Are You A Candidate For A Pain Pump? With Dr. Chris Beuer- EP 19

On this episode,  we re-visit Dr. Danko's discussion with his friend Dr. Chris Beuer from St. Louis, Missouri.

He feels fortunate to have found the feel of pain management and have the ability to actually make a difference in people’s lives. They discuss Pain Pump Therapy, what it is, and why it is used. These two doctors are passionate about improving quality of life for their patients. Tune in!

 

Episode Highlights:

• Dr. Beuer introduces himself, shares about his practice in St. Louis, and what brought him to his current job position. 
• What is pain pump therapy and why is it used?
• Pain pumps have a reputation of being hard to manage but a lot has changed over the years. Dr. Beuer explains.
• Dr. Danko has found that the earlier you can offer the Pain Pump Implant Therapy, the better in the chronic pain world. It doesn’t mean it is the first thing you jump to but it is also not something you need to wait to use as a ‘salvage therapy’.
• What conditions are best for the pump? What are the steps to determine if it's right for the situation? Dr. Danko asks Dr. Beuer to talk about when it is indicated for patients.
• There is an ability to test the pain pump as well to see if it is worth it to the patient to try.
• How do pain pumps help people come off other pain medications?
• There is concern that a pump is limiting. Life using it is very simple. The medicine is refilled about every three months or so which takes a couple minutes to do. It is also important to note that it is on very low doses because it is very effective when
• Dr. Danko brings up that they both have been involved in a lot of Clinical Research and there is also a lot of great data already out on pump therapy.
• What about cancer pain? What are typical situations that are seen in pain management practice?
• Pain pumps can also be used for spasticity issues. Cerebral palsy, spinal cord injuries, or strokes are common scenarios with these spasticity issues. 
• Dr. Beuer shares how he got into triathlons and Iron Man competitions. Originally people told him there was no way he could do it in six months and he took it as a challenge. He has completed 16 Iron Mans and shares experience about brutal weather.
• Patient education on the body’s ability to adapt is important too for understanding a plan of building strength. 
• Dr. Danko asks Dr. Beuer to share about his experience being involved with Team USA in triathlons.

3 Key Points:

1. Premier Pain Talk is shedding light on the misconceptions about pain management. The field is not correctly portrayed in the media. It is not just about handing out pills. There are many interventional procedures, including pain pumps.
2. How do pain pumps help people who have been on long term pain medications to no success?
3. The body has an incredible ability to adapt. Patient education around the topic is so important in showing them that they can overcome limitations, too.

 

Resources Mentioned:

https://premierpaintreatment.com/

https://www.facebook.com/PremierPainTreatment/

https://www.christianhospital.org/painfree