In Episode 21, “Whiplash Pain: Myth, Mechanism, and Misunderstanding”, our experts examined whiplash-associated pain. Featuring leaders whose work has helped define the modern understanding of whiplash-associated disorders, the discussion explored key questions surrounding pain generators, diagnostic evaluation, treatment options, interventional management, and long-term outcomes.

• How do we determine the structural cause of whiplash pain?
• What research exists to determine the cause of whiplash pain?
• Is history alone sufficient to identify the whiplash pain generator?
• What role, if any, does the physical exam play in determining the whiplash pain generator?
• What treatments help with acute whiplash pain?
• What treatments help with chronic whiplash pain?
• What is the interventional pain management plan for acute and/or chronic whiplash pain?
• Is there a role for the biopsychosocial model in whiplash pain?
• What surgical options are available for whiplash pain, and when should they be considered?
• What are the treatment outcomes of cervical medial branch RF coagulation?
• Do any other treatment options have the same documented outcomes as cervical RF?
• What is the literature regarding subfailure capsular strain as a cause of chronic neck pain after whiplash?
• What literature is available regarding the anterior annulus fibrosus as a pain source?

Your expert panel for this August 6, 2026, webinar included:

• Nikolai Bogduk, MD, PhD — Emeritus Professor of Pain Medicine at the University of Newcastle, Australia, founding IPSIS member, and pioneer in the understanding of whiplash-associated disorders;
• Rodney Jones, MD — Interventional pain physician, Clinical Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology at the University of Kansas School of Medicine–Wichita, IPSIS Master Instructor, and member of the IPSIS Instructor Development Committee; and
• Michael Furman, MD, MS, Fellowship Director at OSS Health, who founded and moderates the Ask the Experts series, and serves on the IPSIS Education Division, and as a Bio-Skills Lab Master Instructor.

Episode 21 Show Notes: An Annotated Reading List for Whiplash

• Bogduk N. Whiplash injury. In: Cervero F, Jensen TS (eds). Handbook of Clinical Neurology, Volume 81: Pain. Elsevier, Amsterdam, 2006, pp. 791-801.  Includes a summary of studies of the biomechanics of whiplash and its natural history.
• Radanov BP, Sturzenegger M, Di Stefano G. Long-term outcome after whiplash injury. A 2-year follow-up considering features of injury mechanism and somatic, radiologic, and psychosocial findings. Medicine. 1995;74:281-297.  A responsible study of natural history in Switzerland, which shows that only 10% of patients continue to have severe pain.
• Bogduk N. On cervical zygapophysial joint pain after whiplash. Spine. 2011;36:S194-S199.  Describes convergent validity, i.e. how studies using totally different methods converge on the same conclusion: that the pain comes from the cervical Z joints.
• Bogduk N, MacVicar J. Subfailure capsule strain as the cause of cervical zygapophysial joint pain after whiplash: a scoping review. Pain Medicine. 2026;27:883-892.  A recent review that collates the literature that shows that subfailure injuries generate pain.
• Engel AJ, Bogduk N. Neck Pain. In: Ballantyne JC, Fishman SM, Rathmell JP (eds). Bonica’s Management of Pain, 5th Edn. Wolters Kluwer, Philadelphia, 2019, pp. 1230-1244.  Summarises the literature on the treatment of acute and chronic neck pain.
• Bogduk N, MacVicar J. Osteoarthritis of zygapophysial joints as a cause of back pain and neck pain: a scoping review. Pain Medicine. 2024;25:541-552.  The evidence that osteoarthritis of cervical Z joints does not cause neck pain.
• Govind J, Bogduk N. Sources of cervicogenic headache among the upper cervical synovial joints. Pain Medicine. 2022;23:1059-1065.  Describes the algorithm and yield of diagnostic blocks in patients with neck pain and in whom headache is or is not the dominant symptom.
• Bogduk N. On understanding the validity of diagnostic tests. Interventional Pain Medicine. 2022;1:100127. Bogduk N. On the validity and clinical utility of comparative local anesthetic blocks for the diagnosis of spine pain. Interventional Pain Medicine. 2023;2(2):100257.  Teaching articles that explain how the validity of diagnostic blocks is measured and applied into clinical practice.
• Engel A, King W, Schneider BJ, Duszynski B, Bogduk N. The effectiveness of cervical medial branch thermal radiofrequency neurotomy stratified by selection criteria: a systematic review of the literature. Pain Medicine. 2020;21:2726-2737.  A comprehensive review of the evidence on effectiveness of RF coagulation of cervical medial branches, which shows that success rates for various grades of outcomes are related to how stringent are the criteria used for positive responses to diagnostic blocks.

