Dr. Richard H. Bundschu uses groundbreaking research to help patients alleviate pain

Growing up, Dr. Richard H. Bundschu was a self-proclaimed nerd.

He excelled in science and math, and during his senior year of high school, Dr. Bundschu thought about becoming a doctor. Initially, Dr. Bundschu thought he wanted to work in the ICU. Dr. Bundschu earned his doctor of medicine from the University of Miami before completing his residency in anesthesia.

Anesthesia is a very high-tech field, Dr. Bundschu says, and he was fascinated with the ICU. Although, it wasn’t until he spent a month doing pain management as part of his residency that Dr. Bundschu discovered his true calling. He completed an interventional pain management fellowship in 1996, at the University of Miami, and never looked back.

Today, Dr. Bundschu is a board certified pain management physician with Coastal Orthopedics Sports Medicine and Pain Management, where he specializes in interventional treatments of the neck and spine.
“When I was a kid, this field didn’t exist,” he says. “I’ve been able to do a lot of things that were pretty cool. I didn’t plan it, but it’s one of the coolest fields I know. With my field, every five years we’re doing things that we only dreamt about five years ago.”

As a recognized expert, Dr. Bundschu trains other pain management physicians for the International Spinal Interventional Society and maintains board certifications with the American Board of Anesthesiology, the American Board of Pain Medicine, the American Board of Pain Management and the American Board of Interventional Pain Physicians.

Most recently, he has been the principal investigator for the Nevro study — a landmark clinical trial to test the effectiveness of the Silicon Valley-based medical device company’s spinal cord stimulators in treating ongoing upper extremity body pain.

Spinal cord stimulators have previously been used to treat chronic pain in the lower back, torso and legs when pain medications, injections and physical therapy are ineffective.

“The whole idea is that this is not the first line of therapy,” says Dr. Bundschu, who worked with Nevro on two prior studies, including a low back study, which helped the company’s groundbreaking products earn U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval. “It’s a very high-tech option for those people who have failed this route or that route. Thank God we’ve got this option.”

When he’s not busy seeing patients or conducting groundbreaking research, Dr. Bundschu, who resides north of the river, enjoys spending time with his family.

Dr. Bundschu also enjoys traveling. Once a year, the Bundschu's go to Brazil to visit family and friends. In addition, the Bundschu's try to visit a new place every year. In years past, the family has visited Pearl Harbor, London, Paris, the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam and traveled down the Amazon River just to name a few.
“We love to go places,” Dr. Bundschu said. “It’s really nice to go to the jungle because nobody can find me. We just always try to do something fun.”

When he’s not traveling or spending time with his family, Dr. Bundschu can be found bicycling along the Pinellas Trail, which runs from Gulfport to Clearwater.

“For me, my therapy is getting on my bicycle,” says Dr. Bundschu. “I love doing that.”