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In September 2001, a coalition led by the American Chronic Pain Association (ACPA) established Pain Awareness Month — an annual campaign to increase understanding of pain, experiences of people living with pain, and safe and effective pain management.

What’s Happening Here?

At UVA School of Medicine, Dania Chastain, PhD, is Director of the Department of Anesthesiology Office of Pain Management and Opioid Stewardship (OPMOS). She founded the office in 2021 to establish and foster interdisciplinary, collaborative initiatives within UVA and UVA Health in partnership with the local community. In addition to pain faculty, an advisory board and speakers represent several disciplines and experiences to create a rich learning environment. “We offer tailored education for patients and families, healthcare providers, students, parents, teachers, and nonprofit organizations in our community and beyond,” she explains. “We focus on enhancing communication, collaboration, research-based treatment, safety, and empowerment.”

Chastain completed her psychology residency and pain management fellowship training at UVA Health. She serves as Associate Professor of Clinical Anesthesiology at UVA School of Medicine and is board-certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology (clinical psychology). She often appears on local media, including in this Aug. 19 Community Conversation, and speaks nationally to spread the word about the primary mission of OPMOS: education.

'The Whole Patient'

The most requested programming of OPMOS? Opioid awareness. The OPMOS team speaks to middle and high school and college students, parents, teachers and administrators. Topics include warning signs of mental health issues and substance use disorder (SUD), fentanyl, and counterfeit pills. All participants receive naloxone training and leave with free Narcan^®. Victoria's Voice, a nonprofit started by a family who lost their daughte to an overdose, provides the Narcan^® that's distributed by the OPMOS team.

When assessing and treating patients presenting with pain, it's important to distinguish if their pain is acute (e.g., experienced after surgery or injury) or chronic (pain lasting more than three months). “To optimize treatment and prevent misuse, opioids are not used in isolation to treat chronic pain. We look at the whole patient. To help those who are suffering, pain management psychologists provide support and teach skills to help patients take back control of their lives,” says Chastain.  

If you have a group/organization that would benefit from pain management education and/or opioid awareness and Narcan^® training, contact OPMOS@uvahealth.org or call 434.924.2283. 

Collaboration Is Key

At UVA Health Pain Management, the team consists of physicians, advanced practice providers, and more clinicians specializing in anesthesiology, clinical psychology, nursing, and pain medicine.   

They treat: 

• Spinal pain 
• Lower back pain 
• Neck pain 
• Herniated disks 
• Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) 
• Head and facial pain 
• Cancer pain 
• Post-surgical pain 

Pain psychology interventions include:

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) 
• Biofeedback 
• Cognitive-behavioral interventions (CBI) 
• Grief work 
• Individual therapy
• Mindfulness strategies 
• Self-regulation techniques 

Pain management therapy options include: 

• Basivertebral nerve ablation 
• Intrathecal pumps 
• Medications 
• Mental health support 
• Multifidus nerve stimulation 
• Nerve blocks 
• Peripheral nerve stimulation 
• Spinal cord stimulation 
• Spinal treatments

'Ripple Effects'

Also, a welcome, new addition: Joel Cohen, PhD, moved all the way from Alaska to Charlottesville and joined the UVA Health Pain Management team. The pain psychologist brings extensive expertise in this field. 

“The experience of pain is best understood in the context of understanding the patients’ life,” he explains. “As uncomfortable as the sensation of pain feels, it is often the ripple effects of pain on the basic aspects of daily living — work, relationships, recreation, and plans for the future — that are most troubling. The pervasive sense of loss contributes to depression, anxiety, and a very personal experience of grieving.”

The Associate Professor, Anesthesiology Department, UVA School of Medicine, finds the most effective approach to care focuses on understanding the nature of the person experiencing the pain — as well as the nature of the pain itself.

Another Milestone

Anesthesiologist Lynn Kohan, MD, is marking five years as Director of UVA Health Pain Management. The UVA School of Medicine professor also serves as Director of the Pain Fellowship Program. She’s also the Pain Management Division Chief at UVA Health. Dr. Kohan earned her MD and completed anesthesiology residency at Georgetown University and a pain medicine fellowship at UVA Health. 

“Pain is deeply personal, and effective pain care cannot be one-size-fits-all. Our goal is not simply to reduce a patient’s pain, but to understand the person experiencing pain and help them regain function, independence, and quality of life," she explains. "At UVA Health — we bring together physicians, advanced practice providers, psychologists, nurses, and pain specialists to develop individualized treatment plans that may combine medications, procedures, rehabilitation, and behavioral health support.” 

Adds Dr. Kohan: “Pain Awareness Month is an important reminder that people living with pain deserve to be heard, understood, and empowered to participate in their care.”

Referrals are required for care and services at UVA Health Pain Management, Fontaine Research Park, 545 Ray C. Hunt Drive, Suite 1300. For more information, call 434.358.9585.