New York Post
This Could Be the Stealthy Source of Your Pain — How to Fix It Without Surgery
Syndicated to American Talk, USA Times, Network Today and Opera News.
Interventional Spine & Pain Medicine · Orlando, Florida
Brian A. BraithwaiteMD · JD
A double board-certified spine and pain physician who helps people get back to their lives, usually without surgery. Dr. Braithwaite practices at Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute and is also a Florida Bar attorney and medical expert in interventional spine and pain cases.
- Medicine
- MD, Mayo Clinic
- Law
- JD, Arizona State · The Florida Bar
- Board certified
- Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine
- Recognized
- Orlando’s Elite Doctors 2026
As featured in
- New York Post
- CNN Newsource
- FOX 35 Orlando
- NBC · ABC · CBS affiliates
- News 12 New York
- Yahoo News
- MSN
- EurekAlert!
- Becker’s Spine Review
- Orlando Style
About Dr. Braithwaite
Physician first, with a lawyer’s eye for detail
Brian A. Braithwaite, MD, JD, is an interventional spine and pain physician at Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute, where he sees patients in Downtown Orlando and Winter Park. He specializes in epidural therapy, radiofrequency ablation and image-guided joint injections for neck, back and joint pain.
Born in Montreal to an OB/GYN father and a nurse mother, he grew up around medicine. He earned a degree in microbiology and cell science at the University of Florida, then entered Mayo Clinic’s joint MD/JD program, completing law school at Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law in two years before finishing his medical degree at Mayo Clinic. He trained in anesthesiology at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, where he received the Resident Teaching Award, and completed his interventional pain fellowship at UT Southwestern in Dallas.
Before returning to Florida he practiced in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, including as a physician-shareholder at Beacon Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, and was named a top pain physician by Cincinnati Magazine and NKY Magazine in consecutive years. He joined Orlando Health in 2024.
His guiding principle is simple: treat every patient like family while delivering consistent, individualized care.
Patient care
Conditions and treatments
Most chronic neck, back and joint pain improves without surgery. Dr. Braithwaite pinpoints where pain is coming from, then uses the least invasive treatment that will work.
Conditions treated
- Chronic low back pain
- Neck pain
- Sciatica and radiculopathy (pinched nerves)
- Herniated and degenerative discs
- Spinal stenosis
- Facet joint arthritis
- Sacroiliac (SI) joint pain
- Vertebral compression fractures
- Knee, hip and shoulder arthritis
- Sports and overuse injuries
- Nerve-related (neuropathic) pain
Treatments
Epidural steroid injections
Cervical, thoracic and lumbar epidurals for disc- and nerve-related pain.
Radiofrequency ablation
Longer-lasting relief for arthritic neck and back pain by quieting the nerves that carry it.
Facet and medial branch blocks
Diagnostic and therapeutic injections that pinpoint the source of spine pain.
Sacroiliac joint injections
Image-guided treatment for pain at the base of the spine and buttock.
Joint injections
Knee, hip and shoulder injections placed under imaging guidance.
Conservative care planning
Exercise, sleep, activity and medication strategies before, or instead of, surgery.
Patient guides
Radiofrequency ablation
Radiofrequency Ablation for Neck and Back Pain: How It Works and How Long It Lasts
Radiofrequency ablation is one of the most effective non-surgical treatments for neck and back pain that comes from arthritic spine joints. Here is who it helps, what the day is like, and what to expect afterward.
Epidural steroid injectionsEpidural Steroid Injection: What to Expect Before, During and After
An epidural steroid injection can calm an irritated spinal nerve and relieve pain that travels into an arm or leg. The injection itself takes less than 5 minutes. Here is what to expect.
Back and neck painWhen Does Back Pain Need Surgery?
Most people with back or neck pain never need an operation. The key is knowing what to try first, which warning signs cannot wait, and when surgery really is the better choice.
Recognition
Named a top doctor in two regions
Peer and reader recognition in Orlando and in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, where he was voted a top pain physician five years running (2019–2023).
