General Practitioners

• Osteoporosis
• Arthritis
• Emergency Care
  Michael G. Gibson, MD graduated from LSU Medical School in New Orleans, Louisiana. He completed his internship in General Surgery at Carraway Methodist Medical Center here in Birmingham. A Clinical Fellowship in Neurosurgery also at Carraway followed his internship. He then took a full-time position with the Lifesaver Helicopter program through the Emergency Department at Carraway for the next two years. In 1995, he founded and opened the Birmingham Pain Center and since then has been practicing exclusively Interventional and Medical Pain Management. He is certified by and a member of The American Academy of Pain Management and the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians.

Psychiatrists

• Behavioral Health
  Jay R. Heisler, PhD graduated from Walden University in Minneapolis, Mn. He completed his internship in clinical Psychology at Gadsden Psychological Services in Gadsden, Al. and currently is the Director of Pharmaceutical Research and Behavioral Health. He is a licensed Clinical Psychologist in both Alabama and Kentucky. He has over 30 years’ experience evaluating and treating patients suffering from chronic pain. He has been an integral part of the The Birmingham Pain Center since its beginning in 1995. He is also certified Diplomat by The American Academy of Pain Management, and The American Academy of Injury and Disability Evaluators.

Radiologist

• Ultrasound
• MRI
  Lysis of Adhesions – This procedure is used to treat patients who have undergone previous back surgery. After any surgery, scar tissue is formed. After surgery involving the spine, scar tissue can form around the nerves. This is frequently diagnosed by MRI. During the procedure, a needle is passed into the epidural space via a caudal approach (near the tailbone). A catheter is passed through the needle to the level of the previous surgery. Contrast dye is injected to see specifically which nerves are affected. A medication that helps dissolve scar tissue, local anesthetic, steroids, and hypertonic saline (to dehydrate the surrounding tissue) are injected into the epidural space. This procedure usually provides significant relief to patients with previous low back surgery.

Surgeons

• General Surgery
  Melissa Almond, PA-C, graduated from UAB's Surgical Physician's Assistant program in 1994. She moved to Tuscaloosa after graduation, where she has spent the last thirteen years practicing in plastic and general surgery. She now looks forward to a long, rewarding career in pain management at The Birmingham Pain Center.
• Neurosurgery

Dermatologists

• Cyst

Physical Therapists

• Physical Therapy
  Sacroiliac (SI) Joint Injections – The SI joint is formed by the sacrum (the low back bones which are fused) and the ilium (pelvic bone) which come together. It is a common cause of low back pain, and is usually worse with sitting for long periods of time. A combination of steroids and local anesthetic are injected into the joint to decrease inflammation and improve pain. This procedure is often combined with physical therapy to help improve SI joint pain.
• Back Pain