New patients

Your first visit.

A first appointment is for working out what is wrong. Everything else follows from that.

In short

Your first visit takes about forty five minutes to an hour. We take a full history, examine you, review any imaging you bring, and tell you what we think is causing the pain and what we would do about it. You will not be given an injection on the first visit unless the diagnosis is already clear and you want to proceed. Most people leave with a diagnosis, a plan, and an understanding of what comes next.

Visit length

45 to 60 minutes

Arrive

15 minutes early

Offices

Clifton, Jersey City, Edison

Book an appointment Call (888) 233-3415

What to bring

Bring these and the visit goes faster.

If you cannot find something, come anyway. Do not delay the appointment over paperwork.

Photo ID and your insurance card
A referral from your primary care doctor if your plan requires one
A list of your medications with doses, including anything over the counter
Any MRI, CT, X-ray or ultrasound reports, and the discs or images themselves if you have them
Records or notes from other doctors you have seen for this problem
The names of any physical therapy, chiropractic or injection treatments you have already tried, and whether they helped
For a work injury: the claim number, the adjuster's name, and the incident report
For a car accident: the police report number, your auto insurance card, and the PIP claim number if you have it
Your attorney's name and office, if you have one for this injury
A list of your questions. Write them down before you come, because it is easy to forget them in the room.

The visit

What actually happens, start to finish.

Before you arriveBook online, or call (888) 233-3415. Our staff verifies your insurance before the visit so there are no surprises about coverage. You can fill out the intake forms online ahead of time, which saves about fifteen minutes in the waiting room. If you are coming for an EMG, skip lotion and cream on your skin that day.01

Check inArrive fifteen minutes early for your first appointment. We take a copy of your ID and insurance card and finish any paperwork you did not do online. All three offices have free parking on site and are accessible without stairs.02

The historyThis is the longest part and the most important. When did it start, what were you doing, where exactly does it hurt, where does it travel, what makes it better and worse, what has it stopped you from doing. Be specific and be honest, including about what has not worked. Most diagnoses in pain medicine are made from the history, not from the scan.03

The examinationWe check your strength, reflexes, sensation and range of motion, and test the specific movements that provoke your pain. This is what tells us whether a finding on your MRI is the real source of the problem or an incidental finding you have had for years.04

Reviewing your imaging and testingWe look at the actual images, not only the radiologist's report. If the picture does not explain your symptoms, we say so. When it is not clear which nerve is involved, we may recommend an EMG and nerve conduction study, which we perform in our own office.05

The planYou get a diagnosis in plain language and the options that follow from it, starting with the least invasive thing that has a real chance of working. That may be medication, physical therapy, a diagnostic block, an image guided injection, or radiofrequency ablation. We tell you what each one involves, what it is likely to do, how long the relief tends to last, and the risks. You decide.06

Scheduling and follow upIf a procedure makes sense, we schedule it and our staff handles the insurance authorization. Most procedures take fifteen to thirty minutes and you go home the same day. We see you back to find out whether it worked, because the response to a treatment is itself diagnostic information.07

Questions

What new patients ask.

Do I need a referral to be seen?

It depends on your plan. HMO plans usually require one and PPO plans usually do not. Call (888) 233-3415 with your card and we will check for you. Workers' compensation cases need carrier authorization rather than a referral, and we help with that.

How long does the first visit take?

Plan on forty five minutes to an hour, plus fifteen minutes for check in. Arrive early the first time.

Will I get an injection on the first visit?

Usually not. The first visit is for making a diagnosis. If the diagnosis is already clear, the insurance authorization is in place, and you want to go ahead, we can sometimes treat the same day.

Can I bring someone with me?

Yes, and it is a good idea. A second set of ears remembers things you will not.

Should I stop my blood thinner before coming?

Not on your own, and not before talking to the doctor who prescribed it. Bring the name and dose. If a procedure is planned later, we will coordinate the timing with your prescriber.

What if my MRI was done somewhere else?

Bring the report and the images if you can get them. If you cannot, bring the name of the imaging center and the date and we will request them.

Do you see patients who have already had spine surgery?

Yes. Pain that persists or returns after surgery is a large part of what this practice treats.

All questions

Before you come

Coverage and offices.

Call with your card and the staff will verify your plan and tell you your share before the visit.

Insurance we acceptMajor carriers, Medicare, workers' compensation, auto and personal injury claims.→Clifton, NJ1037 US-46, Suite 103. Monday, Tuesday, Friday.→Jersey City, NJ377 Jersey Ave, Suite 250. Wednesday.→Edison, NJ2 Lincoln Highway, Suite 405. Thursday.→

Get a diagnosis this week.

Three New Jersey offices, most insurance accepted, and a real opening on the calendar.

Book an appointment Call (888) 233-3415