousands of drug overdoses across the country. In Indiana
in 2016, drug overdose ranked as the
15th highest cause of death, surpassing
motor vehicle-related deaths, accordHobart, doctors, pharmacists and the
ing to the Indiana Department of
rest of the healthcare team are using a
Public Health.
multifaceted approach to pain relief.
In March 2016, the Centers for
"There are a variety of approaches
Disease Control and Prevention
to address acute pain and subacute
released new guidelines urging doctors
pain that is safer for the patient,"
to use opioids only when no alternative
says Kumar, including those based on
medications are possible. Since then,
medication, therapy, biofeedback, the
doctors and health officials across the
use of stimulators or a combination of
country, including those at the hospithose approaches.
tals of Community Healthcare System,
Pain management is beginning earhave been using effective alternatives
lier than in the past, with patients being
as fi rst-line treatments.
referred to a specialist at the onset for
"If a doctor is going to treat pain,
evaluation and assessment.
there are a variety of different classes
"We are seeing more patients before
of medications to choose from outside
surgery," says Community Care
opioids," explains Alan Kumar, MD.
Network pain management physician
"Every medication has the
possibility of side effects,
but most of these other
classes don't have the addiction potential and risk that
opioids tend to have and are
also very good at treating
chronic pain from different aspects."
At Community Hospital
The team at the hospitals of
in Munster,
Community Healthcare System
St. Catherine Hospital
considers pain management the
in East Chicago and
key to recovery.
Alan Kumar, MD
St. Mary Medical Center in

Shariq Ibrahim, MD, who also is Dillon's
doctor. "The earlier we treat a patient,
in most cases, the better the result.
However, the appropriate treatment
needs to be targeted to the appropriate
diagnosis. It is important to get beyond
a blanket diagnosis such as 'chronic
pain' and try to understand what is
actually causing the pain and treat it."
"There is a lot of overlap in the body's
interpretation of pain, and where one
feels the pain may not be the actual
source of the pain," he says. "As a result,
treating an incorrect source by treating
symptoms and not the underlying cause
often results in a poor outcome. That is
why on the initial consult we focus on

TEAM
WORK

John Doherty, PT

Shariq Ibrahim, MD
WINTE R 2017

7



Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Winter 2017 - Community Healthcare

Contents
Vim & Vigor - Winter 2017 - Community Healthcare - Cover1
Vim & Vigor - Winter 2017 - Community Healthcare - Cover2
Vim & Vigor - Winter 2017 - Community Healthcare - Contents
Vim & Vigor - Winter 2017 - Community Healthcare - 2
Vim & Vigor - Winter 2017 - Community Healthcare - 3
Vim & Vigor - Winter 2017 - Community Healthcare - 4
Vim & Vigor - Winter 2017 - Community Healthcare - 5
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Vim & Vigor - Winter 2017 - Community Healthcare - 7
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Vim & Vigor - Winter 2017 - Community Healthcare - Cover3
Vim & Vigor - Winter 2017 - Community Healthcare - Cover4
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