Patient education and engagement are cornerstone philosophies at Arizona Pain because they work. Patients who are educated and engaged tend to experience more pain relief.

We’re incredibly lucky to surround ourselves with an inspiring, motivated team of doctors who spend their days trying to get to the bottom of what’s causing someone pain. The human body is a miraculous system that’s analogous to a symphony—optimal performance requires all the notes to play at the right time, in the right key. Otherwise, the performance sounds—and feels—discordant.

Arizona Pain doctors thrive on finding those notes that are a little out of tune and working with patients to discover the right treatments to get things into synch again, or as much as possible.

Today, we’re proud to introduce you to our team. We hope you’ll take the time to get to know us. We believe that a strong doctor/patient connection is critical to providing a high level of care. Back to the symphony analogy, this connection is like a conductor: essential for optimal flow.

Here, we present to you our team.

Dr. Tory McJunkin

Dr. McJunkin is a co-founder of Arizona Pain. He’s an interventional pain medicine physician who believes so strongly in the ability of education to make a difference in pain patients’ lives that he spends a great deal of time teaching at conferences, publishing in medical journals, and working to produce the Arizona Pain monthly magazine.

He says:

“One of the best things about pain management is when we have people come in who are at the end of their rope (because we get to help them get better).”

His grandmother, for instance, came into the office with a vertebral compression fracture that was causing her a lot of pain. Arizona Pain co-founder Dr. Paul Lynch gave her a minimally invasive procedure that involved filling the fracture with cement. Almost immediately, she expressed relief.

“That’s what I look for in each patient,” Dr. McJunkin says. “That moment where you can diagnose what’s causing their problem and figure out what is the exact treatment that will get them back to their life.”

When he’s not in the office, Dr. McJunkin loves to spend time with his family, including five children. “It’s a house of chaos, but it’s a house of joy,” he says.

Dr. Paul Lynch

When Dr. Lynch was in medical school, his mother-in-law was diagnosed with cancer. The experience of watching her suffer changed his life and gave him a newfound purpose. He says:

“I knew that I wanted to spend my life helping patients who suffer from pain.”

The experience not only led him to helping pain patients, but supporting them through Arizona Pain’s specific model of collaborative care that emphasizes a pain pill-free approach to helping people regain their lives. He values this approach immensely, summing it up with “comprehensive care, getting people off pills, and getting people back to daily living.”

Dr. Lynch’s family includes a wife and four boys. They love spending their free time playing sports, such as golf, biking, or hiking. “We just have a great time,” he says.

Arizona Pain supports The National Association of Hispanic Nurses

At Arizona Pain, community is No. 1. The state’s rapidly growing Hispanic community faces unique problems when it comes to getting the pain management they need.

Arizona Pain was recently recognized at the National Association of Hispanic Nurses for supporting the organization and the membership of more than ten nurses. The association not only supports the efforts of Latino nurses, but also works to improve the quality of health care for all Hispanics.

Which of these Arizona Pain doctors have you met?

A lot of things are happening at Arizona Pain, with a new Latin American division and recently opened clinics in the northern part of the state to better serve patients needing treatment, regardless of ethnicity or location.

Arizona Pain doctors are also continuing to practice medicine on the cutting edge, and are excited to participate in ongoing research right here in our offices. Qualifying patients may access these state-of-the art treatments that are ushering in a new era of possibility for improving the lives of those suffering from chronic pain.

Arizona Pain opens new Latin American division

One of our biggest new happenings in the last year is the opening celebration of Arizona Pain’s Latin American division, located in downtown Phoenix. The office is staffed with bilingual doctors ready to meet the unique needs of the Hispanic community.

People of Hispanic descent represent more than 30% of Arizona’s population, according to census data. The community is notoriously underserved, whether because of difficulty accessing health insurance or medical providers, or due to cultural differences that may impede quality care. Many Latinos also work long hours and often find it difficult to take time to visit the doctor.

Our Spanish-speaking doctors bridge not only the language divide, but also the cultural one. Arizona Pain staff carefully tailors treatment plans to each person, taking into consideration individual medical needs, but also personal preferences.

Visit the Latin American division website for more information or to schedule an appointment.

Arizona Pain expands into northern Arizona

Northern Arizona is more rural than the Phoenix and Tucson metropolitan areas, and a statewide doctor shortage is particularly bad in those areas. Many residents living in these areas must drive upwards of 60 miles to visit the doctor, reports Cronkite News Service.

Finding new ways to bring doctors to these medically underserved areas is critical for the future health of the state and its residents. Arizona Pain is pleased to announce our two new clinics, one in Flagstaff and another in Show Low.

The Flagstaff Pain Clinic is located at 705 N. Leroux St., and is staffed by Dr. Robert Brownsberger, who is board certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation in addition to pain medicine. Dr. Brownsberger attended the University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine and spent time working as a flight surgeon for the U.S. Navy.

Dr. Brownsberger is also the staff doctor at the newly opened Show Low Pain Clinic, located at 2451 S. White Mountain Rd.

We’re pleased to offer our signature method of treating chronic pain to residents in the White Mountains and by the San Francisco Peaks. Arizona Pain is different than other pain clinics because we specialize in comprehensive, integrative care, using the most advanced medical technology available but combining it with centuries-old holistic treatments like acupuncture.

