I specialize in complex intractable pain involving back, neck, failed back surgery, cancer, post herpetic neuralgia, RSD, complex regional pain syndrome, neuropathy, migraine, arthritis, central pain, fibromyalgia, post stroke pain, and pain from autoimmune disorders. It’s a joy to see people get better.
I am board certified in Neurology, with a primary interest in pain management.
Teaching experience:
MD Anderson Cancer Center – Cancer Pain & Symptom Management
UCLA Anesthesiology Interdisciplinary Pain Clinic
UCLA Epilepsy Clinic
Fellowships:
Cancer Pain & Symptom Management
Multiple Sclerosis Research
EEG
Sabbatical
Stanford Sleep Center
To inform, educate and treat……..
My mission is simple – to control pain, improve well being and restore function.
Achieving that goal begins with personalized integrated programs in diagnosis, treatment, education and prevention.
You are not alone in managing pain
I work with a full scope of advanced specialists to provide effective care. I am on staff at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla where I have an office on the Scripps campus, and I am also on staff at Sharp Memorial Hospital in San Diego.
New diagnoses may be made during a detailed evaluation, which often leads to relief and improved quality of life.
You have the right to have your pain taken seriously
● I support the American Pain Society and the Principle of Balance which is:
To ensure that pain medication is available for persons in need and to prevent abuse of prescription pain medication.
● Understanding & Partnership
I provide pain sufferers and caregivers with information and guidance that will better equip you to work in partnership with me and with your team of physicians to effectively manage your pain and prevent side effects. That may involve treating other conditions such as sleep disorders, fatigue, depression or anxiety and neurological conditions.
I take addictions and drug diversion seriously.You are asked to prevent diversion and lock your medication. The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) recommends periodic urine screens.
● Treatment
Most pain medicine can be given SIMPLY by the mouth or applied to the skin, including medication for over 90% of cancer pain. Medication is more effective as part of a comprehensive individualized treatment strategy:
physical therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy with a pain psychologist,
acupuncture, yoga, Qigong, music, lifestyle changes – pacing activities,
stress management, relaxation, meditation.
Learn to use the power of the mind to reshape your pain. What you know, do and feel can influence your perception of pain.
To understand how the mind alters pain, please read this publication:
Some may benefit from injections or procedures to block pain pathways, others may require surgery.
● I Evaluate the Whole Person
I evaluate the whole person, beginning with the disabling results of long-term pain, as well as all factors that perpetuate pain. Pain assessment, diagnosis and selection of the most effective therapeutic modalities are important for success in pain management. Pain can have severe consequences for your life and relationships. Can you sleep, work, concentrate, exercise and participate in social activities? How does it affect your mood? Please review the links to books and audio-visual materials on this site.
Chronic pain is often much more difficult to treat than cancer pain. It is tragic that < 1% of the NIH budget goes for pain research, though 10 to 20% of the population in the US suffers from chronic pain, an estimated 60 million Americans, and the conditions are more prevalent among the elderly. Persons of all ages that I see tend to be more debilitated, often with anywhere from 3 to 11 different identifiable pain syndromes.
Many, including physicians, mistake pain as a symptom, failing to understand the reorganization that has occurred in the central nervous system due to neuroplasticity; and they overlook the associated comorbidity causing insomnia, weight gain due to medication or inactivity, depression, anxiety, spiritual and financial burdens. The lives of families and friends are diminished along with the person who has pain.
You have a right to pain relief in all these areas.
Office Hours:
By appointment only, closed Tuesdays. Please give 48 hour notice before cancellation, or a charge will be incurred.
Affiliated Hospitals: Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla
Languages Spoken: English
To Find My Home Page, click here: Welcome to my Weblog on Pain Management!
