Doctor Helps Patients Manage Pain and Avoid Surgery

“I find I get the best results when I level with people and build their trust. It’s important that patients understand what’s going on every step of the way,” said Arcella. “I always tell them it’s my job to give you information, it’s my job to give you options, but this is your health and your life; I want you guiding the ship.”

That synergy between doctor and patient is the mission behind Arcella’s new private practice, Denovo Pain Management. De novo means “beginning anew” and Arcella said when someone is freed from chronic pain, they are restored and able to enjoy a quality of life that had previously been lost.

“Interventional pain management is focused on much more than managing medications. We evaluate the patient’s pain and try to intervene in a way that will affect immediate change,” said Arcella, who treats a variety of conditions including back, neck and joint pain.

“There are many more tools at our disposal than just pills; we can perform steroid injections, infusion therapy, nerve blocks, and assess the need for physical therapy or psychological counseling.”

Hard road to Harvard

After graduating from the University of Southern California with a degree in biomedical engineering, Arcella tried a career in medical sales, but the doctors he worked with noticed his zest for medicine and encouraged him to apply to medical school. Although he did well on the MCAT (Medical College Admission Test), his undergraduate grades were not up to snuff.

“I applied to every medical school in the United States, and I was rejected by all of them,” said Arcella.

He then switched gears and worked as a mortgage broker before deciding to apply to law school. This time, he got in. But before enrolling, he gave medical school one last try and earned conditional admittance to Ross University in the Caribbean.

“With this conditional acceptance I would go to Miami for a semester and take med school classes and if I maintained a high GPA, I would be guaranteed admission,” said Arcella. “I tabled law school and ran off to Miami to take my shot.”

Through dedication and hard work, Arcella excelled in his studies and was accepted into medical school, graduated with honors, and earned a spot in the anesthesiology residency program at the University of Massachusetts. When it was time to apply for fellowship training in pain medicine, Harvard University’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston was Arcella’s top choice.

“I didn’t think I was going to get in because it’s Harvard, it’s the Brigham, that’s the best program in the country,” said Arcella. “But I figured I’ll take a shot, and they took a shot on me and when I got in, I about fainted.”

Back the Blue

Last week, Arcella introduced a new program offered by Denovo Pain Management called “Back the Blue,” which provides free pain care for law enforcement officers.

“I’m doing some pro bono work that is helping police officers who are having pain issues by helping restore them to peak function,” said Arcella, who is a past member of the Massachusetts Society of Anesthesia Opioid Task Force, a group that helps fight the nation’s opioid epidemic.

“I try to help people avoid surgery if possible and I definitely reserve pain meds as a last resort,” he said. “One of the things I’m pretty good at is getting people off pain medications.”

Arcella is still growing his private practice, and treats patients from Daniel Island and around Charleston, as well as people who travel to his West Ashley office from Hilton Head Island and Myrtle Beach. He is double board certified in pain management and anesthesiology, and also works as an operating room anesthesiologist at Roper St. Francis Hospital.

“The reason I got into pain medicine is because pain patients are often marginalized or ignored,” said Arcella. “But they just want to be listened to and worked with, and my heart went out to the underdog.”