As a pain management physiatrist, Dr. Tung’s goal is to alleviate pain in order to maximize functional recovery.
“My patients can get back to living their lives instead of being preoccupied with pain.”
Dr. Tung believes that treating pain, especially chronic pain, with medications alone is not beneficial.
“Pain is multifaceted, usually having a specific ‘pain generator,’ a generalized central nervous system response to pain, a psychosocial component, and sometimes a related physical impairment. To effectively treat pain, we must address all of these components. As every patient’s pain history is unique, the treatment plan must be individualized.”
Dr. Tung is aggressive with diagnosis because he considers a clear diagnosis essential for effective treatment.
“Too often, a nonspecific diagnosis is given, resulting in nonspecific treatment, which in turn leads to unsatisfactory results. Using diagnostic injections, imaging tests, and electrodiagnosis in addition to the clinical exam, we can evaluate bones, joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments and nerves in order to make a clear diagnosis and develop a specific treatment plan.”
“I strongly believe in patient education as it is essential for patients to understand their diagnoses along with the rationale for treatment. This enables my patients to be active participants in their medical care, rather than passive recipients of pills and injections.”