Biography

James N. Dillard, MD, DC, LAc.

Integrative Pain Medicine

James Dillard has seen health care from many sides. Formally and uniquely trained in three health professions – acupuncture, chiropractic and conventional medicine, Dr. Dillard is an “integrative” physician – one who combines the best of modern medical, surgical and pharmaceutical care with the best of the Complementary and Alternative therapies.

As an acupuncturist, chiropractor, mind/body teacher, medical doctor pain specialist and nutritional physician, he has a unique view of chronic pain.  Dr. Dillard is included in New York Magazine’s prestigious listing of New York’s Best Doctors for 2007 through 2011.  He is only 1 of 3 doctors cited in New York Magazine for practicing “complementary medicine”.

Dr. Dillard served as an Assistant Clinical Professor at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons for 14 years, and was on the medical staff at the New York-Presbyterian Hospitals Columbia Medical Center.  He was also an Attending Physician at Beth Israel Medical Center, in the Department of Pain Medicine and Palliative Care.  Dr. Dillard served as the Medical Director of Columbia’s widely-respected Rosenthal Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, a National Institutes of Health NCCAM Center-granted research and education center at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons under the direction of Fredi Kronenberg, Ph.D. , during his years employed at Columbia University Medical Center.

Dr. Dillard was the originator and course co-director with Dr. Kronenberg of Columbia’s ground-breaking and highly successful Continuing Medical Education conference, Integrative Pain Medicine, which educated physicians, nurses and psychologists from all over the world for six years.  He resigned from employment at Columbia in 2006, to go exclusively into private practice in Manhattan, and in East Hampton, NY.

Dr. Dillard continues to teach actively.  He is on the faculty at the annual University of Arizona Nutrition and Health Conference directed by Dr. Andrew Weil, now going into its eighth year.  Dr.  Dillard lectures extensively on the topics of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Pain Medicine, Nutrition and Dietary Supplements, Acupuncture, Chiropractic and Manual Medicine, Natural Health, and how to integrate complementary and alternative approaches into conventional medical delivery systems.

Dr. Dillard was the founding and long-term Medical Director for the Oxford Health Plans Alternative Medicine program.    His clinical practice at 110 East 59th Street in Manhattan, and in East Hampton, NY, focuses on integrative pain medicine, pharmacotherapy, acupuncture, nutritional medicine, musculoskeletal rehabilitation, spine pain and headache, and general complementary and alternative medicine.

Dr. Dillard has been widely published, both in print and on the World Wide Web.  He is currently the weekly health columnist for the East Hampton Star.   His most recent book, The Chronic Pain Solution is a comprehensive guide on how to integrate the best of conventional and alternative medicine for chronic pain.  Dr. Dillard was seen throughout the U.S. in March and June of 2003-2005 during the airing of his PBS special “Chronic Pain Relief”, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for Public Broadcasting during national PBS pledge drives.

His many other media appearances have included The Oprah Winfrey Show, Good Morning America, NPR,  ABC World New Tonight, and the CBS Evening News.

  1. I have mold ,
    No one really gets it,
    I got it at work Department of Human Assistance,
    Asperglius,
    Please call 916-410-5495
    Court for SSD Thursday
    Please call before,
    My Daughter seen you on Dr.Oz
    Thank you,
    Marylou

    • Yes, this is a tough problem. Most doctors do not understand what happens when people are exposed to actively growing mold in their home or workplace. It’s complicated. But my colleagues and I are trying to improve that scientific understanding of this problem. We are presenting some of our research at the ISHAM conference in Amsterdam at the end of June. Please see my abstract for the conference –
      ISHAM 2018 Amsterdam
      S3.3b Chronic Pain, Indoor Mold Exposure, Mycotoxin Excretion, and Response to Antifungal Therapy.
      James N. Dillard, MD
      Submit abstract data
      Abstract title Chronic Pain, Indoor Mold Exposure, Mycotoxin Excretion, and Response to Antifungal Therapy
      Author Prof. Dillard M.D., JAMES N, Integrative Pain Medicine Associates, New York, USA (Presenting Author)
      Topic Clinical
      Presentation Preference
      Abstract text
      The prevalence of neuropathic pain in the United States is estimated at 16% of the general population. Well-documented leading causes of this nerve pain include chronic metabolic and toxic processes such as diabetes, alcoholism, chemotherapy, toxic substances and uremia. In 30 to 40 percent of cases of chronic nerve pain the cause is unknown (idiopathic). We document 15 pain patients without a prior history of pain syndromes from a cohort of 43 patients who were exposed to indoor mold growth. These people developed numbness, tingling, burning and shooting pain, with accompanying cognitive and neuropsychiatric symptoms. The absence of other investigated causes for their neuropathic pain strengthens this association.
      There were 5 males and 10 females. All 15 were exposed to environmental contamination by Chaetomium as well as Aspergillus/Penicillium molds. 10/15 were in Alternaria contamination, 13/15 in Stachybotrys, and 10/15 in Mucor/Rhizopus contaminated spaces. 10/15 patients were found to have significant levels of trichothecene mycotoxin in their urine. 13 of 15 were disabled by the mold exposure, and 9 were permanently disabled.
      MTHFR genetic variants were found in 10 of the 15 mold-exposed pain patients. 8 had at least one C677T variant and 2 had the A1298C mutation. 13 of the 15 patients had objective cognitive impairment. 7 had positive antibody titers against Stachybotrys.
      Campbell and Thrasher (2004) have documented the wide-ranging neurotoxity of trichothecenes. As it would be highly unethical to expose humans to these mycotoxins in a prospective, blinded and controlled trial to obtain measures of human illness in a dose-response curve fashion, the natural experiment of weather disasters and domestic water incursions may be the only way to elucidate the relationship between mold poison exposure and such neurological illness. Removing these patients from mold-contaminated homes seemed to improve their symptoms. Some possible avenues for additional treatment strategies will also be presented. Further research on these associations is warranted.

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