Opioid Dependence Care

Opioids are highly addictive drugs often prescribed to treat pain. To help those struggling with opioid dependence and pain, the team of pain management experts at Las Vegas Spine & Pain Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, provides Suboxone® treatment. Suboxone eases drug cravings, reduces pain, and supports your recovery from opioid dependence. Call one of the three Las Vegas locations or schedule an appointment online today to find out more about your opioid dependence treatment options. 

What is opioid dependence?

Opioid dependence is a brain disorder. Opioids are a class of drugs that trigger the brain's reward system. It also reduces pain and is a prescription medication doctors use to control acute and chronic pain.

Unfortunately, opioids’ effect on the brain creates a dependence on the drug, causing intense cravings that are hard to ignore.

What are the signs of opioid dependence?

Anyone can develop opioid dependence. Recognizing the signs may help you or a loved one get help. Signs of opioid dependence include:

• Continuing to take the drug when no longer needed
• Needing to take higher doses to get the same effects
• Engaging in risky behaviors to get the drug
• Neglecting your responsibilities
• Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when making attempts to stop
• Finding it hard to stop using despite the desire to stop

If you or someone you love is struggling with opioid dependence, the team at Las Vegas Spine & Pain Center can help.

Am I a candidate for opioid dependence treatment? 

The pain management experts at Las Vegas Spine & Pain Center conduct a thorough evaluation to determine if you’re a candidate for their opioid dependence treatment program. 

The team uses Suboxone, a prescription medication that helps control opioid drug cravings and withdrawal symptoms. The medication contains two ingredients:

Buprenorphine

Buprenorphine is an opioid partial agonist. It acts on the same receptors in the brain as an opioid but has a ceiling effect. This means taking more of the drug won’t increase the effects. 

Naloxone

Naloxone is an opioid antagonist. It’s an inactive ingredient in Suboxone and only gets activated when you misuse the drug. When activated, you go right into withdrawal, helping reduce misuse. 

Suboxone works best when combined with behavioral therapy.

How does opioid dependence treatment work?

The pain management experts at Las Vegas Spine & Pain Center devise personalized opioid dependence treatment plans. You start taking your Suboxone at the office in small doses. Your provider slowly increases the dose of the medication until you reach the level that provides the most relief from symptoms.

You continue on this dose, called the maintenance dose, for as long as necessary, which can be the rest of your life. 

Combining medication management with behavioral therapy helps those struggling with opioid dependence stay sober. Call Las Vegas Spine & Pain Center or schedule an appointment online today to learn more.