Visiting your family physician is often the first step on your road to recovery from pain and illness. Sometimes, though, the answers to your problem are not easily solved; and the journey to wellness takes a mile longer.
For men and women who have struggled with chronic pain, there is hope. San Antonio’s Consultants in Pain Medicine work to relieve the lingering pain in your body.
Founded in 1997, CPM, has over a decade of experience in fi ghting unwelcome physical and emotional pain.
Dr. Stephanie Jones, speaking on behalf of her group, explained CPM’s history and mission.
“The three core partners: Dr’s. Bacon, Murphy, and Murphy, were practicing together for a few years before founding Consultants in Pain Medicine. This was a little bit before I joined them in 1997. They came together and made an official group, established a name, and have been going ever since then.”
Dr. Jones is quick to note that the goal of CPM is to find effective solutions to its patients’ need for relief from pain and suffering.
(Dr. Bacon reviews and analyzes a patient’s MRI films to compile the diagnosis and treatment plan.)
“There are certain types of pain that I talk about to my patients. There is neuropathic pain, musculoskeletal pain; we also treat patients that have a lot of secondary problems from their pain. Some have functional problems, psychological problems; some patients come here and apologize, saying, ‘Sorry I’m here, but it’s hurting so bad. I hate to be a baby.’ I tell them it doesn’t matter if you’re an Army Ranger, or a Navy Seal, if you are in pain long enough, you will cry! I can’t think of any chronic pain out there that we can’t help in some way.”
Of course, in order to help, it takes qualified and dedicated doctors. CPM is home to both.
“Consultants in Pain Medicine is a group of seven board-certified pain physicians. We’re all trained in pain management. We take care of all kinds of pain – primarily pain that outlives the healing process. We work to figure out what kind of pain you are having. Is it neuropathic? Is it a combination of neuropathic and musculoskeletal? Is it all bone pain? The first goal is always to find out what kind of pain it is, despite what part of the body it is, and address it all.”
Dr. Jones’ concern for her patient is obvious, as she infuses her words with sympathy and hope.
“Fifty to sixty percent of the patients we see are chronic back pain sufferers; followed by shingles pain, neck pain, cancer pain, and a myriad of other pain aliments. Any type of chronic pain, we are probably seeing it.”
Beyond its wonderful benefits and proven results, many patients still have questions regarding pain medicine - many viewing it as nothing more than a one-stop drug shop. Dr. Jones explained that nothing could be further from the truth. Noting that while pain management is still a relative newcomer to the medical field, its science has long been in the works.
(Dr. Martinez finds and targets the source of pain utilizing fluoroscopy to perform a pain relieving procedure.)
“Pain medicine has been recognized as a sub-specialty of anesthesia for over 10 years. It has been around since probably the ‘60s, but it wasn’t fully recognized until probably the ‘90s as a separate specialty. Like a lot of specialties, we have progressed over time.”
Throughout the past decade, as the field of pain management has evolved, Dr. Jones recognizes that patients are more often than not, referred to CPM by outside doctors.
“Most of our patients are referred to us by other physicians. I would guess that 80 percent of our patients come from other doctors, for a variety of reasons. They refer to us because they just don’t feel comfortable treating pain and that’s what we specialize in. That’s when we make our assessment and go from there.
“Another reason we stay so busy is that pain is becoming more recognized. People are starting to say to themselves, ‘It’s not acceptable that I hurt like this all the time. I shouldn’t have to live like this. I shouldn’t have to hurt.’ You know, people are learning, people are becoming more educated. They are learning that they do not have to go through life with pain like this.”
CPM’s mission is not simply about relief; it’s also about the quality of care to achieve that peace.
“The bottom line is that when it comes to pain management there is still that dichotomy. There are doctors that are extremely good and well trained; then there are those that really are not. What we try to do at CPM is establish that difference in quality, not only are we fully trained and available, we are also passionate about what we’re doing. We are not going to do the same procedure or offer the same treatment for every single patient.”
Providing quality health care is only the start for CPM. Recently, the group established Consultants in Pain Research. As Dr. Jones explains, it’s all about improving on a foundation that was laid long ago.
“Consultants in Pain Research is all about looking at different medications that may not yet be FDA approved or that are approved for other uses and about trying to obtain data on these medicines. This doesn’t just benefit our patients; this benefits the public in general. This is how medications get approved. This is how helpful drugs get on to the market. We also do trials on spinal cord stimulators, drug pumps, and other pain relieving procedures.
(A patient is prepped as Dr. Michael Murphy prepares to implant an intrathecal pump for continues infusion of pain medication.)
“Another way research can benefit a patient is cost. Not everyone has insurance, or sometimes they just can’t afford what they need. Participating in research studies can be extremely beneficial for the patient’s health and budget.”
As beneficial as these programs can be, they may also run the risk of attracting the less than honest patients; a point Dr. Jones is quick to rebuff.
“Let me tell you, it’s not all easy for these patients. They have to come in regularly for follow-ups. Some of these studies require uncomfortable exams. Really, I don’t find too many people who are in it just for the money. They are in it to find a cure or make a difference. It’s something that can help them. Also, we have a lot of socially-minded patients that want to help in some way. They believe that maybe because of their suffering they can help someone else.”
After a decade of service, Dr. Jones believes that a synergy still exists between the doctors. She speaks with enthusiasm as she discusses the future.
“I think we still all have the same goals. I wouldn’t have stayed here otherwise. Before I joined Consultants in Pain Medicine I was actually getting ready to sign a contract to go somewhere else. I like the feeling here, and I think we are all still very committed to making the lives of our patients better. I could have found a lot of other satisfying jobs as a physician. I can think of a lot of reasons to do something else. We are all in this for the same reason: We really do care. We really want to help these people.
“I think there are a lot of people out there that don’t realize how needed we are. We see many new patient referrals each month between the seven of us. That speaks to how much pain is out there. It speaks to how many people want help. That is why we are here.”
CPM and CPR continue to push the field of pain medicine in bold new directions. After years dedicated to the art of healing, Dr. Donald Bacon, Dr. Stephanie Jones, Dr. Raul Martinez, Dr. Bill Murphy, Dr. Michael Murphy, Dr. Mark A. Moran, and Dr. Scott Worrich, continue to push forward, carrying with them bold new strategies for pain relief, and brave new ideas for medicine.
