Dr. Timothy Ray Deer
MD, President & Chief Executive Officer
Dr. Deer founded the Spine and Nerve Center of the Virginias in 1994. The Center has grown to offer treatment to not only West Virginians and Virginians, but also to many patients from throughout the United States, and those who travel Internationally for ground breaking interventional treatments often pioneered with the help of the team at our facilities. Dr. Deer has led a revolution in interventional spine and nerve care by teaching thousands of physicians an algorithmic approach to care including methods that are less invasive at a lower risk for complications.
Dr. Deer completed his Medical Degree at West Virginia University where he finished first in his class. He currently holds the position of as a Clinical Professor of Anesthesiology at WVU and is active in teaching medical students.
The needs of our patients come first. We offer a “patient home” where patients, family, and friends have access to skilled professionals, educational materials, and medical research.
Dr. Tim DeerFounding Physician
The Global Clinical Leader in Pain Medicine
Research
Dr. Deer is one of the worlds’ premier researchers in the field of pain medicine. His work has included being a principal investigator in over 30 clinical studies, leading many national FDA approval investigational device multi-center randomized trials, and being the first physician to perform any first in human methods after initial regulatory and investigational board approval. Dr. Deer has continued this work recently investigating new waveforms for spinal cord stimulation, new methods for Dorsal Root Ganglion Stimulation, new approaches in minimally invasive spine treatment, and intradiscal and joint-related regenerative medicine options. He has presented at thousands of conferences around the world and in the United States. Each year he continues to make a tremendous impact on the industry as Chairman of the American Society of Pain and Neuroscience, a vanguard of innovation and research.
Publications
Dr. Deer has published extensively on a wide range of topics including minimally invasive disc techniques, minimally invasive lumbar decompression, interspinous spacers and stabilization, sacroiliac joint stabilization, treatment and diagnosis, neurostimulation, intrathecal drug delivery and health care policy relating to controlled substances. Dr. Deer’s textbooks have been used in residency and fellowship programs throughout the United States and in the International community.
Society Leadership
Dr. Deer is the Chairman and Founder of The American Society of Pain and Neuroscience (ASPN), a diverse group of health care professionals and scientist who strive to innovate and collaborate to improve the lives of many who are afflicted with spine, nerve and joint disease. He is also the Past President of the International Neuromodulation Society (INS), and President Emeritus of the West Virginia Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (WVSIPP).
Dr. Deer has served as a presenter and moderator of conferences in many regions of the world, and has trained thousands of physicians on new and evolving techniques.
Public Health Policy
Dr. Deer is well known for his passion in lobbying for the safe utilization of pain therapies and improving access to care for patients. His collaboration with colleagues, industry, universities and scientist have greatly contributed to the current advances in modern spine and nerve treatments in the United States and all regions of the world. He remains committed to continuing this work with his team members at The Spine and Nerve Center of the Virginias
Dr. Deer to Receive NANS Presidential Merit Award
New for 2023, NANS has established the Presidential Award to recognize an individual who, in the opinion of the President, has worked tirelessly to advance the field of neuromodulation. Dr. Timothy Deer is the inaugural recipient of this award.
Dr. Deer is a renowned expert in pain management who has lobbied for the safe utilization of pain therapies and improving access to care for patients. As an educator, he has instructed physicians and clinicians on effective pain control, minimally invasive spine advancements and the judicious and proper use of technology to treat pain conditions. More recently, Dr. Deer cofounded ASPN, a community of specialists in pain and neuroscience dedicated to improving patient outcomes, education, and research.
President and CEO, The Spine & Nerve Centers of the Virginias
Clinical Professor of Anesthesiology, West Virginia University
Chairman and Founder, The American Society of Pain and Neuroscience (ASPN)
NANS President Salim Hayek will present the award during Plenary Session I on Friday, January 13, at 8:30 a.m. PT.
Dr. Deer to Receive NANS Presidential Merit Award
New for 2023, NANS has established the Presidential Award to recognize an individual who, in the opinion of the President, has worked tirelessly to advance the field of neuromodulation. Dr. Timothy Deer is the inaugural recipient of this award.
Dr. Deer is a renowned expert in pain management who has lobbied for the safe utilization of pain therapies and improving access to care for patients. As an educator, he has instructed physicians and clinicians on effective pain control, minimally invasive spine advancements and the judicious and proper use of technology to treat pain conditions. More recently, Dr. Deer cofounded ASPN, a community of specialists in pain and neuroscience dedicated to improving patient outcomes, education, and research.
President and CEO, The Spine & Nerve Centers of the Virginias
Clinical Professor of Anesthesiology, West Virginia University
Chairman and Founder, The American Society of Pain and Neuroscience (ASPN)
NANS President Salim Hayek will present the award during Plenary Session I on Friday, January 13, at 8:30 a.m. PT.
We Practice What We Preach
We Believe Fitness is the Key to a Better, Healthier Life
Decorated
Endurance Athlete
Dr. Deer has participated in over 30 marathons and endurance races over the last two decades. Most recently, we placed 1st overall in the 50+ age category at the Puerto Rico triathlon
Health-Focused
Philanthropy
Dr. Deer has raised over $1,000,000 for a variety of health-related charitable causes. Dr. Deer is raising money for IRONAID, a charitable foundation focused on improving the health and wellness of America’s youth, which will be donated after he completes Kona IronMan 2022
Always
Improving
When Dr. Deer is not in clinic helping his patients, you can often find him training for his next endurance event on the streets of Charleston. Every year, Dr. Deer works to beat his personal records in each race. Commitment to being the best, for his patients or on race day, is just part of Dr. Deer’s DNA
Amazing physician, I've been given a second chance at life it seems. Thanks to Dr. Deer, I'm able to work, sleep and be in a good mood for the first time in years. I can't say enough positive things about him and his team, I haven't had this many pain free days since my early 20's. Thank you Dr. Deer!
Al Day, 2019— Pain Management Patient
Latest Publication
Abstract: Chronic low back pain is a worldwide leading cause of pain and disability. Degenerative disc disease has been the presumptive etiology in the majority of cases of chronic low back pain (CLBP). More recent study and treatments have discovered that the vertebral endplates play a large role in CLBP in a term defined as vertebrogenic back pain. As the vertebral endplates are highly innervated via the basivertebral nerve (BVN), this has resulted in a reliable target in treating patients suffering from vertebrogenic low back pain (VLBP). The application of BVN ablation for patients suffering from VLBP is still in its early stages of adoption and integration into spine care pathways. BVN ablation is grounded in a solid foundation of both pre-clinical and clinical evidence.
With the emergence of this therapeutic option, the American Society of Pain and Neuroscience (ASPN) identified the need for formal evidence-based guidelines for the proper identification and selection of patients for BVN ablation in patients with VLBP. ASPN formed a multidisciplinary work group tasked to examine the available literature and form best practice guidelines on this subject. Based on the United States Preventative Task Force (USPSTF) criteria for grading evidence, gives BVN ablation Level A grade evidence with high certainty that the net benefit is substantial in appropriately selected individuals.
Best Practice Guidelines on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Vertebrogenic Pain with Basivertebral Nerve Ablation from the American Society of Pain and Neuroscience
Dr. Tim DeerCo-Author
Meet Our Doctors
PAIN MANAGEMENTChris Kim
Dr. Kim earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA, and received his medical degree from the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond. He then completed both an internship and a residency in anesthesiology and earned his board certification.
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