Dr. Jeremy Scarlett, MD, is an interventional pain specialist at Wisconsin Spine and Pain. With 17 years of experience as a doctor, he brings his expertise to the treatment of his patients who are struggling to manage pain, specializing in spinal, arthritic, and cancer pain treatments.
Raised in a farming area in central Illinois, Dr. Scarlett is a native Midwesterner and has lived in five heartland states. He earned a medical degree at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
Advances in the Treatment of Chronic Pain
At Wisconsin Spine and Pain, interventional pain specialists focus on the overall health of their patients dealing with chronic pain. For example, treating obesity to help reduce the stress on the body that is leading to chronic pain. Dr. Scarlett explains that many of their patients do not have access or knowledge of GLP-1 weight loss medications. Dr. Scarlett has helped educate patients and helped them sort through the changing environment of obtaining these medications and find the most cost-effective option for them to obtain them.
Another development in pain management medicine, says Dr. Scarlett, is the recent U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of suzetrigine. This non-opioid medication works as a pain signal blocker in the peripheral nervous system by targeting a particular set of nerves that deliver pain signals to the brain. It targets the sodium channels that allow pain signals to travel through to the brain and blocks them, giving the patient relief.
Dr. Scarlett is also pleased to be able to provide his chronic pain patients with peripheral nerve stimulators. These small devices are implanted under the skin and have thin wires that connect to the nerves causing pain. When the device sends gentle electrical pulses to the nerves, transmitting the pain signal to the brain, it disrupts the message. It is an effective method for treating chronic pain without medication and can be controlled with a remote.
“The field has really exploded over the past 15 years in terms of what we can offer people,” Dr. Scarlett says.
Dr. Scarlett’s expertise and accomplishments in health care were recently honored by inclusion in Marquis Who’s Who’s prestigious biographical listings.
Plans for the Future
The Wisconsin Spine and Pain practice was started in 2020 by Dr. Scarlett and others to address an underserved area. In the last few years alone, the practice has treated more than 5,000 patients. Because of the demand, the clinic is working hard to reduce the amount of time it takes for patients to be seen by specialists.
“We provide availability, compassion and care. We’re trying to make people feel that their care is personalized and that they are not just a number,” Dr. Scarlett explains.
Dr. Scarlett attributes his success to his willingness to collaborate with others and to the expertise of the people who work at the clinic. He also gives credit to maintaining an open mind when it comes to treatment options for helping his patients. His goal for the future is to continue his availability for those dealing with chronic pain and focus on helping as many patients as possible.
