Dr. John Akhnoukh
Dr. John Akhnoukh is a board-certified anesthesiologist and board-certified interventional pain management physician. He completed a pain medicine fellowship across New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Memorial Sloan Kettering, and the Hospital for Special Surgery, and his anesthesiology residency at Mount Sinai St. Luke's West. He earned his M.D. at SUNY Downstate Medical Center. Dr. Akhnoukh invented the Akhnoukh Cervical Ultrasound Technique (A.C.U.T.), which uses ultrasonography to map cervical anatomy and reduce the risk of cervical spine procedures. He is a member of the World Academy of Pain Medicine Ultrasonography and the North American Neuromodulation Society, and has performed thousands of pain management procedures.
Radiofrequency Ablation for Back Pain: How It Works and How Long It Lasts
Radiofrequency ablation uses heat to quiet the nerves carrying your back or neck pain. How it works, who it helps, recovery, and how long relief lasts.
What Is a Microdiscectomy? Procedure, Recovery, and Success Rates
If a herniated disc in your lower back is sending pain down your leg and months of treatment haven’t helped, your doctor may have mentioned a microdiscectomy. It’s one of the most common and reliable spine surgeries for sciatica —…
How Long Does an Epidural Steroid Injection Take to Work for Sciatica?
Most epidural steroid injections start working in 2–7 days, with fuller relief by about two weeks. Here's the real ESI timeline for sciatica — plus how long relief lasts and what to do if it doesn't help.
Anterior Cervical Discectomy & Fusion ACDF Things To Know Before Surgery
Neck pain that radiates into the shoulder, arm, or hand can be more than a temporary discomfort. For many patients, it may signal nerve compression in the cervical spine caused by a herniated disc, degenerative disc disease, or spinal cord…
Is Cervical Endoscopic Discectomy Right for Me?
Neck pain that radiates into the shoulder, arm, or hand can significantly interfere with daily life. For some patients, symptoms improve with physical therapy, medications, or injections. But when pain, numbness, or weakness continue despite conservative treatment, surgery may become…
Endoscopic Discectomy: Minimally Invasive Relief for Herniated Discs
Herniated disc pain doesn’t always require major back surgery. Endoscopic Discectomy relieves nerve pressure through a tiny incision with faster recovery and less downtime. At Empire Minimally Invasive Spine & Pain, we help NY and NJ patients return to normal…
Medicare, Workers Comp,
No Fault & Others.
We accept most major insurance plans across our New York and New Jersey offices. Select your state to see accepted plans.
Accepted at our New York Locations
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Lien Cases
Medicare
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Aetna
Empire NYSHIP
Oxford (PPO)
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GHI / Emblem Health
Humana (PPO)
Magnacare (PPO)
Northwell Direct
1199 SEIU
Self Pay
Accepted at our New Jersey Locations
No-Fault (NJ)
Lien Cases
Horizon BCBS
Empire NYSHIP
BCBS / Anthem (PPO)
Cigna
Aetna (PPO)
GHI / Emblem (PPO)
Port Authority UHC
Verizon Plan
Carpenter & Trade Unions
Self Pay
Medicare and Medicaid are not accepted at our New Jersey locations. Not sure about your plan? Call us and we'll verify before your visit.
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Meet Our Pain Management & Orthopedic Specialists
Dr. Monica Misak
Interventional Pain Specialist
Dr. James Yu, D.O.
Board Certified Anesthesiologist
Board Certified Interventional
Pain Management Physician
Dylan J. O'Rourke
Certified Physician Assistant
Pain Conditions Affecting Daily Life
Improve your quality of life with our comprehensive approach to pain management
We are dedicated to finding individualized treatment options tailored to fit your needs. Our team is dedicated to helping you lead a productive and active life, free from pain and disruption.
We use an integrative approach to conduct a comprehensive evaluation and assess your condition.
Physical examination and review of your medical history. We assess the cause of your pain, determine its severity and duration, and help you develop an individualized treatment plan.
We provide a range of treatments and procedures to address your chronic pain. These include nerve blocks, injections, physical therapy, implantable therapies and more. We also offer health education to help you better manage your condition.