Dr. Iqbal primarily recommends the most conservative, non-invasive treatments first as they are critical in addressing the mechanical and psychological aspects of pain that are immensely important for long-term healing. He believes strongly that they lay the foundation to sustainable healing and re-incorporates these modalities throughout your long-term treatment. He works with providers that share in his patient-centered philosophy and is constantly growing his network of high-quality referrals.
With the growing spotlight on the national opioid epidemic, Dr. Iqbal is well-versed in tailoring medication regimen appropriately for your level of pain in a safe and effective manner that minimizes opioids. He understands that opioids have a role in pain management however is a believer in the silent damage they can cause long term. His goal is thus to work carefully to help repair and ideally undo that damage with an approach steeped in the neuroscience of central pain processing. His approach is to ultimately help decrease dependency on opioids and allow the body’s intrinsic pain-suppressing pathways to play a greater role in long-term healing. He has found consistent success over the years in following this understanding of pain; his patients testify to feeling both empowered and unburdened when they are able to successfully navigate away from opioids and onto less harmful treatments.
Utilizing the latest in minimally-invasive interventional techniques, Dr. Iqbal is exceptionally skilled in both xray and ultrasound guided needle-based treatments and surgical treatments. He is among the few interventional pain physicians in Orange County with broad expertise in multiple cutting edge procedures including both spinal and peripheral nerve stimulation utilizing all available stimulation paradigms, sacro-iliac joint fusion, interspinous spacer implants, intrathecal pump implantation, kyphoplasty and radiofrequency ablation of spinal, basivertebral and peripheral joints. He also performs regenerative therapy such as PRP and stem cell injections. He continues to expand his repertoire of skills and regularly reviews ever-changing national guidelines to refine his technique, improve efficacy and above all, maintain patient safety. Additionally, he works meticulously to track and maintain outcomes using real-time data, thereby allowing him to intervene early and modify his personalized care plans for the maximum therapeutic benefit.
