Dealing with chronic pain usually takes more than one type of treatment. You’ve probably tried things like medication, physical therapy, or even surgery, but what happens if those alone don’t provide lasting relief?
That’s when you might hear terms like pain management or multidisciplinary approach. You may also encounter phrases such as integrated pain management, interdisciplinary care, or holistic or whole-body pain relief.
While each of these terms may carry slightly different meanings, they all share the same goal: to combine the strengths of various treatments and medical professionals to give you the most effective, personalized, and comprehensive care possible.
Why Pain Needs More Than One Solution
There’s no one-size-fits-all treatment for chronic pain. That’s because pain isn’t just physical—it can affect your mental health, daily routine, relationships, and overall quality of life.[1] Treating pain from just one angle is often insufficient.
A multimodal or multidisciplinary approach recognizes that pain is complex and may require a combination of therapies that address both your body and your mind.[2]
Research shows that team-based, integrated care often yields better results—less pain, improved function, and higher patient satisfaction, especially for individuals who haven’t found relief through traditional treatments.[3]
This holistic or whole-body strategy combines the expertise of your healthcare providers to address the physical causes of pain, as well as the psychological and social factors that can exacerbate it.[1] The result? A more well-rounded, sustainable plan for long-term relief.
Who’s on a Multidisciplinary Pain Team?
Your pain management relies on the collaboration of your healthcare team. Each multidisciplinary team brings together several medical professionals with different knowledge and tools, who will work in parallel to coordinate your pain management treatment.[4]
Depending on your needs, your core team may include:
- Pain management physicians (interventional pain specialists or anesthesiologists)
- Primary care providers
- Physical or occupational therapists
- Surgeons
- Neurologists
- Rheumotologists
- Orthopedists
- Psychologists or psychiatrists
- Nurses or nurse practitioners
- Social workers or case managers
- Alternative or complementary providers, such as chiropractors or acupuncturists
This comprehensive model of care ensures that no aspect of your condition or its impact on your life is overlooked. [4]
In some settings, you may hear the term ‘interdisciplinary care.’ It’s similar but slightly more integrated. In interdisciplinary teams, medical professionals actively collaborate and communicate with each other (often in real-time) to create and adjust treatment plans.[4] Same goal, just a more connected approach.
How Do These Specialists Work Together?
In an integrated pain program, you’re not getting a long list of separate treatments; you’re getting a coordinated plan where each part supports the other.
Here’s a snapshot showing how different care team members work together, often at the same time:
- Pain specialist: Administers targeted injections to reduce inflammation and improve mobility.
- Physical therapist: Helps you safely rebuild strength and mobility while managing your pain.
- Psychologist or therapist: Teaches coping skills to manage stress, anxiety, or depression that can worsen pain.
- Nurse practitioner or primary care provider: Monitors your overall progress and keeps the team updated if your treatment needs adjusting.
All of these providers work in sync to give you a well-rounded, whole-body plan for pain relief.
What Are the Benefits of an Integrated Multidisciplinary Treatment Plan?
When pain care is coordinated and whole-body focused, patients are more likely to:
- Experience less pain
- Reduce medication reliance
- Improve strength, mobility and flexibility
- Return to daily activities sooner
- Addresses emotional and social well-being
- Feel more supported during treatment
- Improved quality of life and provides a proactive approach to pain control
A team-based, multidisciplinary approach has been shown to improve outcomes in patients with chronic pain, including better pain control, improved physical function, and reduced emotional distress, especially for people who haven’t responded to standard treatments.[3, 5]
This kind of care isn’t just more comprehensive—it can also be more effective in the long run.
Patient Tip: If your physician or pain specialist isn’t open to working with other providers or only offers one type of treatment, it may be time to seek out someone who believes in collaboration and a whole-body approach. The best care plans are built by teams, not individuals. You deserve a provider who explores every option to help you feel better.
Collaboration Leads to the Most Effective Pain Care Plan
Your chronic pain (and its cause) is too complex for a one-size-fits-all solution. A multidisciplinary or integrated approach provides access to a broader range of expertise, all working together to treat the whole person, not just their symptoms.
This kind of collaboration isn’t just convenient, it’s proven to be one of the most effective ways to manage chronic pain.[5]
If you’ve been struggling with pain and feel like you’ve tried everything, it might be time to try something more connected. Ask your pain care team about creating a pain management plan that incorporates multiple therapies and perspectives, all focused on helping you feel better, faster.
Resources:
- Kovačević I, Pavić J, Filipović B, Ozimec Vulinec Š, Ilić B, Petek D. Integrated Approach to Chronic Pain-The Role of Psychosocial Factors and Multidisciplinary Treatment: A Narrative Review. Int J Environ Res Public Health [Internet] 2024;21(9):1135. Published 2024 Aug 28. doi:10.3390/ijerph21091135. Accessed July 08, 2025. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11431289/
- Multidisciplinary Care in Pain Management. Physiopedia [Internet]. Published 2009. Accessed July 08, 2025. Available from:https://www.physio-pedia.com/Multidisciplinary_Care_in_Pain_Management
- Odell S, Logan DE. Pediatric pain management: the multidisciplinary approach. J Pain Res [Internet] 2013;6:785-790. Published 2013 Nov 11. doi:10.2147/JPR.S37434. Accessed July 08, 2025. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3829620/#
- Multidisciplinary Team. Physiopedia [Internet]. Accessed July 08, 2025. Available from: https://www.physio-pedia.com/Multidisciplinary_Team
- Gauthier K, Dulong C, Argáez C. Multidisciplinary Treatment Programs for Patients with Chronic Non-Malignant Pain: A Review of Clinical Effectiveness, Cost-Effectiveness, and Guidelines – An Update [Internet]. Ottawa (ON): Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health; 2019 May 10. Accessed July 08, 2025. Available from:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK545496/#
