Have you seen the very best consultants but are still struggling with pain?
Perhaps one of your friends or relatives is in this situation?

Maybe you’ve seen specialists, surgeons, had injections and physio, but you’re still not getting the relief you need?

Perhaps you’ve been told that nothing can done for your pain, or that you ‘just need to get on with your life’ and learn to live with it?

Maybe you’re even feeling a little bit abandoned by doctors, and don’t know where to turn?

If so, this is where I come in. I’m here to help. Sometimes I can think with you, outside the box, and help you, when other experts haven’t been able to.

I’m a Consultant in Pain Medicine and have spent the last 25 years helping people with painful conditions, and all that goes with long-term pain.

Pain occurs with many ailments, and we all experience it, but when it’s severe or persistent, it can be immensely distressing and have a major impact on your life.

Long-term pain can lead to anxiety and low mood, and the experience can be very isolating.  This can be even more difficult if you’re suffering from unexplained pain, or if conventional treatments haven’t helped you.

How I work with patients

I believe in giving all my patients plenty of time to talk about their pain, and how it is affecting them. I listen carefully to everything they have to say, so I can understand their pain and their whole situation, better. Every person is an individual, and I try to tailor the care to meet their needs and wishes.

Much of conventional pain medicine focuses on pain medicines but these do not always bring about relief from long-term pain. In addition, most medications have side effects which can make life worse, not better. My job is to take a better and more experienced view of your medicines, and occasionally suggest an unusual medicine, suggested by my long experience.

Sometimes there may be a place for an interventional procedure, and I do have considerable experience with these, including some highly specialised ones for particular conditions.

In helping patients who are in pain, I regularly work closely with specialist physiotherapists and health psychologists. I’m also one of the UK’s most experienced prescribers of specialist pain medicines.

Conditions I can help with include:

Spinal or neck pain

Nerve pain

Pain after surgery or trauma

Cancer-related pain

Complex regional pain syndrome

Shingles pain

Trigeminal neuralgia

Persistent sciatica after spinal surgery

Pelvic pain

Pancreatic pain

Musculoskeletal pain

Pain related to hypermobility and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome

Fibromyalgia

Rheumatology and arthritis pain

Mystery and unexplained pains

And many other types of pain.

A bit about me

I founded the Royal Free’s multidisciplinary pain management clinic in 1997 and developed it over the years. Now retired from the NHS, I work in my Private Pain Medicine Practice, and I am the Lead Consultant of the Pain Functional Restoration Programme at the Wellington Hospital.

I am a Past President-Elect of the Pain Section of the Royal Society of Medicine.

I’m a Senior Honorary Consultant in Pain Medicine to the Royal Society of Musicians, and I’m a senior doctor at the British Association of Performing Arts Medicine (BAPAM).

Dr Joseph Azzopardi is a Consultant in Pain Medicine & Anaesthesia at Guy's and St. Thomas' Hospital. Graduating from the University of Malta in 1993, he received anaesthetic and pain training in Dublin and London. In 2000, he was a visiting fellow in Regional Anaesthesia in Uppsala, Sweden. Subsequently in 2002 to 2004, he acquired advanced specialist training in Pain Medicine in Sydney and Adelaide where he developed his interests in interventional pain management, neuromodulation and cancer pain.

Dr Azzopardi is also a Fellow of the Royal College of Anaesthetists UK. He was awarded the Fellowship of the Faculty of Pain Medicine of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists in 2004 and is furthermore a Foundation Fellow of the Faculty of Pain Medicine of the Royal College of Anaesthetists.

He dedicates a significant part of his clinical time to managing Cancer Pain and has been actively involved with the development of Multidisciplinary Integrated Cancer Pain Services at Guys and St.Thomas' Foundation Trust. He also contributes to the Acute Pain Service in Guy’s & St Thomas’ Hospital.

Beyond his clinical interests, Dr Azzopardi also provides Medico-Legal specialist reports and accepts instructions for defendant and claimant personal injury. He has a keen interest in Medical Education and sits on the London Deanery Pain Training Advisory Group Committee. Until only recently, he was the Educational Supervisor for Advanced Pain Training in Guy’s & St Thomas’ Hospital.

