The field of pain management is very rewarding to Dr. Daniel Cartledge. Results can occur quickly leading to patients getting back to their normal lives.
“It amazes me how a simple and relatively quick procedure can improve someone’s quality of life and function,” he said. “To simply be able to play with one’s grandchildren or be able to jump on a plane and travel or play golf can mean so much to someone who’s suffering from chronic pain.”
For nearly 15 years, Dr. Cartledge has brought his compassion, enthusiasm and knowledge to the National Pain Institute as their medical director.
Graduating from Lehigh University in Pennsylvania with a bachelor’s degree, he earned his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Saint Eustatius School of Medicine in the Netherlands Antilles. He completed an internal medicine internship at Louisiana State University and a physical medicine and rehabilitation residency at Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital in Illinois.
Dr. Cartledge is driven in his work by helping people to live their lives to the fullest despite health obstacles and aging. “We all deserve the best life we can possibly have,” he said.
The future of pain management is bright and there are many noteworthy treatments and techniques on the horizon. “Pain management, as well as so many other fields of medicine, will benefit from stem cells and regenerative medicine,” Dr. Cartledge said. “I also believe we are just at the beginning of bioelectrics — using electricity of heal the body.”
Dr. Cartledge believes pain management should be a multi-faceted approach that includes interventional procedures, medications, lifestyle modification as well as therapy.
“Pain management pharmaceuticals keep evolving,” he said. “Knowing the latest medications and pharmacologic studies can guide my treatments plans. Everyone is unique in their response to pain medications, and treatment must to tailored to the individual.”
In Dr. Cartledge’s downtime, he enjoys traveling.
