Published on September 29, 2024
At the Center for Advanced Pain Management and Spine Specialists, a new patient discovers a fairly rigorous screening process during her first visit. We do this primarily to welcome those we can truly help. We also do this to eliminate those who are essentially looking for drugs.
In Southwest Florida, many people are surprised at how rampant the opioid epidemic is. After all, shouldn’t it be a high-retirement area that seems far away from the problems of “big cities”?
However, in Florida, an average of 11 people die every day from prescription drugs such as OxyContin, Oxycodone, Vicodin and morphine. This statistic is an increase of nearly 6% from 2016 and 2017, with teen deaths rising sharply.
These drugs are as addictive and deadly as heroin. As a result, the United States imposes strict regulations on prescription dispensing of these drugs.
Sadly, there are still doctors who prescribe opioids haphazardly, which do nothing to “treat” the individual; they just relieve pain. A legitimate pain management practice will thoroughly examine each patient, carefully review previous diagnostic tests and order updated tests if needed, review medical history and determine medical necessity before prescribing these medications.
Our goal is to treat only patients who wish to live active lives with minimal (or need) for these harsh, lethal drugs. While we do prescribe these medications, we strive to help patients gain comfort while allowing them to live a drug-free life (or “just need” use).
However, some patients require opioid-level pain relief when starting treatment, which can take several weeks to obtain full results. Additionally, for cancer pain or
Chronic pain can only be relieved and may only need to be controlled through medication.
Opioids don’t have to be the enemy. Problems often arise in distribution and patient monitoring. Because opioids are highly addictive, they are best used short-term. After all, addressing pain shouldn’t just mean “masking” it.
For patients who come to our office already addicted, we aim to help those who desire a better lifestyle. We’ve found that most people don’t like the groggy, foggy feeling associated with these drugs.
At Pain Relief Institute of America, we often work with patients to “reduce” dependence while maintaining desired comfort levels. We do this by using buprenorphine, a safer, more effective prescription drug. The drug provides pain relief within 8-12 hours of dosing and is far less addictive than opioids.
A few years ago, I led a study involving patients who required opioid treatment (or were already chemically dependent on opioids) using this new painkiller. During the study, we monitored 35 patients previously receiving high-dose opioids and switched them to buprenorphine tablets (Suboxone).
Patients in the study were monitored using “pain scores” for two months. All but one patient experienced a significant reduction in pain and a significant improvement in “quality of life.”
Following this study, I conducted another study that followed more than 100 patients who were switched from high-dose opioids to buprenorphine. These patients have either developed a tolerance to opioids or are experiencing adverse side effects.
By gradually tapering study participants from high-dose opioids to lower-dose, less problematic buprenorphine, these patients also experienced significant pain reductions of 50% or more.
Buprenorphine comes in many forms. It can come in the form of a film, tablet, or a small dot of “film” that is applied to the inside of the cheek for a few seconds. The medication is absorbed quickly and works faster than pills that are swallowed. It even comes in patch form with a much lower dose.
The benefits are (1) most patients only need to use this pain medication every 8-12 hours; (2) drug addiction/dependence is much less likely; (3) pain relief
Have an ideal level of experience; (4) Side effects are minimal; (5) Patients will not experience the “trance” feeling associated with opioids.
According to a 2018 CDC statement, “Buprenorphine dosing is not expected to be associated with overdose risk in a dose-dependent manner as is the case with opioids.” Essentially, this means that buprenorphine provides a safer yet effective alternative treatment to opioids.
No one wants to live a life of pain. We believe our patients can achieve this through our advanced pain management technologies and techniques. When medication is needed to achieve the desired level of comfort, we see many people achieve positive results by converting their medication to buprenorphine.
