The UAB Pain Treatment Clinic at UAB Hospital-Highlands provides consultative services related to acute and chronic pain management with an emphasis on the unique services that can be provided by pain fellowship-trained clinicians.
These include conventional therapies such as epidural steroid injections, joint and bursa injections, muscular trigger point injections, and peripheral nerve blocks. For patients with more severe or persistent pain, we offer advanced, novel interventions such as high-frequency spinal cord stimulation and dorsal root ganglion stimulation.
For all of our patients, we combine the safest and most effective therapeutic approaches with an emphasis on quality of life and the overall wellness of each individual. Our program de-emphasizes the use of opioid medications and strives to empower patients to improve their enjoyment of life by focusing on increasing daily exercise, better nutrition, and stress reduction through the use of cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness techniques. Our innovative research faculty in the UAB Heersink School of Medicine Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine continues to advance the field of pain medicine with studies that explore new therapies and novel approaches.
We have a large established base of referring physicians from within the UAB Health System, as well as many outside community practices. Our division works closely in collaboration with the departments of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Orthopedics, Neurology, Psychiatry, and Palliative Care to provide comprehensive care for our patients.
Our Faculty
Chrisopher Paul, M.D.
For Physicians
- UAB Physician Services: Physician Services strives to position UAB Medicine as the facility of choice for referring providers, while enhancing continuity of care and improving communication with the referring community.
- Refer a Patient: The UAB Medicine MIST team helps facilitate consults and transfers, to help make the process as seamless as possible for referring physicians.
- Pain Medicine Fellowship Program: The program’s main goal is to offer a robust pain medicine training opportunity in an intimate atmosphere allowing for a great work/life balance with a wide variety of clinical and research exposure producing graduates to be excellent pain medicine and interventional pain consultants prepared to enter any practice, private or academic, independently.
- UAB MedCast: UAB MedCast is a weekly series of continuing medical education (CME) podcasts that highlights the latest clinical and research innovations at UAB Medicine.
For Patients
We are located on the third floor of UAB Hospital-Highlands. Our office hours are Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Please call (205) 930-8966 with any questions or concerns.
Appointments
Click here to schedule an appointment, or call (205) 930-8966, Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. In the event that you need to reschedule or cancel your appointment, please call the number listed above. If possible, we appreciate your cancellation at least 24 hours in advance.
After Hours and Emergencies
If you need to reach a physician after hours, please call UAB Paging at (205) 934-3411 and ask for the Inpatient Pain Service (IPS) resident on call. If this is a true medical emergency, please dial 911 for immediate assistance.
What to Bring with You
When you come to your appointment, please bring your insurance card, drivers license, a list of any medications that you are currently taking (including dosage amount), any X-rays, lab results, or other medical information that your referring physician has not already sent to our clinic, and a copy of your physician referral (if applicable). Medical information may also be faxed prior to your appointment time to (205) 930-8985.
Special Instructions
If you are having an in-office procedure in the Pain Treatment Clinic:
- Do not eat, drink, or smoke for six hours before your appointment time. You may take your regular daily medications (i.e. blood pressure or heart medication) with a sip of water.
- If you are currently taking blood thinners, please call (205) 930-8966. Blood thinners include Aspirin, Coumadin, Plavix, Heparin, Loveneox injections, and BC or Goody’s headache powder. Some procedures require you to discontinue these medications for at least 7 days prior to the procedure.
- You must bring someone to drive you home. Your driver must be at the Pain Clinic for your entire appointment or your procedure will have to be rescheduled.
- You may shower/bathe the morning of the procedure.
- If you have X-rays, CT scans, or MRI results from another facility that relate to your current condition, please bring them with you.
- Please complete the following forms in advance and bring them to your visit: Patient History, Pain Assessment Questionnaire, and Missed Appointment Policy.
Payment Information
Some insurance providers may require a referral or pre-certification before seeing a specialist of this nature. Please be sure to bring a copy of this referral or pre-certification with you for insurance/billing purposes. If you are unsure of what your insurance company requires, please contact them in advance of your appointment, and they will be happy to answer any questions. Your co-pay is expected at the time of your visit; however, our financial counselors are available to discuss any problems or special circumstances. Our financial counselors may be reached Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at (205) 801-9910. If your visit is being covered by workers compensation, please bring the name and phone number of your employer and case manager. If you have any billing questions or concerns, please contact our Billing Customer Service line at (205) 801-6055.
Location and Parking
The UAB Pain Treatment Clinic is located adjacent to the UAB Hospital-Highlands Emergency entrance on 12th Street South. Patients may take advantage of convenient, free parking in the deck across the street.