Dr. Freidenstein grew up in Memphis, Tennessee. He obtained his medical degree from the University of Tennessee, where he graduated with highest honors and was a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha honor society. During his medical training, he completed research programs at St. Jude Children’s Hospital, as well as with the American Society of Hematology. He went on to complete his residency in anesthesiology at the Mayo Clinic.
A heavy emphasis on acute post-surgical pain, regional anesthesia, and nerve blocks prompted Freidenstein to develop a keen interest in pain management. He found that being able to help ease the burden of chronic pain for his patients was extremely rewarding. Because of this, he decided to pursue a career in fighting the underlying sources of refractory pain.
He later completed his fellowship in interventional pain management at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He studied under the leading researcher in the field of arachnoiditis. During his fellowship, he published research about perineural cysts and their treatment. Following his fellowship, he stayed on staff at the UAB anesthesia department and helped to manage acute inpatient pain.
Dr. Freidenstein is board-certified in both anesthesia and pain management and is involved with national and local interventional pain societies. His particular interest is in post-surgical spinal pain and alternative modalities for fibromyalgia-mediated pain.