Chronic Pain and Addiction Treatment in Denver

How is chronic pain treated alongside a substance use disorder in Denver?

In Denver, chronic pain in a person with a substance use disorder is usually managed with a mix of medication, physical care and counseling, chosen by clinicians who stay in contact with each other. Your clinicians make these decisions with you, weighing pain relief against the risks of each option.

Buprenorphine and methadone are both used for opioid use disorder, and buprenorphine also has pain-relieving effects. Denver options are listed under Suboxone clinics in Denver and methadone clinics in Denver. Other choices include non-opioid medicines, physical therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy and other psychological approaches.

Physical dependence on a prescribed medicine is not the same as a use disorder. Many people take long-term opioids without having an addiction, and a good intake team keeps the two separate. For background on the condition, see the national pain and addiction guide.

Before a first visit, find out whether a program will work with your current pain prescriber and whether it can start or continue medication for opioid use disorder. Any reduction of long-term opioids or benzodiazepines belongs in a plan made with a prescriber rather than done alone, since sudden cuts can bring withdrawal and more pain.

Is it safe to stop or reduce pain medication on my own?

Stopping or sharply cutting long-term opioids or benzodiazepines on your own is not considered safe. Plan any taper with your prescriber. Sudden changes can bring withdrawal and a rise in pain, and they raise risk if use returns. Taking opioids and benzodiazepines together carries its own risks, so tell every clinician about both.

Colorado makes naloxone easier to get. Standing orders from the state health department’s chief medical officer let agencies give it to anyone at risk of experiencing or witnessing an overdose. Ask a pharmacy or your program about it.

How do I pay for pain and addiction treatment in Denver?

Most Denver residents pay through Health First Colorado, private insurance or state-funded safety-net care. Elevate (Denver Health) Medicaid Choice is the only managed care plan listed for Denver County. Elevate members get behavioral health services through the regional organization Colorado Access. Ask your plan how it covers medication for opioid use disorder and each level of care. With private insurance, ask whether addiction benefits match your medical benefits.

Uninsured or underinsured residents can call Signal Behavioral Health Network at 888-607-4462. Signal is the safety-net administrator for Adams, Arapahoe, Denver and Douglas counties under the state Behavioral Health Administration. More options are on the state-funded rehab in Denver page.

What should I ask a Denver program before starting?

Questions about pain care tell you most of what you need. Ask:

• Does the program treat pain and substance use together?
• Can it continue or start medication for opioid use disorder?
• Will it coordinate with your current pain prescriber?

Listings show levels of care, payment types, insurers, accreditation, languages and populations served, so you can compare programs before you call. Outpatient care in Denver often fits people who keep working.

Every program in this group sits in an urban setting, and 84 percent are at high elevation, with a median of 5,390 feet. The median distance to the nearest airport is 13.4 miles. Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport is nearest for most programs, and Denver International is nearest for 28 percent. Forty-four percent sit within 25 miles of a river, most often the North Fork South Platte River.

Where can I start for free?

Free help is available by phone. For a mental health or substance use crisis, call or text 988, which now serves as 988 Colorado. The national treatment referral line, 1-800-662-4357, offers free referrals. For programs across Colorado, see pain and addiction treatment in Colorado, or browse all Denver treatment listings.