His Anaesthetic interests include Difficult Airway Anaesthesia, Regional Anaesthesia and Anaesthesia in the Developing World. To this extent, he has been the Lead anaesthetist on numerous charity missions in Ethiopia with Facing Africa and Project Harar. In addition to this, he is actively involved in postgraduate education, medical simulation and is a clinical supervisor for higher specialist training in Pain Medicine.

Adam Woo is a Consultant in Pain Management and Anaesthesia based at King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in London. 

Dr Woo obtained his medical degree from UCL, graduating with distinction and prizes. He went on to complete his specialist training at the UCL and Royal Free Hospitals. Further to this, Dr Woo has gained an MSc in Pain Management from the University of Edinburgh. He has additionally trained in Advanced Pain at St Thomas' Hospital, London and in Paediatric Pain at Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital. 

Dr Woo deals with complex pain referrals from a number of specialities and has experience in the management of a variety of chronic pain conditions and post-trauma and post-surgery pain. He has a special interest in the use of ultrasound as an intervention for pain and X ray guided injections for back and neck pain. He works jointly with peripheral neuropathic pain Neurologists treating pain with infusions, Qutenza and neuromodulation. He runs the Joint London Urological Pain clinic with Urologists at Kings College Hospital. Treatments offered include diagnostic blocks and pulsed radiofrequency to nerves. Emphasis is avoidance of medications when possible to reduce long and short terms side effects and increase daily functioning as soon as possible.

Dr Woo's professional memberships include the Pain Management faculty of the Royal College of Anaesthetists, British Pain Society and the International Association for the study of pain. He is also the Educational Supervisor for Pain Training at King's and admitted to the Court of Examiners, Question Writer for the Faculty of Pain, Royal College of Anaesthetists.

Dr Woo is active in up to date matters and research. He has published in PubMed listed and peer reviewed journals:

Z Oon and A Woo. Should thoracic epidurals be routinely sited in patients having cardiac surgery? British Journal of Hospital Medicine 2017 78:12, 730-730

Woo A and Sinha M. Should ultrasound or X-rays be used in chronic pain medicine interventions?. British Journal of Hospital Medicine 2016, 77(5), p. 314

Woo A, Tharakan L and Vargulescu R. Stellate Ganglion Block for Painful Congenital Venous Malformation of the Arm. Pain Practice 2015

Wilson J and Woo A Long term Opioids: Friend or Foe? British Journal of Hospital Medicine 74(5): 298 (May 2013)

Woo A. Depression and Anxiety in Pain. British Journal of Pain March 2010 vol. 4 no. 1 8-12

Professional background

MB BS (Hons), FRCA, FFPMRCA, PhD (UCL)

I am a Consultant in Pain Medicine and Anaesthesia at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery and UCLH, London, UK.

I completed my training in anaesthesia rotating between the King’s College London, University College London, Chase Farm and Barnet and the Royal Free Hospitals. My Advanced Pain Medicine fellowship was based at the Imperial School, London and I held appointments at Chelsea and Westminster, Hillingdon and The Royal Marsden Hospitals. I went further supplementing my sub-specialty pain training with attachments to Guys’ and St Thomas’ hospitals (advanced neuromodulation) and Cleveland Clinic, OH, USA (interventional management of headaches) before taking up my current permanent post as a consultant.

My clinical activities are centered around the multidisciplinary management of acute, chronic and cancer pain. Pain Management Service offers individualised care for people with musculoskeletal, neuropathic, chronic or cancer-related pain. Our team provides a comprehensive approach to diagnosing, treating and relieving pain through a combination of minimally invasive interventional, pharmacological, and rehabilitative approaches. We work together to offer treatment plans tailored to each individual patient’s needs with the aim of reducing or eliminating pain and enabling patients to achieve the highest possible level of function.