Listen on the go — make "Ask the Experts" your new go-to podcast! Besides the video, an audio download of Episode 21, “Whiplash Pain: Myth, Mechanism, and Misunderstanding”, is also available here.

© 2026 International Pain and Spine Intervention Society – All Rights Reserved Materials presented in this activity have been made available by the International Pain and Spine Intervention Society for educational purposes only.

In Episode 21, “Whiplash Pain: Myth, Mechanism, and Misunderstanding”, our experts examined whiplash-associated pain. Featuring leaders whose work has helped define the modern understanding of whiplash-associated disorders, the discussion explored key questions surrounding pain generators, diagnostic evaluation, treatment options, interventional management, and long-term outcomes.

• How do we determine the structural cause of whiplash pain?
• What research exists to determine the cause of whiplash pain?
• Is history alone sufficient to identify the whiplash pain generator?
• What role, if any, does the physical exam play in determining the whiplash pain generator?
• What treatments help with acute whiplash pain?
• What treatments help with chronic whiplash pain?
• What is the interventional pain management plan for acute and/or chronic whiplash pain?
• Is there a role for the biopsychosocial model in whiplash pain?
• What surgical options are available for whiplash pain, and when should they be considered?
• What are the treatment outcomes of cervical medial branch RF coagulation?
• Do any other treatment options have the same documented outcomes as cervical RF?
• What is the literature regarding subfailure capsular strain as a cause of chronic neck pain after whiplash?
• What literature is available regarding the anterior annulus fibrosus as a pain source?

Your expert panel for this August 6, 2026, webinar included:

• Nikolai Bogduk, MD, PhD — Emeritus Professor of Pain Medicine at the University of Newcastle, Australia, founding IPSIS member, and pioneer in the understanding of whiplash-associated disorders;
• Rodney Jones, MD — Interventional pain physician, Clinical Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology at the University of Kansas School of Medicine–Wichita, IPSIS Master Instructor, and member of the IPSIS Instructor Development Committee; and
• Michael Furman, MD, MS, Fellowship Director at OSS Health, who founded and moderates the Ask the Experts series, and serves on the IPSIS Education Division, and as a Bio-Skills Lab Master Instructor.

