Hi everybody. Welcome back to the Get Healthy Tampa Bay Podcast. I’m your host, Dr. Kerry Reller.

In the first part of my conversation with Dr. Ryan Bundy, we talked about what’s broken in pain care, why so many patients feel stuck, and how delays in treatment can lead to worsening outcomes. In this second part, we shift our focus to solutions.

We’ll dive into what modern pain management can actually look like—minimally invasive procedures, regenerative medicine, and how innovations like artificial intelligence are helping patients get faster access to care and better results.

If you’re looking for hope, options, and a better path forward, this is the part of the conversation for you.

All right, here we go.

Dr. Kerry Reller:
Okay, you were going to tell us about pain management for migraines from your perspective.

Dr. Ryan Bundy:
Yes. Migraines are a very common problem that many of our patients have. By the time they come to us, they’re often a bit late in the process because they’ve already tried multiple medications. While those medications can work, they often come with significant side effects—drowsiness, brain fog, and overall cloudiness—which really affect daily function.

If you have a migraine, you’re essentially out for the day, sometimes even several days. Even with medications, it can be very disruptive.

What we can do instead is use targeted injections. For example, we can treat the occipital nerves, which are often involved in triggering migraines, and essentially turn off that pain signal. We can also perform ablations, and in some cases even use implantable therapies—placing very thin wires near those nerves to modulate the pain signal.

These approaches can work exceptionally well.

Another group of patients who benefit greatly are those with trigeminal neuralgia. These patients are often in a very difficult situation—either taking sedating medications or facing major surgery that doesn’t always restore full function.

I would strongly encourage trying injection-based approaches first. They’re minimally invasive and often very effective.

Dr. Kerry Reller:
I can already think of a patient I haven’t considered referring to pain management before—someone with severe migraines who could really benefit from this kind of alternative approach.

Dr. Ryan Bundy:
Absolutely. We’d be happy to help.

Dr. Kerry Reller:
Another big part of your practice is AI, which is obviously a huge buzzword right now. How should patients think about it, and how are you using it?

Dr. Ryan Bundy:
Great question. I’m very passionate about this.

At its core, artificial intelligence is just another tool—it’s not meant to replace physicians or care models, but to assist us. It allows us to process massive amounts of information quickly and use that to support better decision-making.

Think about a patient with years of records—imaging, procedures, medications. Organizing all of that manually would take an enormous amount of time. AI can analyze and organize it in seconds, identifying patterns and red flags.

It uses something called large language models—essentially trained on vast datasets—to recognize relationships between conditions, symptoms, and outcomes. This helps guide diagnostics and treatment decisions more efficiently.

It’s not something to fear. Like the internet, it’s a tool that helps improve care.

Dr. Kerry Reller:
You mentioned something called a physician avatar. Can you explain that?

Dr. Ryan Bundy:
Yes. About four years ago, we partnered with a company called OnDoc AI to create what I believe was the first physician avatar—a digital version of me that looks and sounds like me.

The purpose is education and access. My avatar can interact with patients before and after visits—helping with intake, explaining conditions, and reinforcing treatment plans.

For example, if a patient comes in for SI joint pain or headaches, they can receive education before even stepping into the office. After the visit, they can revisit that information or share it with family members to support shared decision-making.

This is huge because one of the biggest barriers in healthcare is access to clear, consistent information.

Dr. Kerry Reller:
That’s incredibly helpful—especially compared to patients searching random information online.

Dr. Ryan Bundy:
Exactly. This ensures they’re getting accurate, evidence-based information.

Another advantage is that the content stays updated. If guidelines change, the system updates automatically—so patients are always receiving current information.

Also, my avatar can communicate in multiple languages, which is incredibly valuable.

Dr. Kerry Reller:
You also mentioned remote therapeutic monitoring. How does that fit in?

Dr. Ryan Bundy:
This is one of the most exciting areas.

Traditionally, we see patients, treat them, and then follow up weeks later. But most of their health journey happens outside the clinic.

With remote therapeutic monitoring (RTM), we stay connected. Patients receive daily check-ins—tracking pain scores, activity levels, and progress.

For example, I had a patient who improved after an injection but then worsened around day 10. Our system flagged it immediately. We reached out, identified a new issue, and got them back into care within 72 hours. They returned to baseline quickly.

Without this, we wouldn’t have known until their follow-up weeks later.

Dr. Kerry Reller:
That’s a huge shift in how we deliver care.

Dr. Ryan Bundy:
It really is. Instead of asking, “How have you been?” we’ll already know. The question becomes, “How can I support you further?”

Dr. Kerry Reller:
What type of patients are best suited for this?

Dr. Ryan Bundy:
Almost anyone can benefit. Even patients who aren’t tech-savvy—98% of people with phones can use text messaging, which is often all that’s needed.

More importantly, the ideal patient is someone motivated to improve. These tools are powerful, but patient engagement is key.

Dr. Kerry Reller:
That’s true across all of medicine.

Dr. Ryan Bundy:
Absolutely. And I think the “band-aid” approach some patients prefer often comes from limited options in the past. Now, we have better tools, and patients should explore those.

Dr. Kerry Reller:
Before we wrap up, what’s one thing patients can start doing today?

Dr. Ryan Bundy:
Focus on the basics: nutrition, exercise, and mental health. These are foundational.

Even with advanced technologies, those elements must be in balance.

Stay active, spend time outdoors, eat well, and define your goals.

Dr. Kerry Reller:
I love that. Last question—favorite outdoor spot in Tampa Bay?

Dr. Ryan Bundy:
The beaches, definitely—Clearwater, Siesta Key. Also parks, Disney, Universal—there’s so much to enjoy here.

Dr. Kerry Reller:
Where can people find you?

Dr. Ryan Bundy:
Visit www.painhealth.com
or call 813-726-PAIN. You can also email better@painhealth.com
.

Dr. Kerry Reller:
Perfect. We’ll include all of that in the show notes.

Thank you so much for joining me today. And everyone, stay tuned for next week’s episode.