Integrative Chronic Pain Program

This chronic pain program is our response to the significant need for more pain care in our community. It’s also our way of encouraging you to address the multifaceted nature of pain and experience the value of a truly integrative approach. 

Chronic pain is a complex condition often involving structure, mechanics, the immune system (e.g. inflammation), the nervous system (e.g. the brain and neurotransmitters), and endocrine system (e.g. stress hormones, thyroid hormones, estrogen). In other words, the source of the pain is rarely where you feel the pain. An integrative approach investigates each of these systems and your environment for underlying causes of pain and for obstacles to the body’s natural healing process.

1. If you’re new to our clinic, ask our receptionists to email you a screening questionnaire designed to help you decide where to start. Our Clinic Director is happy to review this and offer suggestions when necessary.
2. If you’re already a patient at KIHC, you’re welcome to schedule an Integrative Consult (about 45 minutes) with Dr. Sonya Nobbe for a more in-depth exploration of what’s missing in your plan. This requires a referral note from your KIHC practitioner.
3. Also remember that each of our health professionals offer complimentary introductory appointments. Ask them about their approach and consider what role they might play on your healthcare team. 

At a glance, an integrative approach to your pain:

Pain Reprocessing Therapy

If you’re a KIHC patient, you can schedule an Integrative Consult (45 minutes) with our Clinic Director, Dr. Sonya, to explore whether this evidence-based approach is a good match for your type of chronic pain. (A referral letter from your KIHC practitioner is required.) Alternatively, you can dive right into PRT treatment (online) with Dr. Mike Tung. Learn more about PRT, here.

Acupuncture (the Traditional Chinese Medicine approach)

This style of acupuncture is all about balance in the body. It is useful for pain that is systemic (such as autoimmune-related pain or fibromyalgia), recurrent (such as back pain or headaches), and for individuals who are sensitive to changes in their pain. Read more about acupuncture pain diagnosis and acupuncture for healing, here.

Medical Testing

This is available through our Naturopathic Doctors and can offer insight when pain is complex and resistant to conventional forms of treatment. This might include testing for metabolic or mitochondrial dysfunction, hormone imbalances, nutrient deficiencies, or food intolerances.

Osteopathy

It takes years of education and experience to apply this style of manual therapy effectively. This whole-body approach excels at addressing underlying causes of pain.

Botanicals and Nutraceuticals 

These supplements are particularly useful for people who are sensitive to the side-effects of pharmaceutical pain-relief options. Our professional health dispensary is stocked with dozens of options for your health practitioner to choose from – because everyone’s pain is unique.

Photobiomodulation (PBM) Therapy

Also known as light therapy, these devices use red and near-infrared light to address pain, injury, fatigue, and many other chronic health conditions. We’ve developed a rental program so that KIHC patients can try this therapy daily at home and, if improvements are noted, apply the cost of this rental against the purchase of their own device. 

Pharmacy

If pharmaceuticals offer you significant pain relief but aren’t worth the side-effects, speak to our Clinical Pharmacist about alternative pharmaceutical options, including compounded drugs free of additives or unique pain creams that are more effective and better tolerated by your body.

Heartmath

This biofeedback tool measures “heart rate variability” and nervous system “coherence”. We can use it to literally see our stress on the screen and apply techniques that improve nervous system balance, thereby impacting inflammation and pain. This is offered at KIHC by Dr. Sonya.

Medical nutrition 

Poor digestion or disrupted gut function are significant sources of inflammation and body pain. This is in part due to the “gut-brain axis” in which the brain’s ability to respond to pain is modified by signals coming from the gut and microbiome. Interventions might include an anti-inflammatory diet or intermittent fasting regime, testing for inflammatory foods or microbiome imbalance, or support for healthy weight-loss.

Reiki and Shamanic Healing

These approaches help you explore how stress, emotional trauma, spiritual health, and family relationships impact complex pain conditions. 

Additional Resources for Chronic Pain:

Articles and blog posts about pain, written by our team