Managing pain is the name of the game
Our pain and functional rehabilitation clinic recognizes that pain and other distressing symptoms including nausea, dizziness and chronic fatigue are complex and unique experiences that affect all areas of a child’s life. Our goal is to get your child back to their typical, and doing daily activities without pain being the thing that stops them from doing so
The pain program at Children’s Minnesota is one of the largest of its kind in the U.S. We partner with children and adolescents with chronic pain symptoms to improve their overall functioning and management of pain in their daily lives. Chronic pain disorders are complex and longer-lasting, which continue after the expected time of healing. This type of pain may be triggered by injury, illness or may just occur “out of the blue.” We treat patients in our pain clinic and hospital, combining drug and integrative (non-drug therapies), to ease pain in children, teens and young adults.
Pain and functional rehabilitation medicine frequently asked questions (FAQ)
All visits begin with an intake assessment where a plan is created. Treatment is determined by the type of visit.
- Acute pain (caused by injury, surgery, illness, trauma or painful medical procedures) visits by referral may include short term medication management and collaboration with the referring provider.
- For primary pain disorder (pain that persists in the absence of a pain generator) visits, we use a rehabilitation team-based approach that may include physical therapy, psychology and social work support in tandem with medical and nursing follow up. Primary pain treatment also involves infrequent medications, no narcotic/opioid pain medications. Acupuncture and integrative medicine are also available.
Narcotics or opioids are rarely used but, in the event that they are indicated, this is part of a treatment plan where they are very closely monitored by a provider.
It is infrequent that patients move from pain management to palliative care in this setting. The best fit for program services is determined at the intake visit. With close monitoring and communication, patient status and needs are evaluated, and changes in treatment can most often be anticipated and discussed with family. In the event goals of care and symptom management transition to accommodate quality of life determination, our staff will guide this process.
