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Paul Christo

Paul Christo, MD

Pain Medicine

Anesthesiology

Accepting New Patients
4.8 of 5 stars76 ratings, 19 reviews

Highlights

Languages

  • English

In-Network Plans

View All Accepted Plans (14)

Gender

Male

Johns Hopkins Affiliations:

  • Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Faculty

About Paul Christo

Physician’s Office Phone

410-614-5618

Professional Titles

  • Chief, Division of Pain Medicine

Primary Academic Title

Associate Professor of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine

Johns Hopkins Physician

Logo for Johns Hopkins Physician

Background

Dr. Paul Christo is a leading pain specialist and author of Aches and Gains, A Comprehensive Guide to Overcoming Your Pain. He is the Chief, and Associate Professor of the Division of Pain Medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He served as Director of the Multidisciplinary Pain Fellowship Program for 8 years, and the Blaustein Pain Treatment Center for 5 years at the Johns Hopkins Hospital.

He is an invited lecturer both nationally and internationally, serves on 4 journal editorial boards, has published more than 100 articles and book chapters, co-edited 5 textbooks on pain, and actively teaches medical students, residents, and pain fellows. He’s a member of Men’s Health Magazine medical advisory board, serving as their first pain specialist.

Dr. Christo treats a wide variety of patients with chronic pain including low back and neck pain, disc herniation, spinal stenosis, headache, neuropathic pain (shingles pain, complex regional pain syndrome, diabetic peripheral neuropathy), cancer pain, musculoskeletal pain, persistent postoperative pain, craniofacial pain, and pelvic pain.

A subspecialty focus is neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome (NTOS), a condition in which compression of nerves in the neck causes neck, shoulder, arm, and hand pain as well as tingling and numbness. It’s often caused by overuse injuries involving the arm in an overhead position. Anesthetic blocks and/or botulinum toxin (Botox) can help to alleviate the symptoms. Further, he has studied the beneficial effects of auricular acupressure, an exciting integrative therapy for relieving musculoskeletal pain such as low back pain.

Dr. Christo performs an array of pain-relieving procedures such as nerve blocks, joint injections, radiofrequency procedures, botulinum toxin injections, sympathetic blocks, vertebral augmentation (vertebroplasty, kyphoplasty), basivertebral nerve ablation (Intracept), minimally invasive lumbar decompression (MILD) for spinal stenosis, neuromodulation/neurostimulation procedures (spinal cord stimulation, peripheral nerve stimulation), and the selective use of drug infusion pumps.

He hosts an award-winning, nationally syndicated SIRIUS XM radio talk show called Aches and Gains®. The show provides hope and treatment options for those suffering from medical illnesses, diseases, and the pain that often results from these conditions. Montel Williams, Johnny Bench, and Maya Angelou have all been guests. His show has earned him the John and Emma Bonica Public Service Award from the American Pain Society, recognizing distinguished contributions to the field of pain medicine through public education, dissemination of information, and public service. The American Academy of Pain Medicine awarded him their prestigious Patient Advocacy Award as well. Dr. Christo was selected as a Mayday Pain and Society Fellow, and named a “Hero” by The Pain Community, a patient advocacy association for his work on Aches and Gains. He was also honored by the American Society of Pain Educators as Pain Educator of the Year for his transformational work on public education through the media. Further, he was inducted into the prestigious Miller Coulson Academy of Clinical Excellence as a consummate academic clinician with mastery in many domains of clinical excellence.

Dr. Christo has served on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the Academy of Integrative Pain Management, and has served on Advisory Boards for the American Academy of Pain Medicine, American Society of Anesthesiologists, The International Association for the Study of Pain, and the American Pain Society. He has also earned an MBA from the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School in Health Care Management.

Centers and Institutes

Blaustein Pain Treatment Center

CV

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/-/media/blaustein-pain-treatment-center/christo-paul-cv.pdf

X (Twitter)

https://www.twitter.com/DrPaulChristo

Additional Academic Titles

Joint Appointment in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Selected Publications

