Graf Hilgenhurst, MD

Dr. Hilgenhurst’s Message to Prospective Patients:

Dear Prospective Patient,

I would be honored to be your physician, and am pleased that you are considering Precision Pain Care as you evaluate the options for pain treatment.

Untreated pain – in addition to being debilitating – can lead to various health problems including depression, decreased mobility, high blood pressure, gastrointestinal problems, muscle fatigue and spasms, sleep difficulties, and a weakened immune system.

Early intervention is crucial, as important as accurately diagnosing the underlying source of your pain…a precision diagnosis means that treatment can more effectively provide relief. When treated promptly, the risk of additional damage to nerves, discs, and other structures is reduced in some conditions.

I have been treating pain for many years both as an anesthesiologist and an interventional pain management physician. My specialty is in diagnosing and treating neck and back pain, which may also present as radiating pain down the arms or legs. As an IPM physician, I specialize in minimally invasive procedures, including injections into and around the spine to treat the root cause of pain.

I hope that our highly personalized and targeted approach will put you at ease, while we help you get back to an active, productive life with less pain. The entire staff is here to help alleviate any fears you may have, and will take the time to listen, as well as to clearly explain how we can be of assistance in minimizing your pain.

Thanks for taking the time to learn about Precision Pain Care. If you need a referral, have your primary physician contact our office.

Sincerely,

Dr. Hilgenhurst previously served as the president of the Tennessee Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (TNSIPP). Currently, he continues to contribute to the field by serving on the faculty of several professional societies, where he trains other physicians in advanced interventional pain management techniques.

Education

Dr. Hilgenhurst brought wide-ranging experience and expertise to Tennessee in 2005. His training began in Chicago, where he earned his medical degree at Rush Medical College and completed an internship at Rush-Presbyterian St. Luke’s Medical Center. He then moved to New York City for a residency in anesthesiology at Beth Israel Medical Center, and went on to Ohio where he completed a fellowship in pain management at the University of Cincinnati.

Experience

Following his training, Dr. Hilgenhurst was a practicing anesthesiologist and also an assistant professor of anesthesiology at Tufts/New England Medical Center in Boston. He then practiced both anesthesia and interventional pain management in the hospital, ambulatory surgery and practice based settings.

Leadership

Dr. Hilgenhurst has dedicated his career to finding the most effective, least invasive ways possible to help patients suffering from acute or chronic spinal pain. He is committed to continuous improvement in the field, previously serving as president of TNSIPP and as a member of the faculty of the International Spine Intervention Society and the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians. He is also on the staff of TriStar StoneCrest Medical Center and TriStar Southern Hills Medical Center.

An avid bicyclist and multi-engine Commercial Pilot, Dr. Hilgenhurst can frequently be found biking or flying around the countryside.

Meet Dr. Hilgenhurst and the colleagues who will instruct at the IPSIS Cervical Bio-Skills Lab – Sydney, Australia: