Opioid crisis offers challenges, opportunity for pain management industry, OKC expert says
A rapid increase in rates of opioid pain reliever prescriptions and the subsequent widespread use and misuse of these medications have given way to a nationwide crisis.
When President Donald Trump officially declared opioid addiction a public health emergency in October 2017, the public agreed that action was needed to combat the problem. However, plans to restrict access to legitimately and appropriately prescribed opioids caused anxiety among many pain sufferers.
“In my profession, I see a lot of legitimate severe pain,” said Dr. Gerald Flores, D.C., clinic director at Renuva Back & Pain Centers. “While we call the current crisis an ‘opioid epidemic,’ it’s actually a very complex issue. I believe it is also a chronic pain mismanagement problem. As somebody dedicated to treating patients with chronic pain, I believe alternative options are underutilized and, in some cases, these powerful drugs are prescribed to mask pain rather than treat its underlying causes.
“There are patients for whom medications are the only remaining solution, but more importantly, we need to expand access and availability to alternatives to medication-based pain management,” he added.
Flores and his team at Renuva Back & Pain Centers in Oklahoma City offer such treatments.
“As an alternative to drugs, many people have found relief with a new option called CoreCare; a non-surgical and drugfree treatment protocol we developed over several years,” Flores said.
Flores wanted to relieve pain and restore function to patients in a way that other treatments could not do alone. He developed CoreCare, Renuva’s most popular treatment, to fix the underlying cause of pain as opposed to treating just the symptoms.
The CoreCare treatment protocol has successfully relieved chronic pain for people with back and spine damage, ruptured discs, pinched nerves, spinal stenosis, sciatica, neuropathy-even arthritis and severe headaches.
CoreCare is a five-step approach that combines FDA-approved advanced technologies such as Deep Tissue Laser Therapy, which reduces inflammation and speeds healing, with traditional therapies such as physical therapy, which helps strengthen the muscles around the spine. These treatments are safe, noninvasive and work with your body’s natural healing powers to get you back in action.
Patients at Renuva receive custom treatment that moves in specific phases to relieve pain and restore their quality of life, Flores said.
Chronic pain a reality for millions
Flores said the National Institutes of Health estimates that pain affects more than 100 million Americans and costs the country $600 billion a year.
“In the United States, pain affects more people than heart disease, diabetes and cancer combined. That’s a whole lot of hurt,” he said.
The cause of most pain results from degeneration, such as loss of disc space, which puts pressure on the nerve and affects the way the body functions, he added.
“For example, numerous medical studies show that only abnormalities of the facet joints, intervertebral discs and sacroiliac joints have been conclusively demonstrated to be causes of lower back pain.”
Typically, when you go to a doctor, you receive medication that treats the symptoms and masks the pain. This can lead to more pain because it is not addressing or treating the cause of the pain, he explained.
“There are many options for treating chronic pain,” added Dr. Michael Riley, D.C., of Renuva.
“These range from simple steps such as over-thecounter medications and physical activity to more invasive treatments, such as injections or surgery. Pain medication dulls the pain, at least for a while, but they can come with unpleasant side effects
and a risk of addiction.”
Flores said he and his team believe there is a better way.
Challenges and opportunities
“Pain should not be accepted as part of the aging process,” he said. “Drugs and surgery are not your only options; quality of life is important and life should be enjoyed to the fullest— pain-free.”
His goal with each patient is to correct the problem and promote healing, not to simply mask the pain.
“The cause of each person’s pain is unique, so to be effective, your treatment plan must be designed specifically for you,” he said. “That’s why Renuva is making a private
consultation so affordable. It’s not a gimmick. It’s a way for us to introduce people to a protocol that we truly believe in.”
A discounted $59 fee covers the cost of a thorough exam, consultation with the doctor and two treatments so you can experience CoreCare firsthand. If the doctor needs digital X-rays to get a clear idea of what’s causing your pain, those are included at no extra charge.
“The goal is to understand exactly where you hurt and what is causing your pain so we can develop a treatment plan to get you back to living life again,” Flores said.
“The opioid crisis is real,” Riley added. “Patients in real pain are deserving of access to the right treatments. And are demanding better pain management. That offers challenges and opportunity for us as an industry: We can do better than masking pain with drugs.”
People simply need awareness and access, he said.
“There are many noninvasive treatments available today that can make a difference and treat the source of the pain and bring lasting relief,” he said. “This is one way we can make a difference, so prescriptions can become the last resort and only reserved for those who have exhausted all their options.”
The introductory $59 offer with two CoreCare treatments is good until Jan. 16.The Renuva Back & Pain Center in Oklahoma City is located at 5601 NW 72 Street, Suite 312 in Warr Acres. Call 405-782-2316 for more information.
This article is sponsored by Renuva Back & Pain Centers.