Conditions commonly referred to me:

Musculoskeletal Pain

Whiplash

Soft tissue (sports) injuries – upper/lower limb, trunk

Chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain (primary and secondary to other injuries)

Chronic pain following surgery (including post mastectomy pain)

Neck pain

Back pain

Knee pain including chronic postoperative pain and denervation

Shoulder pain

Hip pain including denervation approaches

Prolapsed/bulging discs

Sacroiliac joint disorders

Trochanteric bursitis

Spinal stenosis

Facet joint syndrome

Failed back surgery syndrome

Plantar fasciitis

Chronic abdominal pain

Peripheral vascular disease

Sports and exercise related injuries

Persistent pain after surgery

Poorly controlled acute pain

Pelvic pain (male and female)

Vulvodynia

Prostate pain

Testicular pain

Bladder pain syndromes

Pelvic floor dysfunction

Medical management of endomentriosis and related disorders

Chronic pelvic pain

Pudendal neuralgia

Obturator nerve injury post sling insertion

Cancer pain

Chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy

Neuropathic Pain

Orofacial pain

Trigeminal neuralgia

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)

Chronic pain related to neurological and neurodegenerative disorders

Central pain syndrome

Phantom limb pain

Post herpetic neuralgia

Peripheral / polyneuropathy

Meralgia paraesthetica and other nerve entrapment syndromes

Interventional management of primary and some forms of secondary headache (e.g. postdural puncture, occipital neuralgia, cervicogenic headache, trigeminal neuralgia)

Personalised Pain Medicine tailored to suit your genetic makeup and preferences

Second opinion in complex cases

Rare / unexplained / inherited pain conditions

Diseases, Medical Tests and Treatments

Wide range of X-ray and CT-guided injections targeting peripheral structures including nerves and nerve roots and central (axial) blockade.

• Cancer pain
• Back and neck pain
• Persistent pain after surgery
• Poorly controlled acute pain
• Neuropathic pain 
• Pain in urogenital area / pelvic pain (male and female)
• Personalised Pain Medicine tailored to suit your genetic makeup and preferences 
• Second opinion
• Rare / unexplained / inherited pain conditions

Dr. Stefano Palmisani is a Consultant in Pain Medicine and Neuromodulation, with many years of experience in the treatment and management of pain, including minimally invasive spinal interventions. He sees private patients at the London Clinic and the Harley Street Specialist Hospital.

Dr. Palmisani is earned his primary medical qualification at the University of Rome La Sapienza, after which he undertook his specialist training in Anesthesia at Sant Andrea University Hospital. He then completed his higher training at the Valencia General Hospital, Spain, and Guy’s and St Thomas’ hospital, where he gained knowledge and expertise in pain medicine.

Upon completion of his training, he was appointed Consultant at Guy’s and St Thomas Hospital in 2011 and has since joined one of the busiest neuromodulation teams in the UK. He is responsible for establishing and developing the current endoscopic pain interventions service at Guy’s and St Thomas Hospital, which includes endoscopic rhizolysis, facet joints, and sacroiliac joints. Dr. Palmisani works within a multidisciplinary team that manages patients with complex facial and head conditions, including headaches and facial pains, in addition to co-leading the neuromodulation clinic for functional urology, male pelvic pain, and bladder pain.

Dr Nigel Kellow is a consultant pain management specialist, and has a special interest in treating patients suffering from degenerative spinal diseases (which includes conditions such as herniated discs, spinal stenosis and vertebral body fractures). He is furthermore focused on the treatment of neuropathic pain.

Dr Kellow provides palliative care and treatments for patients suffering from pains associated with cancer. He is highly specialised in the use of image-guided interventional procedures for painful spinal, neurological and skeletal conditions.

Owing to both his extensive medical experience and interest in wider extracurricular pursuits, Dr Kellow classifies his patients into three categories:

• patients who have decided that they would not like surgery.
• patients who have been advised that surgery is not the best course of action.
• patients who have not reacted as well as they would have liked surgery or who still have pain issues post-surgery.

Dr Kellow received his medical degree from the Royal Free and went on to complete postgraduate studies in Oxford, Cambridge, Paris and London. In 1996, following the completion of his training, Dr Kellow became an NHS consultant at Barts, where he subsequently spent 8 years. During his time as a consultant at Barts, Dr Kellow completed an MBA with a focus on healthcare management at the London Business School.