Episode 21 Show Notes: An Annotated Reading List for Whiplash

• Bogduk N. Whiplash injury. In: Cervero F, Jensen TS (eds). Handbook of Clinical Neurology, Volume 81: Pain. Elsevier, Amsterdam, 2006, pp. 791-801.  Includes a summary of studies of the biomechanics of whiplash and its natural history.
• Radanov BP, Sturzenegger M, Di Stefano G. Long-term outcome after whiplash injury. A 2-year follow-up considering features of injury mechanism and somatic, radiologic, and psychosocial findings. Medicine. 1995;74:281-297.  A responsible study of natural history in Switzerland, which shows that only 10% of patients continue to have severe pain.
• Bogduk N. On cervical zygapophysial joint pain after whiplash. Spine. 2011;36:S194-S199.  Describes convergent validity, i.e. how studies using totally different methods converge on the same conclusion: that the pain comes from the cervical Z joints.
• Bogduk N, MacVicar J. Subfailure capsule strain as the cause of cervical zygapophysial joint pain after whiplash: a scoping review. Pain Medicine. 2026;27:883-892.  A recent review that collates the literature that shows that subfailure injuries generate pain.
• Engel AJ, Bogduk N. Neck Pain. In: Ballantyne JC, Fishman SM, Rathmell JP (eds). Bonica’s Management of Pain, 5th Edn. Wolters Kluwer, Philadelphia, 2019, pp. 1230-1244.  Summarises the literature on the treatment of acute and chronic neck pain.
• Bogduk N, MacVicar J. Osteoarthritis of zygapophysial joints as a cause of back pain and neck pain: a scoping review. Pain Medicine. 2024;25:541-552.  The evidence that osteoarthritis of cervical Z joints does not cause neck pain.
• Govind J, Bogduk N. Sources of cervicogenic headache among the upper cervical synovial joints. Pain Medicine. 2022;23:1059-1065.  Describes the algorithm and yield of diagnostic blocks in patients with neck pain and in whom headache is or is not the dominant symptom.
• Bogduk N. On understanding the validity of diagnostic tests. Interventional Pain Medicine. 2022;1:100127. Bogduk N. On the validity and clinical utility of comparative local anesthetic blocks for the diagnosis of spine pain. Interventional Pain Medicine. 2023;2(2):100257.  Teaching articles that explain how the validity of diagnostic blocks is measured and applied into clinical practice.
• Engel A, King W, Schneider BJ, Duszynski B, Bogduk N. The effectiveness of cervical medial branch thermal radiofrequency neurotomy stratified by selection criteria: a systematic review of the literature. Pain Medicine. 2020;21:2726-2737.  A comprehensive review of the evidence on effectiveness of RF coagulation of cervical medial branches, which shows that success rates for various grades of outcomes are related to how stringent are the criteria used for positive responses to diagnostic blocks.

Watch the “Whiplash Pain: Myth, Mechanism, and Misunderstanding ” webinar where this podcast was recorded. A streaming Ask the Experts video is available here.

© 2026 International Pain and Spine Intervention Society – All Rights Reserved Materials presented in this activity have been made available by the International Pain and Spine Intervention Society for educational purposes only.

Whether you’re preparing for your first contract, early in practice, or mentoring the next generation of pain physicians, this must-watch discussion offers candid insights on the real-world career tradeoffs facing new attendings. 

Learn:

• High-yield procedural pearls for early practice
• How to build safer, more efficient procedure-suite habits
• Best practices for fluoroscopy, radiation safety, sterility, contrast, and medication prep
• How to avoid common technical pitfalls
• How to troubleshoot difficult anatomy and unexpected findings
• Principles of case selection, planning, and procedural judgment
• Lessons recent graduates wish they knew before independent practice

Your panel for this June 25, 2026, webinar included:

• Alexandra Adler, MD, a member of the IPSIS Coverage Committee at Lowell General Pain Management in Lowell, Massachusetts;
• Adem Aktas, DO, at the University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, New York;
• Mihir Joshi, MD, a Standards Division member and Early Career Council Research Division Ambassador at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minnesota; and
• Katharine Smolinski, DO, Early Career Council Education Division Ambassador at the University of Utah Orthopaedic Center in Midvale, Utah.

This panel was moderated by Edward Pingenot, DO, an Early Career Council Executive Council Member at New York-Presbyterian Hospital Columbia and Cornell in New York, New York.

Starting your career in interventional pain medicine with the right support can fast-track your clinical confidence, sharpen your decision-making, and elevate the care you provide. IPSIS fuels your early career by offering free membership for residents and fellows and, through the Early Career Council, delivering high-impact support when they matter most.

© 2026 International Pain and Spine Intervention Society – All Rights Reserved Materials presented in this activity have been made available by the International Pain and Spine Intervention Society for educational purposes only.

In Episode 20, “Epidural Steroid Injections — Not As Simple As You'd Think!”, our experts covered your questions on:

• Which patient phenotypes and pain generators are most predictive of meaningful clinical response?
• When, if ever, is ESI appropriate for isolated axial back pain?
• How should interlaminar vs. transforaminal approaches be selected based on anatomy, pathology, and therapeutic intent?
• What are the comparative safety and efficacy considerations between particulate and non-particulate steroids?
• How should anticoagulation and antiplatelet therapy be risk-stratified and managed in the peri-procedural setting?

Your expert panel for this June 11, 2026, webinar included:

• David S. Levi, MD, an interventional spine specialist at the Jordan-Young Institute in Virginia Beach, Virginia, who serves IPSIS as a Standards Division member, Patient Safety Committee Chair, and Bio-Skills Lab Associate Instructor;
• Joshua H. Levin, MD, a Clinical Associate Professor at Stanford University in Los Altos, California, who serves IPSIS as Research Division Vice Chair, Abstract Review Committee Chair, 2026 Annual Meeting Program Committee member, and New Bio-Skills Lab Instructor; and
• Michael Furman, MD, MS, Fellowship Director at OSS Health, who founded and moderates the Ask the Experts series, and serves on the IPSIS Education Division, and as a Bio-Skills Lab Master Instructor.

Watch the “Epidural Steroid Injections — Not As Simple As You'd Think!” webinar where this podcast was recorded. A streaming Ask the Experts video is available here.

Episode 20 Show Notes: These are the abstracts referenced by our experts.

• Beckworth WJ, Ghanbari GM, Lamas-Basulto E, Taylor B. Safety of cervical transforaminal epidural steroid injections. Interv Pain Med. 2024;3(2):100420. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.inpm.2024.100420
• Dawley JD, Moeller-Bertram T, Wallace MS, Patel PM. Intra-arterial injection in the rat brain: Evaluation of steroids used for transforaminal epidurals. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2009;34(16):1638-1643. doi: https://doi.org/10.1097/BRS.0b013e3181ac0018
• Friedly JL, Comstock BA, Turner JA, Heagerty PJ, Deyo RA, Sullivan SD, Bauer Z, Bresnahan BW, Avins AL, Nedeljkovic SS, Nerenz DR, Standaert C, Kessler L, Akuthota V, Annaswamy T, Chen A, Diehn F, Firtch W, Gerges FJ, Gilligan C, Goldberg H, Kennedy DJ, Mandel S, Tyburski M, Sanders W, Sibell D, Smuck M, Wasan A, Won L, Jarvik JG. A randomized trial of epidural glucocorticoid injections for spinal stenosis. N Engl J Med. 2014;371(1):11-21. doi: https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1313265
• Michael B. Furman, Sean P. Butler, Ruby E. Kim, Ariz R. Mehta, Jeremy I. Simon, Rikin Patel, Thomas S. Lee, Ryan S. Reeves, Injectate Volumes Needed to Reach Specific Landmarks in S1 Transforaminal Epidural Injections, Pain Medicine, Volume 13, Issue 10, October 2012, Pages 1265–1274, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1526-4637.2012.01474.x
• Furman MB, Mehta AR, Kim RE, Simon JI, Patel R, Lee TS, Reeves RS. Injectate volumes needed to reach specific landmarks in lumbar transforaminal epidural injections. PM R. 2010 Jul;2(7):625-35. doi: 10.1016/j.pmrj.2010.04.023. PMID: 20659718.
• Furman MB, Lee TS, Mehta A, Simon JI, Cano WG. Contrast flow selectivity during transforaminal lumbosacral epidural steroid injections. Pain Physician. 2008 Nov-Dec;11(6):855-61. PMID: 19057631.
• Gharibo CG, Fakhry M, Diwan S, Kaye AD. Conus medullaris infarction after a right L4 transforaminal epidural steroid injection using dexamethasone. Pain Physician. 2016;19(8):E1211-E1214.
• Michael Karasek, Nikolai Bogduk, Temporary Neurologic Deficit After Cervical Transforaminal Injection of Local Anesthetic, Pain Medicine, Volume 5, Issue 2, June 2004, Pages 202–205, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1526-4637.2004.04028.x
• Moradian M, Tekmyster G, Wei JJ, Avetisian H, Acharya JN, Furman MB, Encephalopathy after unintentional intrathecal gadolinium: A letter to the editor, Interventional Pain Medicine (2022); 1(3): 100105 doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.inpm.2022.100105.
• Levi D, Horn S, Murphy J, Smuck M, Levin J. Modification of the cervical transforaminal epidural steroid injection technique based upon the anatomic angle of the superior articular process on MRI. Pain Med. 2020;21(10):2090-2099. doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/pm/pnaa162
• Levi D, Randall D, Horn S, Russo A, Gabri J, Durand M, Levin J. Safety profile of cervical transforaminal epidural steroid injections performed while maintaining anticoagulation, aspirin, or NSAIDs. Interv Pain Med. 2025;4(3):100618. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.inpm.2025.100618
• Maus TP, El-Yahchouchi CA, Geske JR, Carter RE, Kaufmann TJ, Wald JT, Diehn FE. Imaging determinants of clinical effectiveness of lumbar transforaminal epidural steroid injections. Pain Med. 2016;17(12):2176-2184. doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/pm/pnw043
• Okubadejo GO, Talcott MR, Schmidt RE, Sharma A, Patel AA, Mackey RB, Guarino AH, Moran CJ, Riew KD. Perils of intravascular methylprednisolone injection into the vertebral artery: An animal study. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2008;90(9):1932-1938. doi: https://doi.org/10.2106/JBJS.G.01182
• Plastaras CT, Casey E, Goodman BS, Chou L, Roth D, Rittenberg J. Inadvertent intradiscal contrast flow during lumbar transforaminal epidural steroid injections: A case series examining the prevalence of intradiscal injection as well as potential associated factors and adverse events. Pain Med. 2010;11(12):1765-1773. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1526-4637.2010.00943.x
• Yang C, Kim NE, Beak JS, Tae NY, Eom BH, Kim BG. Acute cervical myelopathy with quadriparesis after cervical transforaminal epidural steroid injection: A case report. Medicine (Baltimore). 2019;98(50):e18299. doi: https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000018299

