Our Program

The Lemons Center’s chronic pain management program works very well in tandem with the traditional Medical Model approach prescribed by physicians. In certain cases, a patient’s chronic pain persists, even though the patient has undergone surgery and other medical procedures to physically correct the causes of the pain. In such cases, The Lemons Center provides a multi-disciplined approach which utilizes the Behavioral Science Model to augment the recovery program prescribed by the patient’s physicians. This approach has the the primary objective of restoring functional capacity while also addressing the emotional, economic and social consequences that accompany chronic pain.

Our program includes a combination of psychological counseling, physical therapy and pain management education. We integrate these services into personalized treatment plans that have the goals of reducing pain, improving quality of life, permitting a return to work and social activities, reducing the use of prescription pain medications and reducing health care costs.

Psychological Counseling. A significant factor for patients suffering from chronic pain is the mind-body connection of pain. Our medical psychologists prepare a personalized program of psychological counseling for each patient. The behavioral component of pain management is provided through a series of individual and group sessions that include relaxation training, stress management training, biofeedback, cognitive behavioral therapy, behavior modification and crisis intervention training.

Physical Therapy. This physical therapy component is vital to our pain management program. Patients with chronic pain often have increased muscle tension, which is the body’s natural response to pain. When pain becomes chronic, this tension can shift to extreme sustained muscle hyperactivity that actually exacerbates the pain experience. This problem is further exacerbated by the tightening of muscles in response to the increased stress caused by the disruption of the patient’s daily life from the pain. Furthermore, a patient’s muscles often have atrophied and become deconditioned, because the patient has been avoiding certain activities that produce pain. In our program, the physical therapist assigned to each patient teaches a personalized program of stretching and gentle strengthening techniques to specific muscle groups. The physical therapist also works with patients to gradually increase their level of physical activity in their daily lives.

Pain Management Education. Each patient receives information about the anatomy and physiology of their specific chronic pain condition. Patients are taught personalized ways on how to manage pain flares, guidelines on when to stop an activity or an exercise, how to modify an activity or exercise, and how and when to advance to different activities and exercises. To develop personal problem-solving skills, clients are taught to pay attention to their specific body signals to better manage their chronic pain. This education usually results in patients having the confidence and skills to more quickly resume an active lifestyle and return to work and recreational activities.

The number of sessions in a patient’s program will depend upon a patient’s level of disability from the chronic pain. Each patient will be assigned to one of the following four levels of programs:

Level I Program. The Level I Program is designed for less difficult cases. It typically involves just two disciplines: psychological counseling along with either physical therapy or pain management education -- with treatment performed by therapists skilled in the treatment of chronic pain. Treatment entails one session per week with a total of ten to twelve sessions and consultation with one of The Lemons Center’s pain management psychologists.
Level II Program. Level II cases tend to be more complex and require two disciplines in the treatment. Treatment lasts for a total of ten to twelve sessions with one or two sessions per week and consultation with a pain management psychologist.
Level III Program. All disciplines are involved in these more severe or chronic cases -- psychological support services, physical therapy and pain management education. The four to six week treatment period entails three full days a week. A pain management psychologist will provide psychological support.
Level IV Program. This level involves a four hour daily program, five days a week for four to six weeks, with all disciplines involved, including psychological support services, physical therapy and pain management education.