    1. Christo PJ, El-Mallakh RS: Role of endogenous Oubain-like compounds in the pathophysiology of bipolar illness. Med. Hypo. 1993; 41:378-383.
    2. Panlilio LM, Christo PJ, Raja SN: Current management of postherpetic neuralgia. The Neurologist 2002;8:339-350.
    3. Block BM, Christo PJ: Ketamine analgesia for the opioid-tolerant cancer patient. The International Journal of Pain Med. and Pall. Care 2003; 2:71-74.
    4. Cohen SP, Christo PJ, Moroz L: Pain management in trauma patients. American Journal of Phys. Med. and Rehab. 2004;83:142-161.
    5. Wu CL, Christo PJ, Richman JM, Hsu W: Postdural Puncture Headaches: An Overview. The International Journal of Pain Med. and Pall. Care 2004;3(2):53-59.
    6. Brown AK, Christo PJ, Wu CL: Strategies for postoperative pain management. Best Practice and Research Clin. Anaesthesiology 2004;18:703-717.
    7. Christo PJ, Hobelmann G, Sharma A: Aging and the Neurobiology of Addiction. Geriatrics and Aging 2005; 8 (10): 48-52.
    8. Christo PJ, Hobelmann G, Maine D: Post Herpetic Neuralgia in Older Adults: Evidence-Based Approaches to Clinical Management. Drugs and Aging 2007: 24 (1):1-19.
    9. Cohen SP, Hurley RW, Christo PJ, Winkley J, Mohiuddin MM, Stojanovic MP: Clinical Predictors of Success and Failure for Lumbar Facet Radiofrequency Denervation. The Clin. Journal of Pain 2007;23(1):45-52.
    10. Christo PJ: Interventional Approaches to Neuropathic Pain. Journal of The Transverse Myelitis Assoc. 2007; April, (2):41-49.
    11. Cohen SP, Christo PJ, Wang S, Chen L, Stojanovic MP, Shields CH, Brummett C, Mao J. The Effect of Opioid Dose and Treatment Duration on the Perception of a Painful Standardized Clinical Stimulus. Regional Anesthesia and Pain Med. 2008: May-June; 33(3):199-206.
    12. Gupta A, Christo PJ. Expert Opinion in Opioid Abuse and Addiction. The Journal for Nurse Practit.: February 2009: 5 (2): 132-134.
    13. Williams BS, Christo PJ. Obstructed Catheter Connection Pin discovered During Intrathecal Baclofen Pump Exchange. Clin. Journal of Pain 2009: March-April; 25 (3):256-259.
    14. Bennett JS, Christo PJ, Friedewald VE, Pool JL, Roberts WC, Scheiman JM, Simon LS, Strand V, White WB, Williams GW. American Journal of Journal of Cardiology Editors Consensus: Selective and Nonselective Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDS) and Cardiovascular Risk. American Journal of Cardiology 2009 (in press). 
    15. Wang J, Christo PJ: The Influence of Prescription Monitoring Programs on Chronic Pain Management. Pain Physician 2009;12.
    16. Carinci AJ, Christo PJ: Physician Impairment: Is Recovery Feasible? Pain Physician 2009;12.
    17. McGreevy K, Williams KA, Christo PJ. “Cephalad Lead Migration Following Spinal Cord Stimulation Implantation.” Pain Physician. 2012; 15:E79-E87.
    18. Manchikanti L, Vallejo R, Manchikanti KN, Benyamin RM, Datta S, Christo PJ. “Effectiveness of Long-Term Opioid Therapy for Chronic Non-Cancer Pain.” Pain Physician. 2011; 14:E133-E156.
    19. Christo PJ, Manchikanti LM, Ruan X, Bottros M, Hansen H, Solanki DR, Jordan AE, Colson J. “Urine Drug Testing in Chronic Pain.” Pain Physician. 2011; 14:123-143.
    20. Manchikanti L, Ailinani H, Koyyalagunta K, Datta S, Singh V, Eriator I, Sehgal N, Shah R, Benyamin R, Vallejo R, Fellows B, Christo PJ. “A Systematic Review of Randomized Trials of Long-Term Opioid Management for Chronic Non-Cancer Pain.” Pain Physician. 2011; 14:91-121.
    21. Gupta A, Martindale T, Christo PJ. “Intrathecal Catheter Granuloma associated with Continuous Sufentanil Infusion.” Pain Medicine. 2010; Jun;11(6):847-52.
    22. Dubois BW, Christo PJ: The placebo effect. In: J. Ballantyne, ed. The Mass. Gen. Hospital Handbook of Pain Management, Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2002.
    23. Christo PJ: Opioid effectiveness and side effects in chronic pain. In: Staats PS, ed. Anesthesiology Clinics of North America: Interventional Pain Management. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier/W.B.Saunders, 2004, pp 699-713.
    24. Christo PJ, Raja SN: Complex regional pain syndrome. In: Wallace M, Staats PS, eds. Pain Medicine and Management: Just the Facts. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2004.
    25. Christo PJ, Grabow TS, Raja SN: Opioid effectiveness, addiction, and depression in chronic pain. In: Clark MR, Treisman GJ (eds.): Pain and Depression. Advances in Psychosomatic Med., 2004;25:123-137.
    26. Grabow TS, Christo PJ, Raja SN: Complex regional pain syndrome: Diagnostic controversies, psychological dysfunction, and emerging concepts. In: Clark MR, Treisman GJ (eds.): Pain and Depression. Advances in Psychosomatic Med., 2004;25:89-101.
    27. Christo PJ, Hobelmann G: Migraine Headaches, Chronic Pancreatitis, Constipation/Obstipation in Pain Management. In: Kirsch JR, Sibell D (eds.): The 5 Minute Consult for Pain Management. Lippincott series, 2006.
    28. Christo PJ, Hobelmann G: Pelvic Pain. In: Smith HS (ed.): Current Therapy in Pain. Philadelphia, PA: WB Saunders, 2009.
    29. Christo PJ, Jones C: Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. In: Smith HS (ed.): Current Therapy in Pain. Philadelphia, PA: WB Saunders, 2009.
    30. Christo PJ, Cauley B: Post Herpetic Neuralgia. In: Smith HS (ed.): Current Therapy in Pain. Philadelphia, PA: WB Saunders, 2009.
    31. Christo PJ, Mazloomdoost D: Interventional Treatments for Cancer Pain. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, New York Academy of Sciences, 1138: 299-328 (2008).
    32. Christo PJ, Mazloomdoost D: Cancer Pain and Analgesia. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, New York Academy of Sciences, 1138: 278-298 (2008).
    33. Williams BS, Christo PJ: Pharmacologic and Interventional Treatments for Neuropathic Pain. In: Zhang JM and Dobretsov M (eds.): Mech. of Pain in Peripheral Neuropathy. Transworld Research Network (in press).

