Dr. Mark T. Matsunaga, MD, Pain Management Specialist
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Dr. Mark T. Matsunaga, MD

Pain Management Specialist | Pain Medicine

4/5(30)
8894 Stanford Blvd Suite 104 Columbia MD, 21045
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Rating

4/5

About

Dr. Mark Matsunaga is an anesthesiologist practicing in Columbia, Maryland. Dr. Matsunaga ensures the safety of patients who are about to undergo surgery. Anesthesiologists specialize in general anesthesia, which will (put the patient to sleep), sedation, which will calm the patient or make him or her unaware of the situation, and regional anesthesia, which just numbs a specific part of the body. As an anesthesiologist, Dr. Matsunaga also might help manage pain after an operation.

Board Certification

AnesthesiologyAmerican Board of AnesthesiologyABA- Hospice and Palliative Medicine

Provider Details

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Dr. Mark T. Matsunaga, MD
Dr. Mark T. Matsunaga, MD's Expert Contributions
  • What are the best pain medications for lower back pain with the least side effects?

    Start low, go slow, and understand your symptoms. Sharp pain, stabbing, neurological, radiating, positional, activity related, etc. Rest, ice first 24hr then heat, gentle movement/stretches. Start with OTC NSAIDs, Tylenol, ASA, herbals, topicals, CBD, etc. May need to progress to other medication options, like muscle relaxants, anticonvulsants, prescriptions for stronger analgesics, tramadol then opioids. Be confident you are masking a pain you can mask and not mask a pain you should be working up or evaluating. READ MORE

  • Can knee arthritis pain be treated?

    The treatment for arthritis, no matter what joint you are having pain in, should be the same.... Manage the symptoms. Arthritis is usually a progressive disease and NO CURE has been proven. Managing instead of dealing with the symptoms is the goal. There are interventions available, to assist in the pain, Range of motion and strength of the joint. Preventing progression of the disease is the long term goal. Arthritis is not a disease to just "deal" with but must be managed for optimal quality of life and daily function. Tools to utilize vary from meds, to physical therapy, to bracing, acupuncture, electrical stimulation, topicals, Heat/ice, injections (steroids, gels, regenerative products), etc. Lots of tools in the toolbox. READ MORE

  • What helps with pain after hand surgery?

    There are lots of options from medication options- NSAIDS, tramadol, opioids, anticonvulsants, local anesthetics, or muscle relaxants. Can also try electircal stimulation, cold laser therapy, Ice/heat, Topicals, bracing, Occupational or Physical Therapy, Acupuncture, meditation, etc. Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional, because pain is treatable. READ MORE

  • Can you fix lower back pain?

    Many causes of back pain, so much more detailed info would be necessary to help guide you through the treatment or management options. Several basic details of how it started, where it is, when it comes, what makes it better or worse, constant, intermittent, radiating down the butt or leg, how far down the leg, numbness or tingling, bowel or bladder or weakness in legs, prior interventions like surgery, medications, PT, chiro, acu, or injections, or disabling or bothersome, quality of life, etc etc etc.. READ MORE

  • Do I need to go to the hospital

    Going to the hosp ER is not unreasonable if the pains are new and unexpected. Going to the Urgent care, ER would also be reasonable with any fever/Chills, or associated with new onset of nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. If just pain, could just wait and see if pain subsides without going and getting examined, bld work, and may be MRI's and a general surgical evaluation. READ MORE

  • Leg swollen in back by calves

    One sided swelling and pain needs to be worked up to rule out a deep vein thrombosis. If any chest pain or shortness of breath, is a trip to the ER. Otherwise need to get a doppler study or ultrasound of your venous system to make sure you don't need any urgent treatment. READ MORE

  • Pain

    The numbness and tingling in the upper thigh is most likely coming from either your spine or a pinched nerve in your groin. A pinched nerve in the spine, herniated disc, foraminal stenosis, sciatica, can cause symptoms in the thigh, usually also associated with pain. The other potential cause is a pinched nerve as it travels through your groin under your inguinal ligament. Often getting pinched with weight changes. Work ups and treatments vary a bit, but try not to let it persist, as it can become permanent. READ MORE

  • Chronic pain since 1997. I need a doctor that will help me.

    Your in a tough position. You need to find a clinician who will review your records, do an exam, and prescribe pain medications. Most clinicians hesitate to prescribe opiates secondary to all the recent reglations set by the DEA And state. If you need a second opinion, look at my web page. www.ComprehensivePainCenter.net READ MORE

  • Can a psychiatrist treat chronic pain?

    A trained psychiatrist should be able to provide, distraction techniques, behavior modification, hypnosis, and coping stratagies, all which can help manage painful issues. READ MORE

  • I have pain in my back and legs?

    You may have caused some irritation or damage to your spine and the nerves that exit the spine and provide sensory and motor function to your legs. If the pains going into the legs are including, besides pain, any numbness or tingling, you may need a work up (neurological symptoms). If you have rested for several days, it may be time to see a MD and get a prescription for some medications and physical therapy and possibly a work up with, besides a physical exam, some imaging (like x-ray or MRI). READ MORE

  • How long does spinal anesthesia pain last?

    The trauma from a spinal needle into the spinal space is usually not an issue. If the approach into the spinal space was not direct, but the needle had to kinda bounce off of bone to find the space, which is sometimes very difficult to find, there could be some, usually temporary, pain. If there are associated symptoms like, headaches, that are positional (worse standing than laying down), the pain could be a dural puncture headache. Either trauma can and usually diminishes on its own. A spinal headache may need futher interventions, like a blood patch, to seal the puncture site into the spinal space by the spinal needle. READ MORE

  • Does physical therapy help headaches?

    There are too many causes of headaches to say that PT helps all of them. For the most part it usually does not make it worse. Cluster headaches, tension headaches, migraines, with or without Aura's, occipital headaches, etc, etc. Each has a different w/u and treatment, some PT is very helpful. READ MORE

  • Is there physical therapy after hip replacement?

    Yes, one should participate in PT after a hip replacement. It can help healing and prevent further loss of function. Manage the pain and follow the recommendations from the surgeon. READ MORE

  • How long does physical therapy last for vertigo?

    Phyisical therapy can be very helpful in the treatment of vertigo. There are some specific treatments that can last various time periods and sometimes repeated treatments can be helpful. READ MORE

  • Is it bad to take painkillers every day?

    It is not ideal, but if needed, pain medications can be used appropriately with minimal risks. Alternatives in treatment should always be explored and a firm diagnosis for the diagnosis of the headaches should be made. Quality of life must be balanced with the risks of the therapy. READ MORE

Dr. Mark T. Matsunaga, MD's Practice location

8894 Stanford Blvd Suite 104 -
Columbia, MD 21045
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New patients: 410-997-7246
Fax: 410-997-7226

Dr. Mark T. Matsunaga, MD's reviews

(30)
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Patient Experience with Dr. Matsunaga


4.0

Based on 30 reviews

Dr. Mark T. Matsunaga, MD has a rating of 4 out of 5 stars based on the reviews from 30 patients. FindaTopDoc has aggregated the experiences from real patients to help give you more insights and information on how to choose the best Pain Management Specialist in your area. These reviews do not reflect a providers level of clinical care, but are a compilation of quality indicators such as bedside manner, wait time, staff friendliness, ease of appointment, and knowledge of conditions and treatments.

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