© 2026 International Pain and Spine Intervention Society – All Rights Reserved Materials presented in this activity have been made available by the International Pain and Spine Intervention Society for educational purposes only.

In Episode 20, “Epidural Steroid Injections — Not As Simple As You'd Think!”, our experts covered your questions on:

• Which patient phenotypes and pain generators are most predictive of meaningful clinical response?
• When, if ever, is ESI appropriate for isolated axial back pain?
• How should interlaminar vs. transforaminal approaches be selected based on anatomy, pathology, and therapeutic intent?
• What are the comparative safety and efficacy considerations between particulate and non-particulate steroids?
• How should anticoagulation and antiplatelet therapy be risk-stratified and managed in the peri-procedural setting?

Your expert panel for this June 11, 2026, webinar included:

• David S. Levi, MD, an interventional spine specialist at the Jordan-Young Institute in Virginia Beach, Virginia, who serves IPSIS as a Standards Division member, Patient Safety Committee Chair, and Bio-Skills Lab Associate Instructor;
• Joshua H. Levin, MD, a Clinical Associate Professor at Stanford University in Los Altos, California, who serves IPSIS as Research Division Vice Chair, Abstract Review Committee Chair, 2026 Annual Meeting Program Committee member, and New Bio-Skills Lab Instructor; and
• Michael Furman, MD, MS, Fellowship Director at OSS Health, who founded and moderates the Ask the Experts series, and serves on the IPSIS Education Division, and as a Bio-Skills Lab Master Instructor.

Listen on the go — make "Ask the Experts" your new go-to podcast! Besides the video, an audio download of Episode 20, “Epidural Steroid Injections — Not As Simple As You'd Think!”, is also available here.

Episode 20 Show Notes: These are the abstracts referenced by our experts.