Beyond this, Dr Kellow has a number of related medical interests outside of clinical medicine. In particular, he uses his considerable hybrid experience to help a number of health technology businesses.

Personal treatment philosophy: "People who come to see me have often seen a number of other specialists and are not only often in a lot of pain but they also often have a number of secondary problems. I spend a lot of time explaining problems to patients and covering all treatment options. It’s a great feeling to be able to help people out of pain."

Diseases, Medical Tests and Treatments

• Cement augmentation
• Image guided injections
• Neuromodulation 
• Radio-frequency ablation
• Spinal cord stimulation
• Arthritis
• Back and neck pain
• Bone metastases
• Complex regional pain syndrome
• Degenerative spinal disease
• Nerve injuries
• Nerve root pain
• Neuropathic pain
• Osteoid osteoma
• Osteoporosis
• Post spinal surgery pain
• Ruptured discs
• Sciatica and brachalgia
• Trapped nerves
• Vertebral body fractures

Dr Sinha is the Clinical Lead Pain Management, Consultant in Pain Medicine at King’s College Hospital, London. He consults privately in London, Essex and Surrey.

Dr Sinha aims to help patients improve their quality of life has a clinical interest in several areas like back pain, neck pain, sciatica, shoulder pain, abdominal pain, and pelvic pain. He uses evidence-based therapies and involves a multidisciplinary team to manage complex chronic pain problems. He can provide diagnostic, imaging and various treatment options to those suffering from chronic pain, and his particular area of expertise is in ultrasound and fluoroscopy-guided pain procedures.

Dr Sinha trained in Pain Medicine and Anaesthesia at King’s College Hospital and Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital. He was later awarded Fellowships both in Anaesthesia and Pain Medicine. Dr Sinha has a passion for education and teaches medical students, advanced pain trainees, international pain doctors. He has also presented papers both nationally and internationally.

Dr Shetty is an Honorary Associate Professor at UCL and Lead Consultant in Pain Management at the University College London Hospitals. He is the lead for Neuromodulation at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery. Dr Shetty specializes in the use of Spinal cord stimulation for managing complex neuropathic pain conditions including chronic back, leg, pelvic pain and headache. Dr Shetty trained at Cambridge University Hospitals and underwent a clinical fellowship in pain management at Guys & St Thomas Hospital in London. He has worked with experts from around the world and continues to collaborate in the field of pain medicine Dr Shetty was awarded clinical excellence award at House of Lords in recognition of his outstanding performance, and continuing excellence in exemplifying the highest standards of service in an event organised by Essex Medical Society.

Positions held:

Honorary Associate Professor, University College London

Chief Medical Officer , Nurokor

Regional Advisor in Pain Medicine, Royal College of Anaesthesia

Secretary, Royal Society of Medicine

Faculty, UCL female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive Surgery

International Expert Advisor, Euro Pain Clinics, Slovakia

Senior Fellow & Council Member, London Pain Forum

Neuromodulation Module Lead, MSc Programme, UCL

Medical appraiser for Consultants, UCLH

Links

www.drshetty.co.uk

https://iris.ucl.ac.uk/iris/browse/profile?upi=ASHET43

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/drashshetty_clinical-neuroscience-and-long-covid-the-activity-6811021316368429056-nv40

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/drashshetty_artificial-intelligence-in-gynobs-and-mental-activity-6802895269231910912-UB-e

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/drashshetty_implant%C3%A1cie-miechov%C3%BDch-elektr%C3%B3d-u-panvovej-activity-6718633412984360960-Qng2

Diseases, Medical Tests and Treatments

1. Headache

· Dr Shetty specialises in managing complex headache related conditions such as Migraine, Trigeminal Neuralgia & Glossopharyngeal Neuralgia. He specialises in non-invasive (External Neuromodulation) and invasive interventions.

2. Pelvic and visceral pain

· Dr Shetty works at the largest Pelvic Pain Management Centre in United Kingdom and is an expert in managing complex abdominal & pelvic conditions. He set up the Abdomino – Pelvic Pain Symposium to train specialists in managing pelvic pain. He has proctored Physicians in Europe to use Neuromodulation in managing pelvic pain.

