Why We Need a New Approach
Chronic pain affects nearly 50 million Americans, yet the standard approach to treatment remains outdated, ineffective, and costly. Despite billions spent each year on imaging, injections, and surgeries, long-term pain relief remains elusive for many. The result? A healthcare system that prioritizes expensive interventions over evidence-based care, leaving patients trapped in a cycle of pain and financial burden.
The Problem with Chronic Pain Care in the U.S.
- Over-Reliance on Imaging and Injections
X-rays, MRIs, and CT scans are frequently ordered for chronic pain patients, yet research shows that most findings—like disc degeneration and arthritis—are normal age-related changes that do not correlate with pain. Despite this, patients are often funneled into a pipeline of costly and ineffective procedures, including steroid injections and nerve blocks, which provide only temporary relief and do not address the underlying neurological dysfunction driving chronic pain. - The Surgery Trap
For many, surgery seems like the only remaining option after failed conservative treatments. However, spinal surgeries, joint replacements, and other invasive procedures often fail to resolve pain and can even lead to worse outcomes, including new pain syndromes and increased disability. In contrast, non-invasive, neuromodulation-based treatments have been shown to provide significant and lasting relief without the risks of surgery. - A System Designed for Symptom Management, Not Healing
Traditional pain management focuses on masking symptoms rather than addressing the root causes of pain. Opioids, anti-inflammatories, and muscle relaxants may provide short-term relief but do not retrain the nervous system to process pain correctly. This approach leaves patients dependent on medications while their quality of life continues to decline.
What the Science Says: Best Practices for Chronic Pain Care
Chronic pain isn’t just about damaged tissues—it’s about how the nervous system interprets and amplifies pain signals. The most effective treatments focus on retraining the brain and nervous system to process pain correctly. Here’s what works:
- Pain Science Education
Understanding pain changes how we experience it. Research shows that when patients learn about how pain is processed in the brain and nervous system, their symptoms improve. Education reduces fear, encourages movement, and empowers patients to take control of their pain. - Neuromodulation and Neuroplasticity-Based Therapies
Treatments that target the nervous system—such as non-invasive neuromodulation, brain-based rehabilitation, and sensory retraining—help restore proper function to pain-processing networks. Devices like the Stimpod NMS460, the NEUBIE, and other neurostimulation techniques can reduce chronic pain by rebalancing nervous system activity. - Movement and Graded Exposure
Avoiding movement out of fear of pain can worsen symptoms over time. Guided movement therapies that incorporate graded exposure help retrain the nervous system, reduce sensitivity, and restore normal function without increasing pain. - Cognitive and Behavioral Interventions
Chronic pain is both a physical and psychological experience. Addressing factors like stress, anxiety, and catastrophizing through mindfulness, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and relaxation techniques can significantly improve outcomes.
Hard-Hitting Stats: The Cost of Ineffective Pain Care
- The U.S. spends $635 billion annually on chronic pain treatment—more than heart disease, cancer, and diabetes combined. Yet, most of this spending goes toward ineffective interventions like opioids, injections, and unnecessary surgeries.
- 85% of lower back pain cases have no identifiable structural cause, yet imaging and surgeries continue to be widely prescribed with little to no benefit.
- Despite the widespread use of spinal fusion surgeries, research shows that nearly 40% of patients experience no improvement in pain, and many develop new complications.
- Opioids, once a go-to treatment for chronic pain, have led to a crisis, with nearly 80,000 opioid-related deaths in 2022 alone, highlighting the dangers of relying on medications instead of functional rehabilitation.
- High-value, evidence-based pain treatments like neuromodulation and pain science education are often 10x less expensive than surgery and long-term opioid use, yet they remain underutilized in the current healthcare system.
High-Value Care: A Smarter Approach to Pain Treatment
High-value care means prioritizing treatments that offer the best outcomes at the lowest cost while minimizing harm. Unfortunately, much of traditional chronic pain care is low-value: expensive, ineffective, and sometimes even harmful.
Here’s what defines high-value pain care:
- Treatments based on neuroscience and neuroplasticity rather than outdated biomechanical models.
- Non-invasive, cost-effective therapies that improve long-term outcomes instead of temporary symptom relief.
- Patient empowerment through education and movement rather than dependence on passive treatments.
- Multidisciplinary, individualized care that addresses the nervous system’s role in pain.
How We Are Making This Change Happen
At ReImagine Healthcare, our goal is to transform chronic pain care. We are pioneering a patient-centered, neuroscience-based approach that moves beyond symptom management to true healing. By integrating neurodiagnostic tools, neuromodulation, and targeted rehabilitation strategies, we help patients retrain their nervous systems and regain their quality of life.
We are actively collaborating with leading researchers in neurology and rehabilitation to refine and validate these methods. Our work is informed by the latest studies on neuroplasticity, chronic pain mechanisms, and non-invasive treatment modalities. By supporting ongoing research, we aim to provide compelling evidence that these approaches are not only effective but should be standard practice in chronic pain care.
Future Vision: Changing the Landscape of Chronic Pain Care
Our long-term goal is to redefine chronic pain treatment nationwide. Here’s how we plan to do it:
- Expanding Access: We aim to open additional clinics across Oregon and beyond, providing high-value care to more individuals suffering from chronic pain.
- Policy Change & Insurance Reform: By working with policymakers and insurers, we seek to shift reimbursement models away from ineffective, high-cost interventions and toward evidence-based, patient-centered approaches.
- Building a Network of Providers: Training healthcare professionals in neuroscience-based pain management will allow more patients to access effective care without resorting to unnecessary imaging, injections, or surgery.
- Public Education & Awareness: Through workshops, online resources, and advocacy campaigns, we plan to educate communities on how they can take control of their pain and make informed decisions about their treatment.
- Research & Innovation: Continuing to collaborate with leading pain science researchers to refine neuromodulation therapies, pain education programs, and novel rehabilitation approaches.
The Impact: Changing Lives in Oregon and Beyond
By shifting the standard of care for chronic pain, we have the opportunity to dramatically improve the lives of individuals across Oregon. With over 1.2 million Oregonians experiencing chronic pain, implementing high-value care strategies could reduce unnecessary procedures, lower healthcare costs, and improve overall well-being.
We believe that everyone deserves access to treatments that address the true cause of their pain, not just manage symptoms. Through our clinic, research initiatives, and advocacy efforts, we are working to make this vision a reality.
The Future of Chronic Pain Care Starts Here
If you’re suffering from chronic pain, you deserve better than ineffective treatments and endless medical bills. We offer cutting-edge, research-backed therapies that address the root neurological causes of pain. Our goal is to help you move beyond symptom management and towards lasting recovery.