• Beckworth WJ, Ghanbari GM, Lamas-Basulto E, Taylor B. Safety of cervical transforaminal epidural steroid injections. Interv Pain Med. 2024;3(2):100420. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.inpm.2024.100420
• Dawley JD, Moeller-Bertram T, Wallace MS, Patel PM. Intra-arterial injection in the rat brain: Evaluation of steroids used for transforaminal epidurals. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2009;34(16):1638-1643. doi: https://doi.org/10.1097/BRS.0b013e3181ac0018
• Friedly JL, Comstock BA, Turner JA, Heagerty PJ, Deyo RA, Sullivan SD, Bauer Z, Bresnahan BW, Avins AL, Nedeljkovic SS, Nerenz DR, Standaert C, Kessler L, Akuthota V, Annaswamy T, Chen A, Diehn F, Firtch W, Gerges FJ, Gilligan C, Goldberg H, Kennedy DJ, Mandel S, Tyburski M, Sanders W, Sibell D, Smuck M, Wasan A, Won L, Jarvik JG. A randomized trial of epidural glucocorticoid injections for spinal stenosis. N Engl J Med. 2014;371(1):11-21. doi: https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1313265
• Michael B. Furman, Sean P. Butler, Ruby E. Kim, Ariz R. Mehta, Jeremy I. Simon, Rikin Patel, Thomas S. Lee, Ryan S. Reeves, Injectate Volumes Needed to Reach Specific Landmarks in S1 Transforaminal Epidural Injections, Pain Medicine, Volume 13, Issue 10, October 2012, Pages 1265–1274, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1526-4637.2012.01474.x
• Furman MB, Mehta AR, Kim RE, Simon JI, Patel R, Lee TS, Reeves RS. Injectate volumes needed to reach specific landmarks in lumbar transforaminal epidural injections. PM R. 2010 Jul;2(7):625-35. doi: 10.1016/j.pmrj.2010.04.023. PMID: 20659718.
• Furman MB, Lee TS, Mehta A, Simon JI, Cano WG. Contrast flow selectivity during transforaminal lumbosacral epidural steroid injections. Pain Physician. 2008 Nov-Dec;11(6):855-61. PMID: 19057631.
• Gharibo CG, Fakhry M, Diwan S, Kaye AD. Conus medullaris infarction after a right L4 transforaminal epidural steroid injection using dexamethasone. Pain Physician. 2016;19(8):E1211-E1214.
• Michael Karasek, Nikolai Bogduk, Temporary Neurologic Deficit After Cervical Transforaminal Injection of Local Anesthetic, Pain Medicine, Volume 5, Issue 2, June 2004, Pages 202–205, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1526-4637.2004.04028.x
• Moradian M, Tekmyster G, Wei JJ, Avetisian H, Acharya JN, Furman MB, Encephalopathy after unintentional intrathecal gadolinium: A letter to the editor, Interventional Pain Medicine (2022); 1(3): 100105 doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.inpm.2022.100105.
• Levi D, Horn S, Murphy J, Smuck M, Levin J. Modification of the cervical transforaminal epidural steroid injection technique based upon the anatomic angle of the superior articular process on MRI. Pain Med. 2020;21(10):2090-2099. doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/pm/pnaa162
• Levi D, Randall D, Horn S, Russo A, Gabri J, Durand M, Levin J. Safety profile of cervical transforaminal epidural steroid injections performed while maintaining anticoagulation, aspirin, or NSAIDs. Interv Pain Med. 2025;4(3):100618. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.inpm.2025.100618
• Maus TP, El-Yahchouchi CA, Geske JR, Carter RE, Kaufmann TJ, Wald JT, Diehn FE. Imaging determinants of clinical effectiveness of lumbar transforaminal epidural steroid injections. Pain Med. 2016;17(12):2176-2184. doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/pm/pnw043
• Okubadejo GO, Talcott MR, Schmidt RE, Sharma A, Patel AA, Mackey RB, Guarino AH, Moran CJ, Riew KD. Perils of intravascular methylprednisolone injection into the vertebral artery: An animal study. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2008;90(9):1932-1938. doi: https://doi.org/10.2106/JBJS.G.01182
• Plastaras CT, Casey E, Goodman BS, Chou L, Roth D, Rittenberg J. Inadvertent intradiscal contrast flow during lumbar transforaminal epidural steroid injections: A case series examining the prevalence of intradiscal injection as well as potential associated factors and adverse events. Pain Med. 2010;11(12):1765-1773. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1526-4637.2010.00943.x
• Yang C, Kim NE, Beak JS, Tae NY, Eom BH, Kim BG. Acute cervical myelopathy with quadriparesis after cervical transforaminal epidural steroid injection: A case report. Medicine (Baltimore). 2019;98(50):e18299. doi: https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000018299