- 2026Orlando’s Elite Doctors · Orlando Style MagazineInterventional Spine and Pain PhysicianSource
- 2023Top Doctors of NKY · NKY MagazineInterventional Pain Management; Pain MedicineSource
- 2022Top Doctors · Cincinnati MagazinePain MedicineSource
- 2022Top Doctors of NKY · NKY MagazineInterventional Pain Management; Pain MedicineSource
- 2021Top Doctors · Cincinnati MagazinePain MedicineSource
- 2021Cincy Best Docs · Cincy MagazineInterventional Pain ManagementSource
- 2021Top Doctors of NKY · NKY MagazinePain MedicineSource
- 2020Top Doctors · Cincinnati MagazinePain MedicineSource
Leadership
Board member, Mayo Clinic Alumni Association. Lake Highland Preparatory School Board of Visitors.
Academic honors
Mayo Dean’s Outstanding Achievement full-tuition scholarship. Charles E. Jones full-tuition scholarship and William J. Pedrick Scholar, ASU law.
Teaching
Resident Teaching Award, Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
In the media
A national voice on pain without surgery
In 2025 Dr. Braithwaite’s guidance on treating neck and back pain reached audiences on national TV, in print and online.
392news placements in 2025
229Mcombined audience reach
181TV stations in 41 states
CNN Newsource · Gray Media
Why surgery for pain isn’t always needed
Aired more than 340 times on NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX and Univision stations nationwide.
News 12 New York
Here are some ways to alleviate chronic pain before turning to surgery
Ran on News 12 Long Island, Westchester, the Bronx, Brooklyn, New Jersey and Connecticut.
WDIV Local 4 Detroit (NBC)
How to manage chronic neck and back pain without surgery
FOX 35 Orlando (WOFL)
Neck and back pain survey segment
Also aired on WOGX FOX 51 Gainesville.
CNC3 Television, Trinidad & Tobago
Nearly one in four U.S. adults report living with chronic pain
See every appearanceVideos, articles, publications and the full station list.
Patient reviews
What patients say
4.9
Average across more than 2,300 patient ratings
- Orlando Health patient ratings4.9 · 1,358
- Google · Orlando4.9 · 739
- Google · Northern Kentucky4.9 · 250
“In all my years as a patient, I have rarely met a physician with such extraordinary empathy, compassion, and genuine kindness.”
“He listens. He’s so very approachable and caring. (And hilarious to boot, which put me at ease.) And professional. Expert.”
“Brian is the best doctor ever. He is so outgoing and friendly. He makes you feel comfortable and always answers your questions.”
“Dr B was wonderful along with his staff. One could tell he loves helping people and is a consummate professional.”
“He explained what he was doing and what to expect each step of the procedure. The staff is quick and efficient and no long waits.”
“Outstanding doctor. Shows concern for patients’ wellbeing. He has a very friendly personality and puts patients at ease.”
“I have devastating pain that comes from time to time, and just the presence of this amazing doctor uplifts the room and you just know that everything is going to be ok.”
“Kind, caring, explains procedure and is very knowledgeable.”
Excerpts from public Google and WebMD reviews, lightly shortened. Orlando Health ratings are from its patient-experience surveys. Reviewer names are abbreviated for privacy. Individual results vary.
For attorneys
Medical expert witness in interventional spine and pain
Dr. Braithwaite reviews interventional spine and pain medicine cases for plaintiff and defense counsel. As a practicing, double board-certified physician who is also a member of The Florida Bar, he gives opinions that are clinically sound and written with the legal standard in mind.
- Medical liability and workers’ compensation cases
- Plaintiff and defense
- Actively practicing interventional spine and pain physician
- MD/JD, licensed attorney, The Florida Bar
Expert witness detailsDownload CV (PDF)
Independent practice
Dr. Braithwaite’s medical expert witness and consulting work is performed solely in his individual capacity and is completely independent of, and separate from, his employment with Orlando Health and Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute. Orlando Health does not sponsor, endorse, supervise or participate in these services, and any opinions he offers are his own.
