Deconstructing the Pain of Addiction

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom talks with Dr. Mel Pohl, the Chief Medical Officer of Las Vegas Recovery Center, about the nature of addiction and its relationship to chronic pain. He explains that addiction is a disorder of the brain in terms of its response to a particular substance.  He discusses the symptomology of addiction, and the pro-inflammatory nature of opioids which can actually result in patients who use them for pain experiencing more pain over time. He also talks about the importance of treating the emotional side of pain.

Mel Pohl, MD, DFASAM is the Chief Medical Officer of Las Vegas Recovery Center (LVRC). Dr. Pohl was a major force in developing LVRC’s Chronic Pain Recovery Program. He is certified by the American Board of Addiction Medicine (ABAM) Dr. Pohl is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Nevada School of Medicine. He is the author of A Day without Pain and The Pain Antidote - Stop Suffering from Chronic Pain, Avoid Addiction to Painkillers, and Reclaim Your Life. Dr. Pohl filmed a show for PBS on chronic pain which aired around the country in 2016.