Hunter Pain Specialists

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We offer a diverse range of procedures

Spinal injections for back pain
Medial branch blocks for face joint pain
Pulsed radiofrequency neurotomy for back, neck and hip pain
Spinal cord and subcutaneous stimulation implantation for chronic back and leg pain
Chemical lumbar sympathectomy to reduce leg and foot pain due to poor blood circulation
Epidural steroid injections to reduce pain associated with nerve root
Protein-rich plasma/autologous blood injections for knee pain
Radiofrequency neurotomy for facet joint pain
Stellate ganglion block to relieve pain in the head, neck, upper arm and upper chest

How we help

Pain is different for everyone. Our doctors will first review medical history to understand the best pain management treatment for the individual, which may include a combination of:

Medication to manage your pain
Psychological approach, including counselling
Exercise and physiotherapy
Interventional procedures (ranging from nerve blocks to spinal cord stimulators)
Diagnostic/therapeutic blocks such as proactive discography, medial branch blocks and epiduroscopy
Injections such as greater/lesser occipital nerve blocks, trigger point injections and prolotherapy
Autologous blood injections
Injections for pain management

Our Specialist Pain Medicine Physicians

Dr Cillian Suiter

MB BCH BAO, FCAI, FFPMCAI, EDRA

Dr Cillian Suiter is an Irish-trained Pain Specialist and Anaesthesiologist. Cillian also has a post-graduate diploma in Patient Safety and Healthcare Simulation from the National University of Ireland Galway, a Certificate in Clinical Research from Harvard University, and is currently in the process of completing a Masters's in leadership at the Royal College of Surgeons, Dublin.

Cillian completed his specialist anaesthesia training in Ireland and went on to do 2 years of specialist fellowship training in Ireland at Tallaght University Hospital, St Vincent’s University Hospital and the Mater University Hospital. He is interested in all aspects of chronic pain management and is currently working with Ass Prof. Marc Russo and Dr Willem Volschenk at Hunter Pain Specialists for further sub-specialist experience in advanced pain management techniques.

Dr Marc Russo

MBBS DA (UK) FANZCA FFPMANZCA

Dr Marc Russo is the Director of Hunter Pain Specialists, Hamilton Day Surgery Centre, Genesis Research Services and Co-Director of the Innervate Pain Management Program.

He developed Australia’s first private multidisciplinary pain management model. Using this approach with clinical diligence, early intervention, education and research in the field of pain management, Dr Russo successfully treats patients suffering from chronic persistent pain.

Dr Russo specialises in spinal cord stimulator implantation and completed two successful world-first spinal cord stimulator device implantations in Newcastle in 2011. He treats patients with a wide range of interventional pain medicine approaches, including a combination of pharmacotherapy and systems approaches.

Dr Willem Volschenk

MBCHB, FCA (SA) FANZCA, FFPMANZCA

Dr Willem Volschenk consults in pain medicine through Hunter Pain Specialists at Broadmeadow in Newcastle and Tuggerah on the Central Coast. He operates at Hamilton Day Surgery, Lingard Private Hospital and Newcastle Private Hospital.

Dr Volschenk completed his postgraduate Specialist Anaesthetic training in Natal, becoming a Fellow of the South African College of Anaethetists. He acquired his postgraduate Australian Anaesthetic and Pain Management Fellowships in Australia, holding a dual fellowship in both Pain Medicine and Anaesthesia.