Navigating Care for Co‑Occurring Chronic Pain and Alcohol Use Disorder

Navigating Care for Co‑Occurring Chronic Pain and Alcohol Use Disorder

Host: Addiction Technology Transfer Center
Recorded: September 17, 2026
Enduring Training

Overview

This training explores the bidirectional negative cycle of alcohol use disorder (AUD) and chronic pain, highlighting how factors such as analgesia, withdrawal, sleep disruption, negative affect, and functional impairment can perpetuate both conditions. Participants will learn how to conduct comprehensive assessments when AUD and chronic pain co-occur, including evaluating pain-related interference, opioid exposure, and liver health, while gaining an understanding of different chronic pain conditions. Through patient cases and practical examples, the session demonstrates integrated treatment approaches that combine medications for AUD, non-opioid pain management strategies, and psychosocial interventions to improve outcomes and quality of life.

The target audience for this intermediate level activity includes: All healthcare professionals.

The ACGME Competencies include: Medical Knowledge, Patient Care and Procedural Skills, and Systems-based Practice

Learning Objectives

Upon completion, learners will be able to:

1. Describe how alcohol use disorder and chronic pain can reinforce one another through analgesia, withdrawal, sleep disruption, negative affect, and  functional impairment.
2. Identify the core elements of assessment when alcohol use disorder and chronic pain co-occur, including pain interference, opioid exposure, and liver health.
3. Describe an integrated treatment approach that combines medications for alcohol use disorder, non-opioid pain management, and psychosocial care.

• Registration Deadline: 08/30/2027 
• Close Access Date: 09/30/2027 

Instructions

1. Click on the Contents tab to begin this activity.  
2. Click View On-Demand Session to watch the training.  
3. Click Complete GPRA Evaluation to provide valuable activity feedback. Scroll down on all questions as there may be answer options that expand past the size of the window.  
4. Click Claim Certificate of Completion to view/print certificate.   

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Disclosure Information

In accordance with the disclosure policies of ASAM and Joint Accreditation, the effort is made to ensure balance, independence, objectivity, and scientific rigor in all accredited continuing education activities. These policies include identifying and mitigating all relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies for those involved in the creation and dissemination of accredited continuing education.

This activity is not for credit.