The Costco Connection

By Aisha Langford

MOST OF US have, unfortunately, experi-
enced pain. Pins and needles, sharp, dull, achy
or burning, pain provides an unpleasant sen-
sory reaction to injury or illness. While many
of us have suffered acute pain, which can last
for days, weeks or a few months, a vast number
of people suffer the challenging, frustrating
and debilitating agony of chronic pain, defined
as pain that lasts for six months or longer.
The American Academy of Pain Medicine
( painmed.org) estimates that 100 million
Americans are living with chronic pain. In
fact, according to research, more Americans
are affected by chronic pain than by cancer,
heart disease and diabetes combined.
Dealing with chronic pain can be over-

Long-term
struggle

When the
pain won’t
go away
for your
health org), recommend that you talk to your pri-
mary care provider any time you have pain
that concerns you. “The goal is to prevent
long-term pain. If pain bothers you, then
bring it up to your doctor as soon as possible,”
says Cowan, a Costco member.

A pain specialist is an expert at diagnosing and treating various types of pain. Such professionals include orthopedic surgeons, anesthesiologists and neurologists. Typically, a referral from a primary care physician is needed to see a pain specialist.

“A pain specialist will want to hear from the primary care provider about what’s going on with the patient and what has been tried thus far,” says Costco member Dr. Donna Kalauokalani, a pain management specialist and director of Folsom Pain Management in California (folsompainman agement.com).

Pain relievers

Pain relievers or “painkillers” can reduce or relieve headaches, sore muscles, aches and pains. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to pain medicine. The proper treatment depends on how bad the pain is, if it’s chronic or acute and the underlying cause of the pain (e.g., cancer, nerve damage or arthritis). Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines relieve some types of pain. Common OTC medicines include acetaminophen (Tylenol) and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like aspirin, naproxen (Aleve) and ibuprofen (Advil).

If OTC medicines aren’t enough to manage your pain, a doctor may prescribe narcotics, also known as opioid pain relievers. Examples of these medicines include codeine, morphine and oxycodone. These medicines work by blocking feelings of pain in the brain.

While very effective for severe pain, opioid pain relievers have the potential to be addictive and should be taken only under the regular supervision of a medical professional. “The risk of addiction is real with opioids. Pain specialists will do a good health assessment before opioids are prescribed,” says Kalauokalani.

Medication isn’t always
the answer

Medication isn’t necessarily “the best” or first solution that should be tried for chronic

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whelming. The good news is that there are many options to help you cope, including working with your doctors, medications and self-management techniques.

Working with doctors

It may be hard to know when to talk to your doctor about pain, but patient advocates like Penney Cowan, executive director of the American Chronic Pain Association (theacpa.