Jacob DeWeerth, MD, Reducing Pain and Improving Patient’s Quality of Life

Chronic pain is a problem that affects millions of people and can make daily life a challenge for those suffering from it. Pain can cause a person to lose time, productivity and quality of life, making the diminishment of pain an important aspect of medicine.

Jacob DeWeerth, MD, didn’t originally want to pursue pain medicine while in residency for anesthesiology, but the prospect of being part of a comprehensive treatment plan interested him.

The University of Minnesota was his first interview for fellowship and he didn’t know what to expect. DeWeerth noted, “I was very impressed by the integration of the program, not just from the procedural side but with the other modalities of treatment: physical therapy, chiropractic, occupational therapy and pain psychology.”

Now a practicing anesthesiologist and Assistant Professor with the Department of Anesthesiology, DeWeerth tries to mitigate pain to reduce restrictions in his patients’ lives. Complete and permanent elimination of pain actually occurs in a very small number of people.

“The common goal for all patients is to improve their quality of life and what they’re able to do as a functioning human being in society and what that means to them; if it’s going to work, playing with grandkids or getting to the store and back, just getting to do more than before is huge,” said DeWeerth.

A rewarding aspect of his work is being able to help patients that have already seen multiple specialists but with minimal results. Most are frustrated and suffering, making progress or a positive result incredibly gratifying for DeWeerth.