Chronic Pain Syndrome

Diagnosing the cause of your pain starts with a conversation about your symptoms and medical history. Our specialists will conduct a physical exam and may recommend tests such as imaging, bodily fluid evaluation and assessments of your nervous system, muscles, joints and bones to find or rule out underlying causes for pain. 

Chronic pain syndrome often affects older adults, causing symptoms such as: 

• Headache 
• Lower back pain 
• Cancer-related pain 
• Arthritis or joint pain 
• Nerve pain  
• Psychogenic pain resulting from prolonged stress 

Based on your unique needs, we will design a treatment plan to address the root cause of your symptoms and improve your daily function. 

At Houston Methodist, treatment plans are designed around you. Effective treatment often includes a combination of medication and noninvasive pain management therapies, such as:  

• Acupuncture or massage therapy 
• Desensitization therapy, a technique that involves slowly dulling your skin’s pain response using harmless everyday items, like a soft washcloth 
• Heat or ice therapy 
• Hypnosis  
• Physical therapy 

Medications may also be recommended to manage the symptoms of chronic pain syndrome, including:

• Over-the-counter pain relievers  
• Opioid pain medications   
• Anesthetics  
• Corticosteroids (cortisone, prednisone)  
• Muscle relaxers 
• Antidepressants  
• Anticonvulsants  
• Bisphosphonates  

Patients who need more intensive pain relief may benefit from:  

• Epidural steroid injections into the spine 
• Infusion therapy  
• Nerve blocks  
• Botox® (botulinum toxin) injections to relax the muscles  
• Baclofen pump therapy, an implanted pump that delivers muscle-relaxing medication  
• Spinal or peripheral nerve stimulators, which are surgically implanted under the skin and deliver mild impulses to nerves responsible for pain