MD
Pain Management Specialist
Christopher Amsden
Education and Training
Dr. Christopher Amsden spent his early years in Coos Bay, Oregon. His family moved to Portland, where he completed grade and high school. He majored in Chemistry at Pitzer College of the Claremont Colleges, followed by obtaining his M.D. from Portland’s Oregon Health and Science University in 1984. His Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PMR) residency was completed at UC Irvine, and at the Long Beach VA Hospital in 1988. He is board certified in both specialties and board elegible in electrodiagnosis.
Dr. Amsden practiced initially in Portland, during the infancy of fluoroscopic pain management procedures, being the first doctor (that we know of) to utilize these more advanced guided pain treatment procedures, in the Rose City. He later practiced for 23 years in Modesto, within California’s Central Valley. He returned to Oregon in 2014 where he has been practicing ever since.
Dr. Amsden, regarding his patients’ pain problems, addresses the importance of lifestyle, conditioning, and weight management. Beyond those, medication trials, injections, acupuncture, or manipulations may be recommended, as well as psychological training, for stubborn pain problems. Physical Therapy may also assist with development of conservative treatment approaches for pain problems.
Dr. Amsden generally recommends first trying out less habit forming types of pain medications. He utilizes adjuvant medications such as anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen, anti-convulsants like gabapentin, or anti-depressants like Effexor or Pamelor, over stronger and more habit forming pain medications. Dr. Amsden also uses lab testing, and medication agreements as well, for the safety of his patients, and to help increase the predictability of the treatment plan.
Dr. Amsden performs interventional pain treatment procedures including spinal epidural and facet blocks, and nerve and joint blocks in the limbs, hips, and shoulders.
Interests
Dr. Amsden enjoys hiking, music, and skiing. His chief goal now is to develop a fluid and helpful pain treatment program, here at Reedsport Medical Clinic, and at Lower Umpqua Hospital District.
* Musculoskeletal Spine & Joint Pain Consultation and Management
* Interventional Spine Treatment Cervical, Thoracic, Lumbar Facetal (Injections or Radiofrequency)
* Sympathetic Blocks, Disc Procedures, and Spinal Cord Stimulator Trials
* Fluoroscopic Certificated, and with extensive ultrasound experience
*Electrodiagnosis (electromyography (EMG) + nerve conduction studies (NCS))