Pain Management in Augusta, GA

Summit Spine & Joint Centers’ Augusta office sits on Druid Park Ave, bringing pain management in Augusta, GA, to Richmond County and a real cross-state population in Aiken, SC, just over the Savannah River. Three providers see patients here, backed by an in-house Surgery Center for the cases that need more than an injection or a nerve block.

Dr. Van Malia brings an unusual path to pain medicine: a former software engineer who retrained in medicine, completed a physical medicine and rehabilitation residency at the University of Minnesota treating combat veterans at a VA Polytrauma Center, then a fellowship in interventional spine and sports medicine at the Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Dan Martin has been treating pain in the Augusta area since the 1980s and spent a decade directing the region’s own pain management fellowship program at the Medical College of Georgia, where he still teaches. Between the two of them, and Dr. Venu Madhipatla, most patients are matched with a physician who has already treated their exact condition many times over.

Most patients here are 40 and older, managing pain that’s built up over time rather than a single injury: arthritis, degenerative disc changes, or nerve pain a primary care visit hasn’t resolved. Insurance and workers’ compensation claims are verified ahead of the first visit, and most new patients are seen within 24 hours of calling.

Conditions

Patients at the Augusta office come in with a range of neck, back and joint pain, including:

• Herniated Disc: disc material pushing outward and pressing on a nearby spinal nerve, often confirmed by MRI.
• Degenerative Disc Disease: the natural thinning of spinal discs that comes with age and years of wear.
• Lumbar Radiculopathy (Sciatica): pinched-nerve pain that runs from the lower back down one leg.
• Spinal Stenosis: a narrowed spinal canal that puts pressure on the nerves running through it.
• Facet Joint Pain: irritation in the small joints that let the spine bend and twist.
• Post-Laminectomy Syndrome (Failed Back Syndrome): pain that continues after an earlier spine surgery didn’t fully resolve it.
• Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS): nerve pain that lingers well past the injury that started it.
• Fibromyalgia: widespread, hard-to-pin-down pain paired with heightened sensitivity to touch.
• Back Pain: pain that hasn’t improved with rest, medication or physical therapy.

Treatments

The Augusta office offers all 19 standard non-surgical treatments, plus two procedures available on-site through the Surgery Center:

• Lumbar Epidural Steroid Injection: a steroid injection that calms an inflamed nerve in the lower spine.
• Cervical Epidural Steroid Injection: the same anti-inflammatory approach used for neck and arm pain.
• Lumbar Transforaminal Epidural Steroid Injection: steroid guided precisely to one affected nerve root.
• Facet Joint Injections: reduce swelling in the spine’s small connecting joints.
• Medial Branch Block: pinpoints which facet joint is behind the pain before treating it.
• Sacroiliac Joint Steroid Injection: treats pain at the joint connecting the spine and pelvis.
• Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA): uses heat to interrupt an overactive pain nerve.
• Lumbar Radiofrequency Neurotomy: an RFA variation for the lower back built to last months, not weeks.
• Cervical Facet Radiofrequency Neurotomy: the same heat-based technique applied to neck joints.
• Rhizotomy: uses controlled heat to quiet a painful joint’s nerve supply.
• Genicular Radiofrequency Ablation: targets the nerves behind chronic knee pain.
• Celiac Plexus Block: a nerve block for chronic pain in the stomach, pancreas or other abdominal organs.
• Stellate Ganglion Block: treats nerve pain in the head, neck or arms.
• Lumbar Sympathetic Block: an injection series that eases CRPS-related leg pain.
• Discography: an imaging test that pinpoints the disc causing the pain.
• MILD: a minimally invasive outpatient option for spinal stenosis that doesn’t require an implant.
• Vertiflex Superion: a small implant that holds a narrowed spinal canal open.
• Intrathecal Pump Implant: delivers low-dose pain medication directly to the spine.
• Back Pain Treatment: a plan built from the options above, based on the diagnosis.
• Kyphoplasty (in-house Surgery Center): rebuilds a fractured vertebra’s height and stability.
• Spinal Cord Stimulation (in-house Surgery Center): an implanted device that blocks chronic pain signals before they register.