We treat the whole person, taking diet, exercise, and mental health into consideration along with physical health. Everything in the body is related, with mental health influencing physical wellness and vice versa, and our treatment methods reflect that.

Spinal stenosis study could bring relief for chronic pain sufferers

Spinal stenosis, which is pain caused when the spinal canal narrows and places pressure on nerves or spinal cords, is a source of pain for many people. Risk factors include being over the age of 65, and having scoliosis or hypertension. Symptoms may include pain, numbness, or tingling in the leg.

Arizona Pain is currently recruiting patients for a research study examining the potential benefit of the Totalis System, which is an alternative to spinal surgery that’s less invasive and has a much shorter recuperation time. To be included in the study, patients must be at least 55 years old and meet several other health qualifications.

Participating in a research study is a wonderful way to receive potentially health-improving treatments while also contributing to the advancement of medical science. Arizona Pain doctors are pleased to offer this opportunity to patients while continuing to push the boundaries of what’s possible with medical technology.

Peripheral nerve stimulator study

People suffering from arm or leg pain resulting from peripheral neuralgia may benefit from peripheral nerve stimulation, and Arizona Pain is running a study to quantify the effects of this emerging treatment.

Treatment involves the implantation of a small lead under the skin. The lead connects to a battery and transmitter outside the body, which sends gentle electrical impulses to the nerve causing pain.

For the first 12-week portion of the study, only the experimental group of study subjects will receive the treatment-strength stimulation. For the last nine months, all patients will receive the same level of electrical impulse.

Contact Arizona Pain if you’d like to be considered for the study.

Have you ever considered participating in a medical research trial?

Image by GotCredit via Flickr

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contact: Kristen Wesley, Boost Medical, Phone: 708-807-0047

Arizona Pain Unaffected by National Recall of Compound Pharmacy Products, Ensures Patients’ Safety

Arizona Pain, the premier pain management center in the Phoenix area, remains unaffected by the recent nationwide recall on compounding pharmacy medical products. All four pain clinics in Scottsdale, Glendale, Chandler and Phoenix have been cleared of any risk related to the recall of such products.

Scottsdale, AZ – March 26, 2013 – Arizona Pain (Arizonapain.com), the elite comprehensive pain management clinic in the Phoenix area, has cleared all four of their pain management facilities from any possible risk of exposure to mold contamination due to products nationally recalled last week by two compounding pharmacies.

“Arizona Pain has confirmed through our compounding center, Avella Pharmaceuticals, that it was not amongst those with contaminated products,” says Leila Micklos, Director of Clinical Services at Arizona Pain.

Last week, both MedPrep Consulting Inc., in Tinton Falls, NJ, (http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm344229.htm) and Clinical Specialties Compounding Pharmacy in Augusta, Georgia, (http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/SafetyAlertsforHumanMedicalProducts/ucm344831.htm) voluntarily recalled all lots of products repackaged and distributed by their pharmacies. This nationwide recall of the pharmacies’ products was conducted after concerns regarding practices at the initial site of compounding could not assure the sterility of the products.

“Arizona Pain values each patient’s safety,” says Micklos, “and we would like to assure patients that we utilize a compounding pharmacy accredited by the Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board and at no time have our medications been affected by the recent recalls.”

Arizona Pain continues to uphold nationally recognized practice standards as a leader in the field of pain management, and specializes in cutting edge, minimally invasive procedures for all types of chronic pain. Their many non-surgical procedures have shown to be extremely successful in curing pain, including epidural steroid injections for back and neck pain.

Arizona Pain, the premier pain management clinic in Phoenix, AZ, has been selected as the only Arizona pain center to participate in a novel study on chronic nerve pain. This FDA-approved study may unveil a potentially groundbreaking treatment with the use of a peripheral nerve stimulator, and patients who enroll today will be compensated.

September 20th, 2012, Scottsdale, AZ. — Those who suffer from debilitating chronic nerve pain will now have the chance to try a new, cutting-edge treatment that may rid them of their pain. Arizona Pain, (www.arizonapain.com) a comprehensive pain management clinic in the Phoenix area, is now enrolling patients for a breakthrough study involving the use of a new nerve stimulator to treat peripheral neuralgia — the Bioness StimRouter.

“The treatment we are testing in this study may finally provide lasting relief for patients suffering from intractable nerve pain,” says Arizona Pain’ Research Director, Dr. Ted Swing.

It is estimated that 20-million Americans suffer from peripheral nerve pain. Peripheral neuralgia refers to chronic pain of the arms, legs or trunk caused by damage to the nerves themselves. This condition can be the result of various causes, including physical trauma or surgical procedures, and is often difficult to treat. Current treatments include non-localized therapies such as spinal cord stimulation and the use of pain medication.

Bioness Inc., an award winning medical device company, is sponsoring this double blind, randomized study, which will enroll 126 patients at up to ten study sites throughout the United States. Patients who suffer from persistent nerve pain in their arms, legs or trunk, and who have been treated for more than three months without relief, may qualify for this study. It is free to participate, and all those who enroll will be financially compensated.

The study tests one method that has been previously effective for treating peripheral neuralgia — peripheral nerve stimulation. Through peripheral nerve stimulation, pain is reduced by delivering non-painful electrical stimulation to the nerve that is the source of an individual’s pain. This stimulation interferes with the pain signals from the affected nerve, resulting in a reduction in perceived pain.