What does COVID-19 mean for the Pain Management Program? This guide includes resources to help you to self-manage your pain. Learn more about the following during COVID-19: • How to access services in the pain program • Our approach to treating chronic pain • Accessing food • Strategies to manage self-isolation • Living with worry • Mental health information and supports • Crisis prevention •Exercising with chronic pain • Medication information

This is a handout to explain how Amitriptyline treats pain by increasing the concentrations of chemical messengers in the nervous system to reduce the pain messages arriving in the brain. The pain is usually described as burning, tingling, shooting, or numb. This medication can be used to treat fibromyalgia and prevent migraine headaches.

This is a handout explaining that Duloxetine is a medication that works by increasing the brain levels of two chemical messengers, norepinephrine and serotonin, that help to lessen the intensity of incoming pain signals. It is used to treat pain from damaged nerves, fibromyalgia, chronic low back pain, and knee pain due to osteoarthritis. Duloxetine is also used to treat depression and anxiety.

This is a handout explaining what an epidural steroid injection (ESI) is and why is it performed?

This is a handout to explain that a facet join injection can be used to help diagnose the cause and location of pain or to treat pain related to facet joint dysfunction. Facet joint injections can be performed in the neck (cervical), upper back (thoracic), or lower back (lumbar). The exact location at which the procedure is performed at depends on where your pain is coming from. It involves the administration of a local anesthetic (when done as a diagnostic procedure) or a mixture of local anesthetic and an anti-inflammatory medication known as a steroid (when done for treatment purposes).

This is a handout to describe what you need to do after having a Fluoroscopy Procedure.

This is a handout to describe what you need to do before having a Fluoroscopy Procedure.

This is a handout to explain that Gabapentin is used to treat pain from damaged nerves (neuropathic pain). It works by dampening the pain signals sent through the body’s nervous system and can also be used in the treatment of seizure disorders.

This is a handout to explain that Ketamine is a medication most commonly used as an anesthetic during surgical procedures. At lower doses, ketamine is used to treat certain types of nerve pain that have not responded to other pain management approaches. The most common condition for which IV (intravenous) ketamine infusions are used in the pain clinic is complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS).

This is a handout to explain that a IV Lidocaine Infusion is a local anesthetic used to treat certain nerve pain conditions when the usual nerve pain medications or interventions were unsuccessful. This could be due to a lack of effectiveness or side effects.

This is a handout to learn about how some prescription and over the counter medicines can interfere with your ability to drive safely.

This is a handout to learn about Nabilone, which is a synthetic cannabinoid made by the pharmaceutical industry. It is similar to marijuana (the natural plant) in its actions, but usually has less effect on mood. Nabilone is typically used to treat severe nausea and vomiting associated with certain types of cancer chemotherapy and can be used to stimulate appetite. Nabilone is also used to treat chronic nerve related pain.

This is a handout to explain how Nortriptyline treats pain by increasing the concentrations of chemical messengers in the nervous system to reduce the pain messages arriving in the brain. The pain is usually described as burning, tingling, shooting, or numb. This medication can be used to treat fibromyalgia and prevent migraine headaches.

Dr. Geoff Bellingham, Clinical Director of the Pain Management Program and Dr. Marilyn Hill, psychologist, share their thoughts on treating chronic pain through the Q&A below.

This handout explains that this medication is used to treat pain from damaged nerves (neuropathic pain) and fibromyalgia. Pregabalin works by dampening the pain signals sent through the body’s nervous system.

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a procedure used to manage certain types of chronic pain. It uses electrical energy to create heat. The heat damages a small area of nerve tissue causing the pain signals coming from a specific nerve area to become interrupted.

Sacroiliac Joint joint injection involves administration of a local anesthetic (when done as a diagnostic procedure) or a mixture of local anesthetic and an anti-inflammatory medication known as a steroid (when done for treatment purposes). The medication is injected into the capsule of the SI joint.

This handout explains a procedure which can be used to diagnose sympathetically mediated pain. A stellate ganglion block is also commonly used to treat pain of the head, neck and upper limbs resulting from complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). The goal of the procedure is to help the patient participate in restorative therapy (physiotherapy, occupational therapy, exercise) and achieve functional improvement.

This handout explains Tapentadol, which is an Extended Release medication used to relieve moderate to severe pain in adults. Tapentadol is an atypical opioid medication because it has a unique mechanism of action: Tapentadol binds with certain opioid receptors to block pain signals from reaching the brain. This action is similar to that of opioid medications such as morphine. Tapentadol also works by increasing the brain levels of a chemical messenger called norepinephrine. This feature is similar to that of some antidepressant medications used to treat pain.