Meera K. Kirpekar, MD

My first experience in medicine was volunteering at a government hospital in India, where I worked with people from underserved communities. I found it fulfilling to care for patients. I decided to go to medical school, where I learned that people who have pain syndromes may not receive adequate treatment. To address this problem, I chose to pursue a career in anesthesiology and pain medicine.

I specialize in managing pelvic pain, but I also care for patients who have neck and low-back pain; pain in the peripheral joints, which are in the arms and legs; nerve pain; and other conditions. I collaborate with surgeons, obstetrician–gynecologists, physical therapists, and psychologists to provide personalized care.

To help relieve patients’ pain, I prescribe medications, recommend physical therapy and lifestyle changes, and perform interventional pain management procedures, such as epidural injections and nerve blocks. I offer pudendal nerve blocks for pudendal neuralgia, which causes pain in the genitals or anus; discomfort related to endometriosis or interstitial cystitis, a painful bladder condition; and some instances of pain that occurs during sex.

I perform cluneal nerve blocks for rectal pain and medial branch blocks for neck and low-back pain. In addition, I offer genitofemoral and ilioinguinal nerve blocks for people who have had groin pain after surgery, such as inguinal hernia repair or the removal of pelvic lymph nodes. If this does not provide long-term relief, I can perform radiofrequency ablation, in which part of a nerve is heated to disrupt the transmission of pain signals to the brain.

To treat hip pain resulting from pregnancy or childbirth, I can provide sacroiliac joint injections, hip injections, or lumbar epidurals. I also offer peripheral joint injections and radiofrequency ablation for the hips, knees, and shoulders.

Patients who are in pain sometimes develop anxiety or depression. I can refer patients to a cognitive behavioral therapist, who can provide them with coping strategies. I ask patients about their lifestyle, because certain factors, such as stress, an unhealthy diet, lack of exercise, and poor sleep, can exacerbate pain.

Although I use imaging results to help guide treatment, I rely more heavily on what a patient tells me. It is extremely satisfying when patients say they feel heard, their pain has been addressed, and they have experienced relief as a result of treatment. I enjoy making a difference in a person’s life.

I conduct research on radiofrequency ablation and pudendal nerve blocks. I have served as a panelist and moderator at anesthesiology and pain management conferences across the country, and I have given presentations about pelvic pain and other topics at many healthcare organizations. I serve on the editorial board of the journal Pain Physician, and I was a resident scholar for the American Society of Anesthesiologists. In addition, I have a podcast called The Hurt, by the Female Pain Docs, which aims to educate people about different types of pain and correct misinformation about pain diagnosis and treatment. I am board-certified in anesthesiology and lifestyle medicine.