Texas

PRIDE Dallas was one of the first functional restoration facilities in the United States. Run by Thomas Mayer, MD, and his wife, Holly, it combines an excellent physical rehabilitation program with superb psychological support, making it a top choice for people who really want to get back to work.

Each year, the American Pain Society gives a Clinical Center of Excellence in Pain Management Award to five or so pain management facilities around the country. Here you’ll find the index, all the way back to 2007. Not all of them offer multidisciplinary chronic pain programs—some are tiny, community-based programs—but it is a good place to start. Be sure to click on the detailed descriptions of each year’s winners.

Have a look at the website of Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing. PROP’s mission is to: “reduce opioid-related morbidity and mortality by promoting cautious and responsible prescribing practices.”

Believe me, you’re going to get an eyeful.

For pain relief without pills, read Beth Darnall’s 2014 book, Less Pain, Fewer Pills.

Listen to this interview with Dr. Mel Pohl about pain and avoiding addiction.

Read more about Anne M. Fletcher's book here

Watch the video below:

Listen to a discussion on KQED Radio about medical cannabis research.

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, “The Pharmaceutical Drug Epidemic”

Available primarily as a pill called Suboxone, this substitute opioid – intended to help individuals struggling with opioid addiction – can be just as lethal as the real thing. Read about it in the New York Times article “Addiction Treatment With a Dark Side.”

Barry Meier, a reporter for the New York Times, has written several important and enlightening books on the topic of painkillers, including Painkiller: A “Wonder” Drug’s Trail of Addiction and Death and  A World of Hurt: Fixing Pain Medicine’s Biggest Mistake.

Washington

The Washington State Agency Medical Directors website harbors some progressive thinking on the matter of dealing with dependency on opioid painkillers. It’s kind of technical, but worth inspecting. While you’re on the site, click on the PDF called Cautious, Evidence-Based Opioid Prescribing.

California

Penney Cowan, the founder and director of the American Chronic Pain Association, provides a constructive, non-opioid painkiller perspective for patients here.