Honors

  • America's Top Doctors, 1/1/11
  • Top Doctor for Pain Management, U.S. News & World Report, 1/1/11
  • Super Doctor (Anesthesiology) for the Washington, DC-Baltimore-Northern Virginia Area, 1/1/11
  • 70 Best Pain Management Physicians in America, Becker's ASC Review, 1/1/11
  • American's Top Doctors, Castle Connolly, 1/1/11
  • Top Doctor for Pain Management, U.S. News & World Report, 1/1/11
  • Super Doctor (Anesthesiology) for the Washington, DC-Baltimore-Northern Virginia Area, 1/1/11
  • 70 Best Pain Management Physicians in America, Becker's ASC Review, 1/1/11
  • American's Top Doctors, Castle Connolly, 1/1/11
  • Fellow, Mayday Pain and Society Fellowship Program: A Media and Policy Initiative, 1/1/08
  • America's Top Physicians, 1/1/08
  • Fellow, Mayday Pain and Society Fellowship Program: A Media and Policy Initiative, 1/1/08
  • America's Top Physicians, 1/1/08
  • Best Doctors in America, Best Doctor physician, 1/1/07
  • Top Doctor in Pain Medicine/Anesthesiology: Baltimore Magazine, Top Doctors, 1/1/07
  • America's Top Anesthesiologists: Guide to America's Top Anesthesiologists, 1/1/07
  • Best Doctors in America, Best Doctor physician, 1/1/07
  • Top Doctor in Pain Medicine/Anesthesiology, Baltimore Magazine, Top Doctors, 1/1/07
  • America's Top Anesthesiologists, Guide to America's Top Anesthesiologists, 1/1/07
  • Americas Top Physicians, Pain Medicine: Guide to Americas Top Physicians, 1/1/06
  • Americas Top Physicians, Pain Medicine, Guide to Americas Top Physicians, Consumers Research Council of America, 1/1/06
  • Americas Top Physicians, Pain Medicine, Guide to Americas Top Physicians, Consumers Research Council of America, 1/1/03

Memberships

  • American Academy of Pain Medicine
  • American Medical Association
  • American Pain Society
  • American Society of Addiction Medicine
  • American Society of Anesthesiologists
  • American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians
  • American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
  • International Spinal Injection Society
  • Maryland Society of Anesthesiologists
  • North American Neuromodulation Society
  • The Johns Hopkins Medical and Surgical Association

Professional Activities

  • American Pain Society, Opioid REMS Educational Initiative
  • Dannemiller Advisory Board
  • Faculty Presenter, Archimedes Regional Advisory Board Webcast
  • Maryland Society of Anesthesiologists (Maryland Board of Physician Quality Assurance), Peer Reviewer
  • Pain Management, Editorial Board
  • Pain Medicine, Manuscript Reviewer, 1/1/06
  • Pain Medicine, Referee Panel for the American Academy of Pain Medicine (AAPM) Journal, 1/1/07
  • Pain Physician, Associate Editor, 1/1/09
  • Pain Physician, Editorial Advisory Board, 1/1/04 - 1/1/08
  • Quadrant HealthCom, Advisory Board, Chronic Pain Perspectives (CHPP)
  • The Clinical Journal of Pain, Ad Hoc Reviewer
  • The Journal of Pain, Reviewer, 1/1/09

Locations

  1. Johns Hopkins Pain Treatment Center
    • 10803 Falls Road, Pavilion III STE 2100, Lutherville, MD 21093
    • Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center
      • 601 North Caroline Street, Suite 3062, Baltimore, MD 21287

