Pain management physician offering options

Chronic pain can take over a person’s life, preventing them from participating in activities they enjoy and even from taking care of basic, routine tasks. When pain is significant, it takes a specialist to help manage it so the individual can lead a more normal life.

Zachary Biehl, MD, Parkview Physicians Group – Pain Management, is helping patients find relief so they can function better, and a new procedure could make a real difference for patients who have ongoing pain and a history of prior back or neck surgeries, or nerve pain in their legs or arms.

Biehl can now implant a spinal cord stimulator, which interrupts pain impulses between the brain and the body, at Parkview Huntington Hospital.

“This is a life-changing treatment modality that allows us to reduce reliance on opioids, which can have their own unwanted side effects and may not necessarily be fully effective,” he said.

In addition to spinal cord stimulators, Biehl provides other pain management treatments, such as steroid injections, ultrasound-guided injections and nerve ablation, a minimally invasive procedure to remove sensation from a painful nerve.

“We are constantly in the process of adding new tools for treating pain so that each patient may have an individualized approach to their treatment,” he said.

“Dr. Biehl has been a great addition to our medical staff,” said Doug Selig, president of Parkview Huntington Hospital. “He has such enthusiasm for his work, and patients really appreciate his kindness and concern. We are thrilled he can offer the latest pain treatments here and is always on the lookout for new developments in this evolving area of medicine.”

Biehl came to Huntington from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he received his fellowship training in pain management. He completed an anesthesia residency through the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, serving as chief resident in his final year.

Biehl earned his medical degree from the Indiana University (IU) School of Medicine in Bloomington, Indiana, after receiving his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and graduating summa cum laude from IU.

During medical school, he served as a research assistant at the IU School of Medicine, working in the Immunology department. He received the Midwestern Alliance for Healthcare Education Research Symposium Award that year.

He is a member of the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, the American Society of Anesthesiologists, the Wisconsin Society of Anesthesiologists, and the American Medical Association. He has presented at a number of medical conferences.

Biehl said that during his anesthesia residency, he decided to shift to pain management as a specialty because he wanted to build patient relationships and provide greater continuity of care.

A Fort Wayne native, Biehl has been serving Huntington County residents for several months, providing pain interventions at Parkview Huntington Hospital.

“I enjoy practicing in a smaller community where patients appreciate being able to keep their care local,” he said. “I can’t tell you how many times patients have told me how excited they are to have their pain physician in Huntington, instead of needing to travel outside their community. It is gratifying to be able to provide this service to them so close to home. I also love that I can smell popcorn when it’s being sold in the hospital lobby!”

Biehl approaches patient care from a whole-person perspective.

“There are so many factors involved in how people process pain,” he explained. “I have a strong interest in treating patients from a comprehensive standpoint involving injections, medications, physical therapy and psychological therapy. Studies have shown that patients will have the best success in reducing or eliminating their pain when using a comprehensive approach instead of relying solely on one type of treatment. My aim is to improve patients’ quality of life to a point where they can get back to doing what they love.”

Outside the office, Biehl participates in a wide variety of pursuits, including swimming, running, cycling, hiking and other outdoor activities. He is an Ironman athlete. Additionally, he enjoys reading, personal finance, collecting/building LEGO, and spending time with his family and pets.

Biehl is welcoming new patients. To schedule an appointment, call (260) 266-5370. Hours at his Huntington office, 2003 Stults Road, Suite 200, are 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. He also sees patients in Wabash at 8 John Kissinger Drive during the same hours on Monday and Thursday.