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Overview<\/h2>\nOverview<\/h2>\nThe Ottawa Hospital Pain Clinic serves the needs of adult patients in the Ottawa Champlain LHIN (Local Health Integration Network) suffering with chronic pain<\/p>\n
Chronic pain is defined as \u201cpain lasting longer than three months OR pain persisting beyond the reasonable amount of time for an injury to heal\u201d.<\/p>\n
The Pain Clinic offers consultative services for the diagnosis and management of chronic pain disorders of malignant and nonmalignant sources. The clinic offers patients and referring physicians suggestions regarding pharmacological management of various chronic pain conditions, recommendations regarding physical therapy, occupational therapy and, when indicated, referral to other health-care professionals in Rehabilitation Medicine, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Surgical Subspecialties, Interventional Radiology, Psychology and Psychiatry.<\/p>\n
We strive to improve patients\u2019 quality of life by decreasing pain and improving their functional ability. After optimization of a patient\u2019s pain and functional ability has been achieved, the patient long term care will be returned to their Family physician.<\/p>\n
When indicated patients may be offered interventional pain procedures to aid in diagnosis or help with symptom management \/ rehabilitation from multiple chronic pain conditions.<\/p>\n
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Even the most expertly delivered pharmacologic and interventional treatments rarely relieve more than 50% of the discomfort in patients with chronic non-cancer pain. These patients must satisfy all the demands of daily living while their physical and mental performance is disrupted by pain. Dr. Howard Nathan, pain physician at the TOH pain clinic, in collaboration with Dr. Katalin Nathan, clinical psychologist, offers instruction in techniques to improve well-being and quality of life while encouraging learning, self-discovery, and the development of strategies for self-care.\u00a0 The nine-week group workshop combines cognitive psychotherapy with body awareness training, mindfulness meditation, and gentle yoga.\u00a0 This program, mindfulness based stress reduction, developed by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, is evidence based and currently offered at university hospitals and private clinics worldwide.\u00a0 Patients can be referred to Dr. Howard Nathan at the TOH pain clinic or directed to