Pain Medicine Physician, Dr. Lisa Witkin, Educates the New York City Community about Chronic Pain Prevention and Treatment

For many people, pain is not a momentary experience, but a part of daily life. Those who suffer from chronic pain know that it comes in many forms, nearly all of which can limit a person’s ability to live a fulfilling life. Weill Cornell Anesthesiology’s Division of Pain Medicine specializes in evaluating and treating the various chronic pain conditions. Pain Medicine physicians utilize the latest scientific knowledge with modern medicine’s  cutting-edge technologies in order to provide patients with relief of their symptoms and improvement in their function and quality of life.

Many people with chronic pain are unaware of all their options for treatment. The Division of Pain Medicine’s newest physician, Lisa R. Witkin, MD, has devoted significant time to reaching out to the community about preventative strategies and treatments for many types of chronic pain, especially spine-related disorders including back and neck pain.

Leading the Division of Pain Medicine’s new Downtown Office on 156 William Street (LINK TO LMH WEBSITE), many of Dr. Witkin’s energies are focused on educating the communities in Lower Manhattan. She is on faculty at the Weill Cornell Medical College and is an Attending Anesthesiologist at both New York Presbyterian and NewYork-Presbyterian/Lower Manhattan Hospital. On October 24, Dr. Witkin joined her NYP/LMH colleagues of the Multi-Disciplinary Spine Center, Joshua Weaver, MD (Neurology) and Sam Kim, MD (Neurosurgery) to speak at the AFSCME District 37 Health Fair, held just blocks away from LMH and the Pain Medicine Downtown Office. Speaking to a full-size group of approximately 50 people, Dr. Witkin and her colleagues discussed the evaluation and management of spinal pain. She focused on the numerous lifestyle modifications and non-surgical alternatives to treating spinal pain. The Health Fair was well-attended by over 450 people, and the municipal employees had many questions for Dr. Witkin and her colleagues.

On October 30, Dr. Witkin joined a panel of four physicians, all affiliated with the Weill Cornell Spine Center, to participate in a session of the Weill Cornell Health & Wellness Seminar. The event, open to the public and held in Uris Auditorium, was entitled, “Healthy Spine, Neck, and Back: Surgical and Alternative Remedies to Keep You Pain Free.” Along with Dr. Witkin, speakers  included Bridget T. Carey, MD (Neurology), Kai-Ming Fu, MD, PhD (Neurosurgery), and Jaspal R. Singh, M.D. (Rehabilitation Medicine). The panel discussed the structure of the spine, the common causes of pain that affect the neck and back,  and treatments ranging from prevention strategies to alternative therapies, medications, injections, and surgery. A lively question and answer session followed the doctors’ talks. Over 170 members of the general public attended.

Dr. Witkin is also active in reaching out to the public through digital media. She recently participated in the Neuropathy Association’s “Ask the Doctor” on-line feature. She addressed a patient who was coping with nerve pain caused by a shingles outbreak after initiation of  chemotherapy. This particular situation allowed Dr. Witkin to address general concerns and treatments for pain related to shingles (acute herpes zoster) as well as persistent pain after the rash healed (post-herpetic neuralgia). In addition, Dr. Witkin will be participating – along with Pain Medicine’s Medical Director, Neel Mehta, MD – in an upcoming Facebook chat hosted by the Neuropathy Association to further discuss treatment options for patients suffering from post-herpetic neuralgia.

For More Information:

Visit Weill Cornell Pain Medicine
Profile of Dr. Lisa Witkin
Profile of Dr. Neel Mehta
Visit Neuropathy Association’s “Ask the Doctor” feature with Dr. Witkin
Neuropathy Association Facebook chat

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