World-class pain management expertise

We are pleased to welcome Dr. Patrick McIntyre to our OSU Pain Management Clinic in Tulsa. Dr. McIntyre is an interventional pain management physician and is board certified in both interventional pain management and anesthesiology. He specializes in neck, lower back, muscular and chronic joint pain, as well as all types of neuropathic pain.

What inspired you to work in pain management?
The first thing that I would like to say is that I love my job. I am truly blessed to be able to do what I do. It is an honor to be involved in the health of another human being. I do not take for granted the trust that I am given by my patients. The ability to function is paramount to my goals. When patients cannot do what they need or want to do, I am troubled by that. The goal is to restore function.

Are there any innovative procedures or techniques you use to treat pain, and how?
This is an exciting time for the field of pain management. Besides the basic steroid injections and nerve blocks, there are many new and innovative procedures that I can offer patients. They range from minimally invasive lumbar decompression and spacers for stenosis to basivertebral nerve ablation for people with degeneration in the spinal bones to spinal cord and peripheral nerve stimulation for many types of chronic pain issues.

How pain management can help people avoid opioid addiction.
A skilled pain management physician will be well versed in many types of interventions that can reduce and perhaps eliminate pain. The Centers for Disease Control recommends using opioids to treat chronic pain as a last resort.

Who is most likely to suffer from chronic pain?
Chronic pain can affect anyone of any background. Chronic pain knows no boundaries. Back pain remains the number one reason patients visit their doctors.

How can people avoid it?
The best way to avoid chronic pain is to take care of yourself. Eat a healthy diet. Do not smoke. Exercise regularly.