© 2026 International Pain and Spine Intervention Society – All Rights Reserved Materials presented in this activity have been made available by the International Pain and Spine Intervention Society for educational purposes only.

This product was previously titled, Core Curriculum for Interventional Physicians: Cervical and Advanced Cervical, and are the same modules which are the building blocks for all interventional pain physicians. 

Topics covered include:

• Anatomy, Technique, and Evidence Base
  • Third Occipital Nerve Blocks: Lateral Approach
  • Third Occipital Nerve Blocks: Posterior Approach
  • C7 Medial Branch Blocks: Lateral Approach
  • C7 Medial Branch Block: Posterior Approach
  • C3-C6 Medial Branch Blocks: Lateral Approach
  • C3-C6 Medial Branch Blocks: Posterior Approach
  • Lateral Atlanto-Axial Joint (C1-C2) Access
  • Transforaminal Epidural Steroid Injections
  • Interlaminar Epidural Steroid Injections
  • Intra-articular Facet Joint Access
  • Thoracic Transforaminal Epidural Steroid Injections
• Cervical Anatomy for the Interventional Pain Management Physician
• Advanced Cervical Anatomy and Imaging: Anatomy of the Craniocervical Junction
• Contrast Flow Patterns in Cervical Epidural Injections
• Risk Mitigation in Cervical Procedures
• Risk Mitigation in Advanced Cervical Procedures

For the optimal learning experience, it is highly recommended that you view the videos in order.

No commercial support was received for this activity.

© 2020 International Pain & Spine Intervention Society – All Rights Reserved
Materials presented in this activity have been made available by the International Pain & Spine Intervention Society for educational purposes only. We reserve all rights to such material. 

Membership is required to access the modules in your member profile.

In episode 19, our experts covered your questions on:

• Who is the ideal SCS candidate, and what red flags predict poor response?
• How should you design an effective SCS trial, and what defines success beyond the traditional ≥50% pain relief benchmark?
• Why do appropriate candidates sometimes “fail” trials, and when should you repeat or modify the approach?
• What implantation techniques reduce lead migration and revision rates?
• How should you select and optimize programming modalities (tonic, burst, HF, closed-loop, rolling field, DTM, etc.) for durable benefit?
• Which post-operative protocols best prevent avoidable complications?
• How do you distinguish habituation from disease progression when efficacy declines?
• What drives explants and revisions, and how can you minimize real-world revision burden?
• How do you detect and address “silent explants” before outcomes deteriorate? 
•  What is a stepwise framework for preventing and managing infection, mechanical failure, neurologic risk, and pocket pain?

Your expert panel for this April 8, 2026 webinar included:

• Ramana K. Naidu, MD, President Emeritus of the Pacific Spine & Pain Society and Medical Director of Pain Management for MarinHealth Medical Center in Larkspur, California;
• Drew Trainor, DO, MS, an IPSIS Associate Bio-Skills Lab Instructor, and owner of the Denver Spine and Pain Institute in Greenwood Village, Colorado, and
• Michael Furman, MD, MS, Ask the Experts moderator and Fellowship Director at OSS Health, who serves on the IPSIS Education Division.

Listen on the go — make "Ask the Experts" your new go-to podcast! Besides the video, an audio download is also available here.

© 2026 International Pain and Spine Intervention Society – All Rights Reserved Materials presented in this activity have been made available by the International Pain and Spine Intervention Society for educational purposes only.

