Pain Management in Evans, GA

Summit Spine & Joint Centers’ Evans office on Pierce Court serves Columbia County and the surrounding area, including Grovetown, Thomson, Lincolnton and Washington. It is also a short drive across the state line for South Carolina patients in Greenwood, Edgefield and McCormick, and for residents of neighborhoods like Bartram Trail, Jones Creek and Riverwood Plantation.

Dr. Venu Madhipatla is triple board certified in anesthesia, pain management and critical care. He completed his anesthesia residency at Cook County Hospital in Chicago and a pain management fellowship at the University of Cincinnati, followed by a second fellowship at the University of Florida. He previously served as Chief of Anesthesia and Pain in South Georgia.

Dr. Van Malia, DO, earned a degree in computer science and mathematics before medicine, then attended Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed his PM&R residency at the University of Minnesota, including work at the VA Polytrauma Center, and a fellowship in interventional spine and sports medicine at the Cleveland Clinic. An anesthesia and critical care background paired with a rehabilitation and sports medicine background gives Evans patients two complementary ways of looking at the same problem.

Conditions

Evans patients see us most often for these conditions:

• Spinal Stenosis: narrowing of the spinal canal that squeezes the nerves inside it, often worse when standing or walking.
• Lumbar Radiculopathy (Sciatica): a pinched nerve in the lower back that sends pain, numbness or tingling down one leg.
• Herniated Disc: a disc that has bulged or ruptured and is pressing on a nearby nerve.
• Degenerative Disc Disease: age-related wear on the spinal discs that can cause stiffness and nerve irritation.
• Facet Joint Pain: inflammation in the small joints that let the spine bend and twist.
• Post-Laminectomy Syndrome (Failed Back Syndrome): back or leg pain that continues or returns after spine surgery.
• Back Pain: lower or upper back pain that hasn’t eased with rest, medication or physical therapy.
• Fibromyalgia: widespread pain and tenderness that often comes with fatigue and poor sleep.
• Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS): burning nerve pain that persists long after the injury that triggered it has healed.

Treatments

The Evans office provides all 19 of the following non-surgical treatments:

• Lumbar Epidural Steroid Injection: an anti-inflammatory injection for lower back pain and sciatica.
• Lumbar Transforaminal Epidural Steroid Injection: steroid guided to the exact nerve root that is irritated.
• Cervical Epidural Steroid Injection: an anti-inflammatory injection for neck pain and pain that travels into the arms.
• Facet Joint Injections: medication placed directly into the small joints of the spine to reduce inflammation.
• Medial Branch Block: a diagnostic injection that shows which facet joints are behind the pain.
• Lumbar Radiofrequency Neurotomy: heat applied to the small nerves of the lower-back joints, with relief that can last several months.
• Cervical Facet Radiofrequency Neurotomy: uses heat to quiet the nerves serving painful joints in the neck.
• Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA): uses heat to interrupt a nerve’s pain signals.
• Rhizotomy: uses controlled heat to disable the nerve supply to a painful joint.
• Sacroiliac Joint Steroid Injection: treats pain where the spine meets the pelvis.
• Genicular Radiofrequency Ablation: targets the nerves that carry chronic knee pain signals.
• MILD: a minimally invasive outpatient procedure for lumbar spinal stenosis that leaves no implant behind.
• Vertiflex Superion: a small spacer implant that relieves stenosis pain when standing or walking.
• Discography: a diagnostic test that helps identify which disc is causing pain.
• Lumbar Sympathetic Block: an injection that can ease CRPS and other nerve pain in the legs.
• Stellate Ganglion Block: an injection for nerve pain in the head, neck, chest or arms.
• Celiac Plexus Block: a nerve block for chronic pain in the upper abdomen, including pancreatic pain.
• Intrathecal Pump Implant: a small implanted pump that delivers pain medication directly into the spinal fluid.
• Back Pain Treatment: a care plan built from the options above, matched to what is causing the pain.

Providers

Two physicians currently see patients at the Evans office:

• Dr. Venu Madhipatla: an MD triple board certified in anesthesia, pain management and critical care, and a former Chief of Anesthesia and Pain in South Georgia.
• Dr. Van Malia: a DO trained in PM&R at the University of Minnesota, with a Cleveland Clinic fellowship focused on non-surgical, minimally invasive spine and joint care.

Full bios are linked above.

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.