Novus Spine & Pain Center is Lakeland, Florida’s premier spine center. Lakeland is the largest city on I-4, between Tampa and Orlando. This location makes Lakeland a vibrant resort city that is easy to access throughout central Florida, and an important transportation hub. FedEx, Amazon, and other national companies have a substantial presence in Lakeland, which has a population of more than 10,000, and is considered a part of metro Tampa Bay.
Lakeland, Florida’s Premier Spine Center
Careful attention to pain management is critical. As doctors learn more about the complexities of pain, it has become increasingly vital to have a physician with the specialized knowledge and skills necessary to treat pain.
Novus Spine & Pain Center understands that meticulous attention to pain management is critical to recovery following a serious accident or surgery. Since chronic pain often leads to additional problems in everyday life, it is important for patients to work closely with a pain management expert for proper treatment.
The Spine and Pain
The spine plays an important role with most of the pain we experience, because of the signals it sends to the brain from the spinal nerves.
There are 31 pairs of nerves connected to the spinal cord. Each pair connects the spinal cord with a specific region of the body. Pressure on any of these nerves can send a pain signal to the brain.
Low back pain is experienced by about 80 percent of adults, typically 30 to 60-years-old. The pain can range in intensity, and usually goes away after a few days. However, when the pain does not subside, it requires specialized pain management. Fortunately, there are many effective methods of treating low back pain.
Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) is also a very common cause of pain in patients. Spinal discs are located between vertebrae in the spine, and act as shock absorbers. As the body ages, the discs can distort and protrude into the spinal canal. When the distorted disc presses on a nerve, it causes pain. Depending on which nerve a disc presses, the pain can be felt in a leg, arm, or elsewhere in the body.
A protruding disc can be bulging, herniated, or extruded. Each is a specific condition that can result in pain radiating from the spine to the lower back, the neck, and other parts of the body.
Another common cause of pain is spinal stenosis, with over 200,000 cases in the United States every year. Spinal Stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal canal causing numbness and back pain from extra pressure on the spinal cord and nerves leading to the arms and legs. The condition can cause sciatica, or difficulty standing or walking which can result in loss of bladder or bowel control.
There are many conditions that can cause pain, and there are numerous treatments to help patients suffering from pain. So, we invite you to view our list of common pain conditions.
Pain Management at Novus Spine & Pain Center
Treating pain includes working with patients directly to diagnose and treat pain conditions. Treatment can include performing pain relieving procedures, prescribing medication, and prescribing rehabilitative services.
Pain management often begins with medications and noninvasive therapies. Some of the different treatments include:
Medications
Unfortunately, no single drug works for everyone, and not everyone benefits from prescription drugs.
- Anticonvulsants are medications that work by quieting damaged nerves to slow or prevent uncontrolled pain signals.
- Antidepressants are medications that work by modifying the chemical messengers that relay pain signals. Antidepressants may also help with sleep, which can help patients feel better.
- Anti-inflammatories. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a type of pain reliever that can also curb inflammation.
- Muscle Relaxants are medications that can calm muscle spasms that cause pain.
- Opioids are medications containing codeine-related drugs. Opioids can only be used for a short time because they are habit-forming.
- Steroids are medications that help alleviate inflammation and pain.
Noninvasive Therapies
As with medications, noninvasive treatment techniques are a matter of trial and observation. The following techniques are just a few of the noninvasive therapies to help relieve pain. Consult your doctor before beginning any treatment, even if it is noninvasive.
- Acupuncture. Studies by the National Institutes of Health show that acupuncture can be an effective treatment for some types of chronic pain. Acupuncture practitioners inserts extremely fine, sterilized stainless-steel needles into the skin at specific points on the body.
- Biofeedback makes a patient more aware of normally involuntary processes inside the body (such as muscle tension, temperature, and heart rate). Biofeedback helps the patient gain some conscious control of these processes, which helps with relaxation and can relieve pain.