The last two are performed on-site, without a referral to an outside surgical facility.

Providers

Three providers see patients at the Augusta office:

• Dr. Van Malia: a former software engineer who retrained in medicine, with a PM&R residency at the University of Minnesota and a fellowship in interventional spine and sports medicine at the Cleveland Clinic, where he served as a team physician for the Cleveland Guardians.
• Dr. Dan Martin: board-certified in anesthesiology and pain medicine, a Georgia native who trained at the Medical College of Georgia and later spent a decade directing that school’s own pain management fellowship program.
• Dr. Venu Madhipatla: triple board-certified in anesthesia, pain management and critical care, with fellowship training at the University of Cincinnati and the University of Florida.

Full bios are below.

Summit Spine & Joint Centers treats a variety of acute and chronic pain conditions of the neck, back and joints. These conditions include, but are not restricted to: cancer pain, fibromyalgia, disc disease, spine conditions, sciatica, spinal stenosis and recurring pain from previous back surgeries. Our physicians use state-of-the-art, minimally invasive techniques to restore function and help provide you with a higher quality of living and superior treatment.

Summit Spine & Joint Centers uses state-of-the-art minimally invasive techniques to restore function and to improve your quality of life. Your treatment is provided by physicians that have received extensive post-graduate and fellowship training in fluoroscopically guided spine interventions. Our team’s goal is to provide each patient with comprehensive and high-quality care using superior treatments. We provide an array of non-surgical procedures to facilitate the reduction and recurrence of your back, neck and joint pain.

Each member of Summit Spine & Joint Centers treatment team is board certified and highly trained. Our experienced medical team at Summit Spine & Joint Centers can help you regain your spirit and improve your quality of life.

We accept all major commercial insurance carriers and Medicare. If you don’t see your plan listed, please contact our office at (844) 972-7752. The managed care health insurance market changes rapidly, and specific coverage questions should be discussed directly with your insurance company or our knowledgeable staff.

Advanced Care at Our Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC)

Our Augusta location is proud to include a fully equipped Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC), offering patients access to advanced outpatient procedures in a safe and comfortable environment. Our ASC allows our board-certified, fellowship-trained physicians to perform a wide range of minimally invasive treatments, including spinal cord stimulation, nerve blocks, Basivertebral Nerve Ablation (BVNA), Kyphoplasty, and other advanced interventional pain procedures.

By choosing a Summit Spine ASC location, patients benefit from:

• Convenience: Same-day outpatient procedures without the need for a hospital stay.
• Lower Costs: A more affordable alternative to hospital outpatient departments.
• Personalized Care: Dedicated staff and facilities focused exclusively on interventional pain management.
• Advanced Technology: State-of-the-art equipment for safe, precise, and effective procedures.
• Patient Access: New patient appointments available within 24 hours; all major forms of insurance accepted

All of our surgery centers are designed to provide the highest level of care with shorter wait times, faster recovery, and improved comfort compared to hospital settings. This means you can return home the same day, recover in familiar surroundings, and get back to the activities you love sooner.

Our ASC locations also offer more insurance-friendly, patient-focused care. Most insurance companies prefer Ambulatory Surgical Centers over traditional hospital settings because they deliver the same advanced procedures at significantly lower costs. For patients, this means reduced out-of-pocket expenses, lower deductibles, and fewer surprise bills—without compromising safety or quality of care. At Summit Spine, our ASC locations are designed to align with these insurance efficiencies, giving you access to advanced pain-relieving procedures in a setting that is more affordable, streamlined, and centered on your needs.

At Summit Spine, we believe pain relief should be accessible, efficient, and compassionate. Our Surgery Center in Augusta is part of our commitment to delivering comprehensive, patient-centered, minimally invasive spine and pain management solutions that restore mobility and quality of life.