Hope for Chronic Pain
ROCKVILLE, Utah (Ivanhoe Broadcast News) — Thousands of Americans are out
of work and permanently disabled because of chronic pain. Usually these
patients are treated with heavy doses of medication, however, a new program
combines the best of several therapies to pack a serious punch.
Today, Myrna Soderquist makes sure every customer leaves her store with a
pair of shoes and a smile. Soderquist was in severe pain and didn’t have
much to smile about a few months ago after two hip replacements, back
surgery and a leg lengthening procedure.
Soderquist has chronic pain. "It was very, very difficult for me to just
walk through a complete step," she explains. Doctors even labeled her
permanently disabled, and she needed more than 10 prescription pain pills a
day.
"One of my sons saw the list of medication, and he made me promise that I
wouldn’t take it I think that was the thing that woke me up," Soderquist
says.
She needed help and found it at The Bridge Health Recovery Center, a healing
center where doctors combine therapies to treat pain.
Greg Bart, M.D., consulting physician at The Bridge, says, "I don’t think
you can ever approach chronic pain without a multi-disciplinary approach."
Dr. Bart works with other specialists to customize rehabilitation. Along
with standard care, patients receive exercise and nutrition training,
acupuncture, massage and psychotherapy all in one place.
"It’s not really original. It’s just that we’ve finally combined it and put
it under bricks and mortar, and it works," explains Daren Brooks, founder of
The Bridge.
Patients who completed the program cut their meds by 80 percent and 70
percent went back to working full time. Compare that to the national average
of less than 10 percent.
Soderquist works about 60 hours a week and is down to two pain pills a day.
"I love it. I can go down, and I can go up all day long."
Patients usually spend three weeks at The Bridge. It costs nearly $13,000,
which covers the cost of the program, lodging, food and airfare. Insurance
typically covers it. Doctors at the bridge see all types of patients,
including those with conditions such as pain, fatigue, depression, obesity,
diabetes, fibromyalgia and anxiety.
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