Living with recurring or chronic pain takes a toll on your ability to function normally—negatively impacting your daily activities, mood, work, energy, and even your interactions with others. CentraState’s physical therapists can help by providing you with treatment options and customized solutions for relieving pain and improving function.
Living with recurring or chronic pain takes a toll on your ability to function normally—negatively impacting your daily activities, mood, work, energy, and even your interactions with others. The experienced clinicians at The Spine Institute of Central NJ at CentraState work with you and your physician to provide more treatment options and customized solutions for relieving pain and improving function. The Spine Institute of Central New Jersey offers expertise and innovation to help you alleviate pain and regain quality of life, with one comprehensive program in one convenient location.
Achieving Excellence
CentraState’s team of physical therapists and rehabilitations specialists include certified therapists with advanced training in spine rehabilitation. We are proud to say that patients in our care for injuries causing lower back pain are found to return to normal activities on average 50 percent quicker than the region’s average.
Spine Specialists
Most back problems respond to non-surgical treatments. But if these treatments do not provide relief, you may be a candidate for back surgery. If your physician recommends surgery as your best option, we have experienced spine surgeons and specialists.
WHAT TO EXPECT

CentraState’s spine therapists will conduct a thorough evaluation to determine the best approaches for relieving your pain. You may benefit from physical therapy if you have a condition such as:
- Arthritis (rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis)
- Bursitis
- Cancer
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Chronic muscle spasm
- Diabetic neuropathy
- Complications following back surgery
- Fibromyalgia (generalized muscular pain and fatigue)
- Low back pain
- Neck pain
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Reflex sympathetic dystrophy
- Sciatica (shooting leg pain) or other radiating pain
- Shingles
- Tendonitis

Your first appointment will include a review of your medical records and a complete medical history taken by a specially-trained registered nurse. You will have a physical examination with an emphasis on your pain and how it affects you. This will help your physician determine what tests and treatments may be necessary. After your consultation, the pain specialist will describe what the pain management program can offer and design a treatment plan targeted to your needs.

Pain is the most common cause of suffering and disability, affecting quality of life for many people. It can be acute, such as after an operation or injury. It also can be a long-standing problem for which common pain-relieving therapies provide little or no relief. No matter what type of pain you have or its source (for example, nerve injury, muscle spasms, back problems, or cancer) steps can be taken to control and reduce it.
At CentraState, our board-certified physicians specialize in the treatment and relief of pain. They take a team approach to your care by working closely with primary care physicians, specialists, physical therapists, social workers, and other health professionals. Our staff is committed to quality, personalized treatment that provides pain relief, restored activity, improved quality of life, and peace of mind in the shortest amount of time.
TREATMENT METHODS
Treatment is based on your specific symptoms and is adjusted to meet your changing needs. The advanced pain management approaches we offer include:
- McKenzie Method®: You move through a series of activities and test movements to gauge your low back pain response. The results are used to create specific exercises to alleviate the pain.
- Epidurals
- Nerve blocks (celiac plexus, intercostals nerve)
- Intrathecal therapy (implantable therapy)
- Discography
- Minimally invasive disc procedures such as nucleoplasty and IDET (Intradiscal Electrothermal Annuloplasty Therapy)
- Spinal cord stimulation
- Joint injections
- Facet blocks
- Surgical intervention
Treatment may also include exercise and activity programs or other specialized therapies. Those with chronic conditions may wish to explore complementary and alternative therapies as well. CentraState’s Star and Barry Tobias Health Awareness Center offers complementary therapies provided by trained professionals that can aid in pain management.

PHYSICIANS

David Rodricks, M.D.
Orthopedics

Raymond Esquieres, M.D.
Pain Management, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

James Cozzarelli, M.D., FAAOS
Orthopedics

James Fischkoff, M.D.
Rheumatology

Ravi Verma, MD
Orthopedics, Spine Surgery

Jason Nitche, M. D.
Orthopedics

Patrick Buckley, MD
Orthopedics

Sergey Bogdan, M.D.
Pain Management, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Maged Ghattas, M.D.
Hospice and Palliative Medicine, Pain Management

William Baione, M.D.
Orthopedics

Rafah Salloum, M.D.
Rheumatology

Andrew Harrison, M.D.
Orthopedics

Ahmed Siddiqi, D.O.
Orthopedics

Gregory Roehrig, MD
Orthopedics

Scott Woska, M.D.
Pain Management, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

John Tydings, M.D.
Orthopedics, Spine Surgery

Steven Mennona, MD
Orthopedics

Christopher Doumas, M. D.
Hand Surgery, Orthopedics

Kenneth Swan, M.D.
Orthopedics

Steven Lisser, M.D.
Hand Surgery, Orthopedics

David Junkin Jr., MD
Orthopedics

Arth Patel, M. D.
Orthopedics, Sports Medicine

Charles Daknis, M.D.
Pain Management

Neeraj Nanavati, M.D.
Anesthesiology, Pain Management

Harris Bram, M.D.
Pain Management

Bruce Rosenblum, MD
Neurosurgery

Joel Fechisin, M.D.
Orthopedics

Arthur Mark, M. D.
Orthopedics

Sheref Hassan, M.D.
Orthopedics

Francisco Del Valle, M.D.
Pain Management, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Evander Duck, M.S., M.D.
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

John Mak, M.D.
Pain Management

Aron Green, MD
Orthopedics

Christopher Spagnuola, M.D.
Orthopedics

Sylwia Sasinowska, M.D.
Rheumatology

Nicholas Phillips, DO
Orthopedics

David Polonet, M.D.
Orthopedics