Suboxone Specialist

What are opioids?

Opioids, also known as opiates, are a specific class of drugs commonly used for pain management. Prescription forms of opioids include codeine, hydrocodone, and morphine. Heroin is an example of an illegal type of opioid.

Opioid medications can be a helpful pain management tool because of the unique way they interact with your nervous system to relieve discomfort. However, they also come with several risks because they have an addictive nature.

What are the risks of taking opioids?

Both prescription and illegal forms of opioids have significant risks because the physical and emotional response they trigger can lead to dependence.

With continued use, your body can grow tolerant of the opioids, requiring higher doses to achieve the same amount of pain relief. Simultaneously, opioids cause a euphoric feeling in your brain. Over time, though, your brain begins responding less and soon produces fewer endorphins, so its natural ability to feel happy diminishes.

As your body and brain grow tolerant to opioids, and you start taking higher doses, you’re at higher risk of complications like addiction, overdose, and death.

What is Suboxone?

Suboxone is a medication in the opioid family considered safer than traditional opioid drugs. Its unique chemical structure creates fewer feelings of euphoria and triggers less physical dependency than other opioids, along with fewer withdrawal symptoms.

In addition to being used for pain relief, Dr. De La Torre also uses Suboxone to help treat opioid dependence.

How is Suboxone used for addiction treatment?

Dr. De La Torre relies on Suboxone to block the effects of other opioids while also reducing your withdrawal symptoms and cravings. He understands the close relationship between chronic pain and psychological disorders, like depression, so he works closely with you to evaluate your overall mental health while addressing your opioid usage or dependence.

In addition to reducing your withdrawal symptoms with Suboxone, your opioid addiction therapy program might include:

• Medications
• Talk therapy or counseling
• Monitored drug use

While helping you reduce your dependency on opioid medications, Dr. De La Torre also develops alternative pain management strategies that might include interventional pain techniques like trigger point injections, selective nerve blocks, or spinal cord stimulators.

To learn more about Suboxone and treatments for opioid dependency, call New Tampa Interventional Pain & Sports Medicine or schedule an appointment online today.