Integrative Medicine for Chronic Pain: Beyond the Toolbox

Event Date: June 7th, 2022

Donald Levy, MD; Matthew Kowalski, DC, Victor Wang, MD; Leigh de Chaves, PT, Brigham and Women's Hospital

Integrative Medicine for Chronic Pain: Beyond the Toolbox

Event Details:Register

Title: Integrative Medicine for Chronic Pain: Beyond the Toolbox

Presenters:
Donald Levy, MD, Osher Clinical Center (OCC), Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH)
Matthew Kowalski, DC, Osher Clinical Center (OCC) Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH)

Discussants:
Victor Wang, MD, BWH and Faulkner Hospital
Leigh de Chaves, PT, OCS, BWH

Patient: Joy 

Description: Imagine being 18 years old and disabled by a post-viral syndrome and complex connective tissue disorder. You experience overwhelming fatigue and diffuse, chronic myofascial pain, coupled with migraine headaches that render you disabled; unable to attend school, work or maintain a social life. Your symptoms are managed with a growing portfolio of medications including narcotics and antidepressants. You often feel hopeless.

When the Osher Clinical team met Joy, this was her condition. Joy was seeking ways to relieve her pain and restore her vitality and function. Just as importantly, she wanted to get off medications.

The Osher clinical team follow Joy’s journey over the past 11 years as she combines conventional and integrative approaches to manage her fatigue, and especially her chronic migraines and widespread myofascial pain. Some of the clinicians who have worked with her will discuss their approach and Joy will describe her experience.

This clinical case presentation will explore the elusive nature and the ever-changing face of chronic pain and some of the components of an integrative approach to manage and relieve the suffering that so often accompanies chronic pain.

Date/Time: Tuesday, June 7th | 8:00am – 9:00am US EDT
Cost: Free. CME credit available

Register for the Zoom event here.
Submit questions via the chat function on Zoom.
Trouble Shooting: If you have trouble with the live stream please email: [email protected]

For CME credit for virtual participation, please send an email between 8:00-8:30am on the day of the presentation with your full name, degree and organization to [email protected].

Presenter Bios

Donald Levy, MD
Dr. Donald B. Levy is board certified internist who has been the Medical Director of the Osher Clinical Center for Integrative Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital since 2003. Dr. Levy is an integrative medicine consultant. He cares for patients seeking an integrative medicine approach to the medical management of problems such as allergies, anxiety, arthritis, chronic fatigue, depression, fibromyalgia, headache, hypertension, insomnia, irritable bowel, multiple sclerosis, nutritional and dietary supplement counseling and other disorders. He also sees patients who need a global health assessment and assistance in choosing one or more of the various therapies offered at the Osher Clinical Center.

Matthew Kowalski, DC
Dr. Kowalski practices at the of the Osher Clinical Center at Brigham and Women’s Hospital where he also serves at the Associate Clinical Director. His practice focuses on the evaluation and treatment of patient suffering with headaches, spinal disorders, myofascial pain syndromes and other non-operative musculoskeletal conditions. Doctor Kowalski’s care combines manually applied procedures, rehabilitation, lifestyle counseling and ergonomic modifications. His integrative approach to practice bridges conventional and integrative healthcare.

Victor Wang, MD
Dr. Victor Wang is a neurologist in Boston, Massachusetts and is affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area, including Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital. He is board certified in both neurology and pain medicine by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

Leigh de Chaves, PT, OCS
Leigh de Chaves is board certified in orthopedics by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties. She started her career working in private practice focusing on Sports Medicine Rehabilitation. Leigh joined Brigham and Women’s Hospital as the Clinical Supervisor in 2001. She is the Physical Therapy Site Coordinator of Clinical Education. Leigh has training in manual therapy and Dry Needling. Her clinical interests are treatment of orthopedic conditions and post-operative care.