In episode 19, our experts covered your questions on:

• Who is the ideal SCS candidate, and what red flags predict poor response?
• How should you design an effective SCS trial, and what defines success beyond the traditional ≥50% pain relief benchmark?
• Why do appropriate candidates sometimes “fail” trials, and when should you repeat or modify the approach?
• What implantation techniques reduce lead migration and revision rates?
• How should you select and optimize programming modalities (tonic, burst, HF, closed-loop, rolling field, DTM, etc.) for durable benefit?
• Which post-operative protocols best prevent avoidable complications?
• How do you distinguish habituation from disease progression when efficacy declines?
• What drives explants and revisions, and how can you minimize real-world revision burden?
• How do you detect and address “silent explants” before outcomes deteriorate? 
•  What is a stepwise framework for preventing and managing infection, mechanical failure, neurologic risk, and pocket pain?

Your expert panel for this April 8, 2026 webinar included:

• Ramana K. Naidu, MD, President Emeritus of the Pacific Spine & Pain Society and Medical Director of Pain Management for MarinHealth Medical Center in Larkspur, California;
• Drew Trainor, DO, MS, an IPSIS Associate Bio-Skills Lab Instructor, and owner of the Denver Spine and Pain Institute in Greenwood Village, Colorado, and
• Michael Furman, MD, MS, Ask the Experts moderator and Fellowship Director at OSS Health, who serves on the IPSIS Education Division.

Listen on the go — make "Ask the Experts" your new go-to podcast! Besides the video, an audio download is also available here.

© 2026 International Pain and Spine Intervention Society – All Rights Reserved Materials presented in this activity have been made available by the International Pain and Spine Intervention Society for educational purposes only.

This product was previously titled, Core Curriculum for Interventional Physicians: Disc and Vertebral Body Access, and are the same modules which are the building blocks for all interventional pain physicians. 

Topics covered include:

Intervertebral Disc Anatomy, Pathophysiology, and Pain Generation

Anatomy, Technique, and Evidence Base

•     Lumbar Disc Access    
•     Cervical Disc Access
•     Thoracic Disc Access 
•     Vertebral Body Access Vertebral Augmentation
•     Basivertebral Nerve Radiofrequency Neurotomuy-Ablation 

Risks and Complications 

For the optimal learning experience, it is highly recommended that you view the videos in order.

No commercial support was received for this activity.

© 2021 International Pain & Spine Intervention Society – All Rights Reserved  
Materials presented in this activity have been made available by the Spine Intervention Society for educational purposes only. We reserve all rights to such material. 

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Whether you’re preparing for your first contract, early in practice, or mentoring the next generation of pain physicians, this must-watch discussion offers candid insights on the real-world career tradeoffs facing new attendings. 

Learn:

• The truth about commonly assumed academia and private practice myths
• Day-to-day lifestyle realities, including call burden, clinical volume, and burnout risk
• How contracts, Relative Value Units (RVUs), ambulatory surgery center (ASC) buy-ins, and incentive structures impact your daily work and long-term trajectory
• Key differences in compensation, productivity expectations, and professional autonomy
• When and how loan forgiveness should factor into your career decision
• What “doing research” actually looks like in an academic setting

Your panel included:

• David Hao, MD, a double board-certified anesthesiologist and chronic pain physician at Massachusetts General Hospital, where he serves as the Director of the MGH Cancer Pain Program;
• Jay Karri, MD, a physiatrist and pain medicine physician at the University of Maryland in Baltimore, Maryland;
• Peggy Riso, MD, a double board-certified pain medicine physician and anesthesiologist at Southern Pain and Spine in Gainesville, Georgia;
• Christopher Robinson, MD, PhD, an anesthesiologist and assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, who also serves on the IPSIS Advocacy Committee and Coverage Committee; and
• Kevin Vu, MD, a physiatrist and pain medicine physician at the Pain and Wellness Center in Peabody, Massachusetts.

© 2026 International Pain and Spine Intervention Society – All Rights Reserved Materials presented in this activity have been made available by the International Pain and Spine Intervention Society for educational purposes only.