Addressing the Opioid Epidemic With Spinal Cord Stimulators

The Growing Opioid Epidemic Chronic pain affects more than 3 million people in the US per year. Opioid use has been heavily relied on to treat chronic pain; however, the side effects and long-term downsides are causing dependency and little to no relief of pain in patients. Patients often develop a tolerance for opioids, resulting in taking higher doses to treat their pain which can be dangerous. For this reason, Nucci Medical does not prescribe or manage opioids or narcotics to our injured patients. Our doctors use alternatives to treat chronic back pain such as spinal cord stimulators.

What kind of patients are candidates for spinal cord stimulators? People who experience chronic back or neck pain and have not seen relief of symptoms from conservative care, back surgery, or other treatments may choose the option of spinal cord stimulators.

What is Spinal Cord Stimulation?

Spinal cord stimulators provide a drug-free and viable relief of chronic back and leg pain. Spinal cord stimulation (also called SCS) uses electrical impulses to relieve chronic pain of the back, arms and legs. It is believed that electrical pulses prevent pain signals from being received by the brain. SCS candidates include people who suffer from neuropathic pain and for whom conservative treatments have failed. The patient can be done outpatient in our Citrus Park Surgery Center in Tampa by our orthopedic surgeons. Patients go home the same day. What are the advantages of Spinal Cord Stimulation?

• Procedure is Reversible. The procedure is reversible with no permanent changes to the spine.
• Patient controls their stimulator. A hand-held controller gives the patient pain adjustment options at their fingertips.
• Minimally invasive procedure. This is a minimally invasive procedure performed in our Citrus Park Surgery Center located next to Nucci Medical in Tampa. Patients go home the same day.
• Reduction of opioid use. Spinal cord stimulation helps people manage their pain better to decrease their symptoms and reduce opioid use.
• Pain is targeted specifically. Pain source is specifically targeted unlike medication that affects the entire body and often causes sleepiness.
• Cost-effective alternative. Cost-effective pain relief compared to alternatives, including non-surgical treatments.
• No re-fills needed.