- Fellowship
- Interventional Pain ManagementUT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas · 2016
- Residency
- AnesthesiologyNorthwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago · 2015
- Medical school
- Doctor of MedicineMayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester · 2011
- Law school
- Juris DoctorSandra Day O’Connor College of Law, Arizona State University · 2009
- Undergraduate
- BS, Microbiology and Cell ScienceUniversity of Florida · 2003
- Board certified
- Anesthesiology; Pain MedicineAmerican Board of Anesthesiology
- Medical licenses
- Florida, Kentucky, Ohio
- Law license
- The Florida Bar
- Memberships
- American Society of AnesthesiologistsAmerican Bar Association
- Hospital
- Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic InstitutePhysician-partner since 2024
Beyond the clinic
Rooted in Winter Park
Dr. Braithwaite and his wife, Amber, are raising their three children in Winter Park, where you will find them on Park Avenue, at the local farmers markets, or planning the next trip.
He serves on the Mayo Clinic Alumni Association Board and the Lake Highland Board of Visitors, and supports Optiml Wellness, Amber’s boutique Winter Park practice focused on personalized health optimization.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Who is Dr. Brian Braithwaite?
Brian A. Braithwaite, MD, JD, is a double board-certified interventional spine and pain physician in Orlando, Florida. He is board certified in anesthesiology and pain medicine by the American Board of Anesthesiology, practices at Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute, and is also a licensed attorney and member of The Florida Bar. Orlando Style Magazine named him one of Orlando’s Elite Doctors in 2026.
What conditions does Dr. Braithwaite treat?
He treats neck and back pain, sciatica and pinched nerves, herniated discs, spinal stenosis, facet and sacroiliac joint pain, vertebral compression fractures, joint arthritis, nerve-related pain and sports injuries.
What treatments does he offer?
He offers image-guided epidural steroid injections, radiofrequency ablation, facet and medial branch blocks, sacroiliac joint injections and joint injections, along with conservative care plans built around exercise, sleep and activity.
Do most people with back pain need surgery?
No. Dr. Braithwaite has told national TV audiences that, in his experience, more than 80 to 85 percent of patients with chronic pain get better without ever needing surgery. Surgery is usually the last resort after conservative and interventional options.
Where does Dr. Braithwaite see patients?
His main office is Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute, 60 Columbia Street, Suite 400, Orlando, FL 32806. The clinic is on the 4th floor, and injections and procedures are performed in the surgery center on the 2nd floor of the same building. He also sees patients at Orlando Health in Winter Park. Saturday clinic, Saturday procedures and some evening hours are routinely offered; ask when you call (407) 515-2430.
Is Dr. Braithwaite an expert witness?
Yes. He serves as a medical expert in interventional spine and pain medicine cases, including liability and workers’ compensation matters, for both plaintiff and defense. Case inquiries go to legal@bbraithwaitemd.com.
Where did Dr. Braithwaite train?
He earned his MD at Mayo Clinic, his JD at Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, completed anesthesiology residency at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago and an interventional pain fellowship at UT Southwestern in Dallas. His undergraduate degree is from the University of Florida.
Has Dr. Braithwaite been featured in the news?
Yes. His comments on non-surgical treatment of neck and back pain reached a combined audience of more than 229 million in 2025, including the New York Post, more than 340 TV airings through CNN Newsource, News 12 New York, FOX 35 Orlando, Yahoo News and MSN.
Photo: Orlando Health
Your visit
One building for clinic and procedures
Dr. Braithwaite’s main office and his procedure suite are in the same building, the Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute Downtown Complex at 60 Columbia Street in Orlando.
- 4th floor
- Clinic and office visits (Suite 400)
- 2nd floor
- Surgery center, where all injections and procedures are performed
- Winter Park
- Additional clinic visits
Saturday and evening appointments. Because the practice is busy and many patients travel a long way to be seen, Dr. Braithwaite routinely offers Saturday clinic and Saturday procedures, along with some evening hours. If that would help you, please ask when you call.
Procedures are done under local anesthesia, without IV sedation, so most patients drive themselves.
Contact
How to reach Dr. Braithwaite
Patients
Orlando, FL 32806 (407) 515-2430
Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute
60 Columbia St., Suite 400Orlando, FL 32806 (407) 515-2430
Fax (321) 843-7381 · Clinic on the 4th floor, surgery center on the 2nd · Also seeing patients in Winter Park · Saturday and evening appointments available on request
Attorneys & case managers
Legal & workers’ comp inquiries
legal@bbraithwaitemd.comExpert witness retention, scheduling and records