Northwest Arkansas VA’s intervention pain procedure room

Army Veteran Davis Bowles is a patient at the Pain Clinic at Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks. After a decade of chronic pain, he decided he couldn’t stay on his then-current path: addicted to pain killers.

Bowles turned to VA for help.

This past summer, the Health Care System of the Ozarks increased access to comprehensive pain management for Veterans by opening a dedicated, state-of-the-art pain procedure room. Procedures include nerve blocks, radiofrequency ablations and epidural steroid injections. Another distinguishing feature of the pain clinic is the multidisciplinary approach to pain management, which includes a wide array of complementary and integrative health therapies like acupuncture and yoga.

VA’s National Pain Management Strategy shows these therapies have been proven valuable in helping Veterans manage their pain.

“To make it work, I had to buy into the program. I had to buy into it just like I had to buy into the military way when I first became a soldier,” he said.

According to a 2018 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, chronic pain is more prevalent and of greater intensity in the Veteran population than in the general populations. It is often accompanied by co-existing mental health conditions. Unrelieved and persistent chronic pain can contribute to depression, anxiety, poor sleep patterns, decreased quality of life and substance use disorder. 

Resources available to help Veterans understand their treatment options

“We recognize chronic pain is not just a physical ailment, but [something that] can affect a person’s emotional and psychological well-being,” said Dr. Candace Stacy, coordinator and pain consultant. “Our team works with each Veteran to create their personalized treatment plan. Patients are encouraged to actively participate in their healing journey, and educational resources are readily available to help them better understand their conditions and treatment options.”

Stacy added that the interventional pain procedure room, along with the pain clinic, is a testament to Health Care System of the Ozarks’ unwavering dedication to the well-being of Veterans, proving that pain relief is not just a possibility, it’s a priority.

“The atmosphere here is friendly, competent and genuinely committed to my success,” said Bowles. “I am not just making great progress, I’m all in!”