3. Back Pain

· Majority of patients with back pain can be managed conservatively. An appropriate diagnostic workup & therapeutic service is provided where required. Dr Shetty is an expert in Pain procedures for back pain. He has successfully managed complex pain conditions with Racz Epidurolysis & Spinal cord stimulation therapy.

4. Neuromodulation

· Dr Shetty is one of the few experts in the world who specialise in providing various forms of neuromodulation therapy including non-invasive external neuromodulation, peripheral neuromodulation and spinal cord stimulation therapy.

Medical procedures

• Nerve Root Injection
• Caudal Epidural Injection
• Facet Joint Injection
• Neck Pain Injections
• Radiofrequency Denervations and Pulsed Radiofrequency to Nerves
• Neuromodulation (Spinal cord stimulation, DRG,Sacral nerve stimulation, ONS, PNS)
• Spinal Injections for Pain
• Interventions for Pelvic and abdominal pain
• Nerve block for Headache and facial pain

Special interests

• Back & Spinal Pain
• Chronic Neck Pain
• Nerve & Neuropathic Pain
• Pelvic and Abdominal Pain
• Headache
• Thoracic and Chest Pain

Dr Norman Kufakwaro is a Consultant in Pain Medicine with training from Barts and the London School of Anaesthesia as well as Guy’s & St Thomas’ Hospital. Dr Kufakwaro is specialized in managing various chronic pain conditions using the latest techniques, and he has a special interest in spinal, nerve, cancer, abdominal and pelvic pain as well as chronic headaches.

Throughout his training, he has gained experience in complex procedures such as spinal cord stimulation, intrathecal pumps, dorsal root ganglion stimulation and disc pain procedures.

Diseases, Medical Tests and Treatments

Dr Norman Kufakwaro is a pain consultant who trained at Barts and the London School of Anaesthesia and Guys & St Thomas’ Hospital. His training included complex pain procedures including spinal cord stimulation, dorsal root ganglion stimulation, intrathecal pumps as well as procedures for disc pain.His main interests are spinal pain, sciatica, nerve pain, cancer pain, chronic headache, abdominal and pelvic pain. He specialises in management of a wide array of chronic pain conditions using latest techniques in pain management

• Non-invasive back pain management
• Wearable Peripheral Neurostimulation,
• Radiofrequency and Neuromodulation
• Spinal Cord Stimulation
• Spinal Injections
• Cancer pain management

Dr Benedict Huntley is a Consultant in Pain Medicine and Anaesthesia. He specialises in whiplash, lower back and neck pain, as well as cancer-related neuropathic and post-surgical pain.

He graduated in medicine from University of Birmingham and was awarded the Arthur Thompson Special Prize for his research. He undertook specialised training in Pain Medicine and Anaesthesia at the Bristol School of Anaesthesia. He was given the Head of School Award for Outstanding Achievement for his community work.

He is currently a Consultant in Pain Medicine and Anaesthesia at Barking, Havering and Redbridge (BHR) University Hospitals NHS Trust, where he is responsible for the modernisation of the Pain Service, recruitment and development of a Pain Management Programme.

He has also worked with colleagues in Palliative Care to develop a referral pathway for patients requiring interventional pain treatments in the management of their complex cancer pain. He has also collaborated with the Haematology team to develop a multidisciplinary approach to patients with complex pain management needs related to their sickle cell disease.

Diseases, Medical Tests and Treatments

• Facet Join Injection 
• Radiofrequency Denervations and Pulsed Radiofrequency to Nerves 
• Back Pain 
• Cancer-related Neuropathic Pain 
• Chronic Neck Pain 
• Chroninc Pain 
• Neck Pain 
• Post-Surgical Pain 
• Whiplash 

 It is important that HCA is transparent about our relationship with those doctors who provide us with clinical guidance on delivering the best possible care to patients and operating our hospitals safely and efficiently. We set out here some of the ways in which we work together and the amount we pay this doctor for such services.