      Expertise

      Education

      Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

      Fellowship, Pain Medicine, 2001

      Massachusetts General Hospital

      Residency, Anesthesiology, 2000

      University of Louisville School of Medicine

      Medical Education, MD, 1995

      Board Certifications

      Pain Medicine

      American Board of Anesthesiology, 2002

      Anesthesiology

      American Board of Anesthesiology, 2001

      Insurance

      Johns Hopkins providers accept various commercial health insurance plans. However, they may not be included in all of an insurance company's plans or offerings. This may include Exchange, Medicaid, Medicare, and specific limited benefit plans. Exceptions to participation also exist based on your employer’s benefits package and the provider's location or specialty. Please contact your insurer directly to make sure your doctor is covered by your plan. For more details, please review our Insurance Information.
      Search plans
      • Aetna
      • CareFirst
      • Cigna
      • First Health
      • Geisinger Health Plan
      • HealthSmart/Accel
      • Humana
      • Johns Hopkins Health Plans
      • MultiPlan
      • Pennsylvania's Preferred Health Networks (PPHN)
      • Point Comfort Underwriters
      • Private Healthcare Systems (PHCS)
      • UnitedHealthcare
      • Veteran Affairs Community Care Network (Optum-VACCN)

      Ratings & Reviews

      4.8 out of 5

      76 ratings, 19 reviews

      The Patient Rating score is an average of all responses to physician related questions on the national CG-CAHPS Medical Practice patient experience survey through Press Ganey. Responses are measured on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the best score. Comments are also gathered from our CG-CAHPS Medical Practice Survey through Press Ganey and displayed in their entirety. Patients are de-identified for confidentiality and patient privacy.

      Overall Rating by Patient
      Average provider Overall Rating by Patient rating 4.6 out of 5 stars
      Provider Listened Carefully
      Average provider Provider Listened Carefully rating 4.8 out of 5 stars
      Provider Explained Things Clearly
      Average provider Provider Explained Things Clearly rating 4.9 out of 5 stars
      Provider Knew Medical History
      Average provider Provider Knew Medical History rating 4.7 out of 5 stars
      Provider Showed Respect
      Average provider Provider Showed Respect rating 4.9 out of 5 stars
      Provider Spent Enough Time
      Average provider Provider Spent Enough Time rating 4.7 out of 5 stars
      Search reviews
        5 out of 5 stars
        Reviewed on 4/10/2025

        Excellent

        5 out of 5 stars
        Reviewed on 3/7/2025

        The team was able to make my visit the very best

        5 out of 5 stars
        Reviewed on 3/3/2025

        My provider and his PA are both excellent. The amount of time between appointments is frustrating. We will decide that I need a procedure and it will be months before scheduling.

        5 out of 5 stars
        Reviewed on 2/10/2025

        Dr. Christo and the fellow doing the procedure were great. They explained every action before carrying them out which I really appreciated. They were also extremely skilled and I felt little to no pain.

        4 out of 5 stars
        Reviewed on 1/31/2025

        Although we live two hours away from John Hopkins Hospital we continue to go for care because of the excellent medical service they provide

        5 out of 5 stars
        Reviewed on 1/29/2025

        They were very friendly and helpful and take the time to listen to me

        5 out of 5 stars
        Reviewed on 1/27/2025

        Doctors were great!

        5 out of 5 stars
        Reviewed on 11/27/2024

        Very kind [staff] and Dr. Christo

        5 out of 5 stars
        Reviewed on 11/18/2024

        Dr christo was excellent. He listened to me and explained his thinking thoroughly.

        5 out of 5 stars
        Reviewed on 11/5/2024

        Dr Christo. 5 stars plus

        5 out of 5 stars
        Reviewed on 10/25/2024

        Excellent, thorough and compassionate.

        5 out of 5 stars
        Reviewed on 10/9/2024

        Dr. Christo is thorough and he listens. The same goes for thr other doctor on this visit.

        4 out of 5 stars
        Reviewed on 8/28/2024

        I felt the doctor listened to my concerns, I have a complex medical history in relation to my right shoulder.He allowed me to have input into the possible treatments.

        5 out of 5 stars
        Reviewed on 7/25/2024

        Excellent service

        4 out of 5 stars
        Reviewed on 6/25/2024

        Very polite and professional

        5 out of 5 stars
        Reviewed on 5/13/2024

        Highly knowledgeable Easy to talk toExplained his plan

        5 out of 5 stars
        Reviewed on 5/7/2024

        Everyone in the department is always helpful and caring.

        5 out of 5 stars
        Reviewed on 4/30/2024

        Every thing was excellent from beginning to end.jin

        5 out of 5 stars
        Reviewed on 4/29/2024

        I have been a patient of Dr. Christo for 12 years, His knowledge and expertise in pain management is exceptional.