For informational purposes only, a link to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Open Payments web page is provided here. The federal Physician Payments Sunshine Act requires that detailed information about payment and other payments of value worth over ten dollars ($10) from manufacturers of drugs, medical devices, and biolo...

Many patients referred by their primary doctor or a surgeon to “pain management” have little idea of what to expect.  Those thinking of scheduling a pain management appointment on their own may also have concerns about how they will be treated.  Although every pain management practice is different, this outline of the patient experience...

Medications, physical therapy, spinal manipulation, acupuncture, spine surgery — sorting through the treatment options for back pain can be overwhelming!  Many people believe that when conservative non-invasive options have failed, surgery is their only option.  In many cases, this is not true.  For many causes of back pain, interventional th...

Many people are aware that smoking cigarettes can increase their risk of cancer, lung disease, and heart disease.  However, not many people are aware that smoking is also linked to various kinds of chronic pain.  Several studies have shown that people with chronic pain problems are more likely to smoke cigarettes than others, and emerging […...

I had an opportunity to talk about chronic pain and the challenges of starting a new medical practice with Maria Saint of the Ventura County Star newspaper: Who’s New in Business: Ventura Pain & Spine Physicians Inc. I discuss some influences on my practice and how small medical practices are better equipped to provide personalized […]...

Legally speaking, any doctor can say they specialize in pain management, chronic pain, back pain, or other areas related to pain. But not all pain specialists are created equal.  Some have completed formal training programs called “fellowships” in Pain Medicine.  Some have passed specialized examinations testing their knowledge regardin...

Neck pain is the second most common reason that patients come to my office to address (#1 is back pain).  Although there are many causes of neck pain, one of the most common is diagnosis that is often missed.  The good news is that an excellent treatment is available! Cervical Facet Pain I have written […]...

I recently wrote an article about nerve pain for Practical Pain Management titled “Assessment and Treatment of Neuropathic Pain.”  I just learned that they have chosen to feature the article on the cover of this month’s issue!  Practical Pain Management is the most read journal for pain specialists and I am honored to have my arti...

News outlets in Ventura and Camarillo have been picking up word of our Grand Opening! It is often said that there is a national shortage of pain doctors; less than 1% of physicians specialize in this field. It’s my hope that I can fill this niche for Ventura County. Lucian (age 7 mo) and I […]...

Botox is famous for its cosmetic use by some doctors to reduce wrinkles.  Some observant doctors noticed that patients with chronic migraine headaches that received cosmetic Botox treatments had improvement in their headache symptoms.  Studies were done, showing that Botox does indeed reduce the frequency of migraine headaches.  In 2010, the FDA ap...