Pain Management

How to contact Holy Family Hospital's Pain Management Center 

• Telephone: 1-888-675-PAIN (1-888-675-7246) 
• E-mail: pain.management@caritaschristi.org 
• Address: 70 East Street, Methuen, MA 01844 

Our approach to pain management: comprehensive care 

Holy Family Hospital offers the Merrimack Valley's first comprehensive pain program with full medical managmenet. Our multi-disciplinary team of pain management experts uses the most modern techniques to treat a wide range of common chronic pains.

Treatment philosophy
Research has shown that effective pain management requires a comprehensive approach that incorporates the most advanced medical, psychological, and lifestyle technologies to eliminate or reduce chronic pain. Our treatment philosophy remains open to new developments in the area of pain management. Our goal is to offer each patient a "package" of beneficial components. However, we recommend only treatments that have been shown to be effective in sound scientific research. We continue to expand our range of treatment services.

Interdisciplinary planning
The Pain Management program at Holy Family Hospital adheres to a strong coordinated interdisciplinary approach. Our treatment staff includes several different areas of expertise. Weekly clinical conferences allow us to develop interdisciplinary treatment plans and objectives for each new patient. Treatment outcomes are also reviewed at weekly conferences.

Common chronic pain problems treated at Holy Family Hospital's Pain Management Center include: 

Treatment for the most common pain problems may include: 

• Physical conditioning and rehabilitative programs to improve or restore functional capacity 
• Behavioral medicine components including relaxation training, stress management, and pain reduction training 
• Psychological interventions to address components of depression and anxiety and to foster pain-coping responses 
• Medication management 
• Peripheral and sympathetic nerve blocks 
• Epidural steroids injections 
• Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation 
• Diagnostic facet joint injection 
• Vertebroplasty 
• Spinal implantation techniques for electrical stimulation or medical administration 
• Integration of supplementary components 

Our team 

• Alane B. Costanzo, MD, pain management specialist 
• Allison Gorski, MD, medical director 
• Tracey Libby LMHC, clinical therapist 
• Judy Baxter, RN, nurse manager 
• Kristine Walker, RN, executive director 
• Registered nurse specialists in pain management 
• Physiatrist 
• Physical therapists 
• Interpreter services 

Insurance coverage 

The Pain Management program at Holy Family Hospital accepts most major health insurance plans. To receive care, you need to obtain a referral from your primary care doctor. Our team will work closely with your primary care doctor during your treatment.

We'd like to hear from you!
As you learn more about your own pain condition, please share your knowledge with other pain sufferers. You may e-mail us with your recommendations of Web sites that have helped you. Or if any of the information on our site has been helpful to you, please let us know. Simply e-mail us at pain.management@caritaschristi.org.