Treating the whole person: A new approach to chronic pain

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – More than 100 million Americans live with chronic pain, which can interfere with everyday activities like work, exercise, and hobbies. At WVU Medicine, specialists are offering patients new ways to manage pain and improve quality of life. Many people believe they just must live with their pain, but today there are more options for relief than ever before.   

Chronic pain is defined as pain lasting more than three months after an injury or surgery. Back and neck pain are the most common causes, but arthritis, headaches, and nerve pain also affect millions of people.  

“You don’t have to just live with the pain,” Richard Vaglienti, M.D., director of the WVU Medicine Center for Integrative Pain Management, said. “The worst that would happen is if you ask us, ‘Can anything be done?’ and we say no. But if you sit at home and suffer in silence, you may never know that there is something out there to help you.”  

Unlike traditional pain clinics that often focus solely on injections or medications, the WVU Medicine Center for Integrative Pain Management program follows a bio-psychosocial model of care, striving to treat the whole person, not just the physical symptoms of pain. Providers work to identify the underlying causes of pain and develop individualized plans that target the affected area, relieve discomfort, and improve overall quality of life.   

The Center’s integrative approach combines the latest medical treatments with behavioral therapy; nutritional counseling with a registered dietitian; movement therapy with an exercise physiologist; and natural treatments, such as acupuncture, massage therapy, and chiropractic care.  

Newer options, such as spinal cord stimulation and peripheral nerve stimulation, help many patients find long-term relief.  

“We don’t just treat the body, we treat the mind and how you interact with people at work, at home, and in your community,” Dr. Vaglienti said. “All of those things affect how pain is experienced and how it can be managed.”  

The Center also trains the next generation of pain physicians through West Virginia’s only Pain Medicine Fellowship Program, ensuring greater access to care across the state.  

Vaglienti discusses the stigma of chronic pain, the importance of seeking board-certified pain specialists, and the latest treatment options in a recent episode of the Live Healthy WV podcast, Chronic Pain: You Don't Have to Live with It.  

To learn more about the WVU Medicine Center for Integrative Pain Management, visit WVUMedicine.org/Pain.  

About Live Healthy WV   

Live Healthy WV, a podcast presented by WVU Medicine, aims to help everyone live a better, healthier life in West Virginia and beyond. Find the latest episodes of Live Healthy WV on the MetroNews website or on the MetroNews Television app, in addition to other popular streaming services.