Biography
Board Certified Pain Management Physician Teresa Griffith, M.D., specializes in the treatment and management of both chronic and acute pain and evaluates patients at the Pain Management Clinic at MidMichigan Medical Center - Alpena.
In addition to treating the source of their pain, Dr. Griffith helps patients develop new habits, make lifestyle modifications and develop healthy strategies to decrease their pain and increase their physical activity.
“Contrary to what many people think, pain is complex,” she said. “How we perceive pain involves the interaction between the mind and body and that involves the nervous system as well as other factors like genetics, thoughts, previous experiences with pain, culture and stress. While most of us associate, and experience pain with injury or illness, that isn’t the only kind of pain a person can experience. Sometimes pain comes without any noticeable body damage and it’s ongoing.”
Philosophy of Care
According to Dr. Griffith, chronic pain can be overwhelming and affect all aspects of a person’s life. “Understanding a patient’s pain and the source of their pain can be key to learning how to manage it,” she said. “The most important thing I remind my patients is that they don’t have to suffer in silence. With time, perseverance, and the right support, they can learn to dial down the pain in order to enjoy life again.”
Special Interests and Procedures
Dr. Griffith specializes in advanced pain management techniques and minimally invasive procedures. Treatments may include radiofrequency ablation, spine, joint, and bursa injections, peripheral blocks, spinal cord stimulation for some intractable cases, and non-opioid medication where appropriate. Dr. Griffith is also trained in Botox® therapy for treatment of chronic migraines. She treats a wide variety of conditions, including:
- Chronic back pain
- Chronic migraine headache/headaches
- Shingles
- Diabetic neuropathy
- Sacral pain
- Myofascial pain
- Neuropathic pain
- Joint pain
- Non-surgical joint pain
- Cancer pain
- Visceral pain
- Pelvic pain
®Botox is a registered trademark of Allergan, Inc.
