As a spine specialist, Dr. Kountis finds that patients come to him after years of dealing with their pain and having seen many physicians but having minimal improvement in their symptoms. As the source of pain becomes a chronic problem, it starts to affect other aspects of a patient’s health. The social, emotional and psychological impacts of chronic pain start to play a role in the perception of pain and thus start adding to the impact of pain in a person’s daily life and routine.

Limiting activity, restricting social engagements, and the stress and barriers that severe pain imposes start to change a patient’s outlook on improvement and hope for a pain free future. There are actually well documented physical and chemical changes that occur in a patient with chronic pain. Changes are seen in circulating cortisol levels, along with other neurotransmitters involved with sleep cycles and mood.

Dr. Kountis understands that not everyone wants to run a marathon, but he operates under the belief that everyone wants to, and deserves to, live a full life that is free of pain. That’s why he carefully evaluates each patient’s condition, as well as their goals, and prescribes customized treatment plans that effectively meet each individual’s unique need

He is an expert at assessing all types of painful injuries – work, sports, fracture or arthritis related – and spends time listening closely to each patient, providing a thorough assessment, and if necessary referring patients for additional testing, in order to get to the bottom of what is causing the pain. He is also certified in musculoskeletal ultrasound and doesn’t hesitate to use it for accurate diagnosis of underlying pathologic conditions or to precisely place biologic and synthetic agents to heal an injury.