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Visceral Inflammation and Pain (VIP) Center

The Visceral Inflammation and Pain (VIP) Center at the UPMC Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Center integrates behavioral health services with comprehensive medical care for people with IBD and other gastrointestinal (GI) conditions.

Healthy Minds in IBD

The GI tract is one of the most innervated organ systems in the body, and, as such, is influenced by psychosocial stress. This gut-brain connection plays an even larger role in patients with GI diseases and related pain.

The VIP team provides comprehensive psychological assessments and treatments and offers an integrated clinical research program for people with IBD.

VIP Center therapies help you cope with:

  • Physical illness challenges
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Pain

Improving Lives

With VIP Center treatment, many patients show improved functioning, fewer hospital visits and reduced medication dosage.

In addition, preliminary results demonstrate decreased depression and improvements in:

  • Health-related quality of life
  • Social functioning
  • Sleep
  • Medical adherence

VIP Center Providers

Eva M. Szigethy, MD, PhD
Wendy McCoy Elliott, PhD

The Visceral Inflammation and Pain Center is a referral based clinic. If you would like to be referred to our clinic, please contact your current UPMC gastroenterologist.

For general questions about the VIP Center, please contact us at 412-802-6696.

Contact Us

To schedule an appointment with an IBD subspecialist gastroenterologist, call 412-624-7692.

To learn more about the UPMC Digestive Disorders Center, call toll free,
1-866-4GASTRO
(1-866-422-7876).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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