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Roanoke doctor using freeze therapy to limit opioid use after surgery

Experts say the treatment has led to a 50% reduction in patients using opioids post-surgery

ROANOKE, Va. – Dr. James Farmer with Ignite Orthopaedic and Wellness Clinic is working to limit his patients’ opioid use with the help of freeze therapy.

The freeze therapy is delivered by the Iovera System.

It is a device that painlessly delivers negative 88-degree ice to a patients’ nerve endings.

Dr. Farmer uses the freeze therapy on patients ahead of their scheduled knee replacement to relieve pain before, during and after surgery.

He says since starting the freeze therapy six months ago, results have shown a 50% reduction in his patients’ opioid use.

“It’s really exciting to be able to see your patients do well and do better than they were doing already and the reduction in the use of pain medicine is really huge for everybody,” Dr. Farmer said.

Dr. Farmer is one of just a handful of doctors in the region using this kind of technology.

He says most insurances do cover the procedure, including Medicare.

Freeze therapy can also be used in different ways to help treat migraines and for weight loss.