Alberto Martinez-Arizala, M.D.

Pathophysiology and Treatment of Pain Associated with Spinal Cord Injury

My research interest focuses on the types of pain that are associated with spinal cord injury (SCI). Pain can be quite prominent in a significant number of patients with SCI and can interfere with their daily activities and affect their quality of life. My interests include working with my colleagues in the Pain Group to investigatie the basis for the development of the different pain profiles in the spinal cord injured population and to study potential novel treatments for this condition.

We have established a very active and comprehensive Pain Team in The Miami Project that strives to better characterize the types and causes of pain seen following spinal cord injury. The ultimate goal is to further our understanding of this disorder and to develop more effective treatments. To that end, the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center is a major spinal cord injury center which provides patients care for the acutely spinal cord-injured patient, for their comprehensive rehabilitation, and their chronic care. This setting provides a significant number of patients in which to study this disorder.