- Chiropractic manipulations are targeted adjustments that can help correct the body, and thus positively affect pain signal transmissions.
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a type of psychotherapy that helps the patient understand what pain means, and develop skills to change negative thoughts about the pain. By changing negative thoughts and behaviors, people can change their awareness of pain and develop better skills for coping, even if the actual level of pain remains the same.
- Heat application. Sometimes the application of heat can ease pain.
- Massage. Focused rubbing of the affected area may contribute to relieving the discomfort associated with pain. Massage can also help the patient relax, decreasing stress and tension.
- Meditation is a practice that soothes the brain patterns underlying pain, and eventually alters the structure of the brain itself, so the patient no longer feels pain with the same intensity.
- Physical therapy. Once acute pain is under control, a physical therapist may design a rehabilitation program to help prevent future injuries. Typical physical therapy involves exercises intended to strengthen muscles and improve flexibility.
- Relaxation techniques include various methods that help the mind alter its focus to something other than the source of pain.
- Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) is a device that sends a weak electrical current via adhesive patches on the skin near the area of pain. The stimulation may interrupt or mask pain signals, preventing them from reaching the brain.
- Yoga. The benefits of stretching and yoga can alleviate pain, depending on the cause of the pain.
Minimally Invasive Therapies
- Cryotherapy uses a method of localized freezing temperatures to deaden an irritated nerve.
- Injection. Pain-killing medication, such as local anesthetics and steroids, can provide pain relief.
- Nerve Block is a procedure involving an injection of a nerve-numbing substance that helps to interrupt pain messages between the brain and the site of the pain.
- Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS). A neurostimulator delivers mild electrical impulses to the epidural space near the source of chronic pain impulses. The pulses interfere with pain signals to the brain. A trial stimulator is typically worn for five to seven days externally. If the trial successfully relieves the pain, the patient may decide to have a permanent SCS placed under the skin.
Surgery
Surgery may be an option when more conservative measures fail. Surgery is typically used to reduce pressure on certain nerves, which helps alleviate chronic pain.
Dr. Benito Torres, Pain Management Expert
Dr. Benito Torres is the founder of Novus Spine & Pain Center, the premier spine center in Lakeland, Florida. He completed his residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Toledo, followed by an ACGME (Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education) accredited 2-year Pain Medicine Fellowship at the University of South Florida.
Dr. Torres is Board certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Pain Medicine through the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Following completion of his training, Dr. Torres accepted a position as faculty in the Department of Anesthesia at Moffitt Cancer Center, providing pain relief through minimally invasive procedures.
Today, Dr. Torres continues to hold a Clinical Assistant Professor appointment in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of South Florida and Department of Neurology, teaching Residents and Pain Medicine Fellows.
His extensive training and background give Dr. Torres a unique perspective on how to diagnose and treat pain, making Novus Spine & Pain Center a leader in the field of pain management.
Novus Spine & Pain Center
Dr. Torres established Novus Spine & Pain Center in Lakeland, Florida with a goal of providing the highest quality pain management care to every patient. Whether pain is the result of an injury or from another condition, Dr. Torres offers many different treatment options.
Novus Spine & Pain Center utilizes a comprehensive approach and cutting-edge therapies to restore normal function and allow patients to regain an active lifestyle while minimizing the need for opiates. As our patient, you are our top priority. Our goal is to help you achieve the best possible quality of life.
Our Mission Statement: To provide the best quality of life to people suffering from pain, by providing state of the art treatments, knowledge and skill, compassion, and respect for all.
For your convenience, you may schedule an appointment online, request a call back, or call our office at 863-583-4445.
Pain Management Resources
Lakeland, Florida (City of Lakeland)
Lakeland, Florida (Encyclopedia.com)
Lakeland, Florida (Wikipedia)
Spinal Nerve (Encyclopedia Britannica)
Sacroiliac joint pain: a comprehensive review (PubMed)
Acupuncture: In Depth (PubMed)
Normal Spinal Anatomy (Spine Health)
Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)