Welcome to ECPC Pain Specialists Wake locations!
The Triangle’s Premier Interventional Pain and Spine Group
Dr. Brian Keogh and Dr. Jose Avila are expert, board-certified interventional pain medicine physicians available to evaluate and treat your painful condition. Our highly skilled team includes Ali Elios, PA-C, Christine Koenig, FNP, DNP, April Bailey, PA-C and
Kiara Yak, PA-C. We are proud to provide a customized, patient-centered, interventional approach to pain management, which allows us to give you the optimal care for your specific needs.
We can treat almost any painful condition, including but not limited to back and neck pain, radiculopathy, sciatica, degenerated discs, herniated discs, failed back surgery syndrome, complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), vertebral compression fractures, diabetic neuropathy, neuropathic pain, fibromyalgia, myofascial pain, headaches and migraines, thoracic outlet syndrome, and arthritis and sports injuries.
We offer innovative, non-surgical and interventional pain treatment options designed around the underlying cause of your pain. Our physicians are highly skilled in a wide range of treatment options, including epidural steroid injections, cervical selective nerve root blocks, cervical medial-branch blocks, facet-joint injections, sacroiliac-joint injections, spinal cord stimulation, and therapeutic radiofrequency ablation. We also offer sympathetic-nerve blocks, trigger-point injections, bursitis injections, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections, prolotherapy, and pain medication management.
For selected patients, we also offer advanced and minimally invasive treatments including knee genicular nerve blocks for knee pain, Kyphoplasty for painful vertebral compression fractures, the MILD® Procedure for certain patients with lumbar spinal stenosis, and the Intracept® Procedure for appropriately selected patients with vertebrogenic low back pain. We also offer BOTOX® for Chronic Migraine as a preventive treatment for appropriately selected patients with chronic migraine, as well as Celiac Plexus Blocks for certain types of abdominal and visceral pain.
We know how debilitating a painful condition can be and the ways it can impact your relationships, work, activities and enjoyment of life. We promise to provide you with a compassionate, evidence-based pain management experience so you can get back to what matters most. We feel privileged to serve you and look forward to helping you on your road to better health.
Kind Words From Our Patients
Featured Services
Our Mission and Vision
“To provide you with a compassionate, evidence – based, pain management experience, so you can get back to what matters most.”
“To become the preeminent interventional pain management provider in the Triangle, the office where everyone wants to work, and every patient wants to be treated.”
Brian H. Keogh, Jr., MD
Board Certified Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Subspecialty Board-Certified in Interventional Pain Medicine
Dr. Keogh (Key-Oh) is board-certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R), with subspecialty board-certification in interventional pain medicine. He strives to provide compassionate and effective care to his patients, with an emphasis on restoration of function and improvement in quality of life. Dr. K grew up in Colorado and attended medical school at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.
He completed his residency specialty training in PM&R at Indiana University School of Medicine, where he served as the Chief Resident during his tenure. He developed such a passion for treating patients in pain, that he pursued subspecialty fellowship training in interventional pain medicine at Emory University in Atlanta. Upon completing his fellowship, Dr. K started an interventional pain and spine practice for a large healthcare system in Colorado before he joined the team at ECPC Pain Specialists in 2018. Dr. Keogh is thrilled to have started the ECPC Pain Specialists Wake branch with offices in Apex, Holly Springs, and Knightdale. He loves being able to serve patients in North Carolina and is grateful to have a team where each individual team member truly makes a difference in the lives of each and every one of our patients!
Jose G. Avila-Calles, MD, PhD
Board Certified Anesthesia
Subspecialty Board-Certified in Interventional Pain Medicine
Dr. Avila joins the team at ECPC Wake with a wealth of knowledge and experience in interventional pain management.
Dr. Avila is board-certified in anesthesia, with subspecialty board-certification in interventional pain medicine. Dr. Avila and Dr. Keogh met during their subspecialty fellowship training and bonded immediately, as they share the core values of treating every patient with empathy, kindness, and compassion. Dr. Avila is committed to providing thoughtful, results-driven care with a focus on restoring function and improving his patients’ quality of life.
Dr. Avila grew up in Venezuela and completed his medical degree at the University of Zulia School of Medicine in Venezuela in 1997. He then went onto complete a Master’s in Surgical Sciences from Imperial College in London and a Ph.D. in Experimental Transplant Surgery from the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada. Following that, Dr. Avila fulfilled two years of surgical residency and completed an Anesthesiology Residency at Emory University School of Medicine. Knowing he wanted to help patients in pain live full, vibrant lives, he completed a Pain Medicine Fellowship at Emory University in Atlanta, GA.
Alexandra Elios, PA-C
Alexandra (Ali) Elios is a board-certified Physician Assistant working in Pain Management since 2016. Ali was born and raised in south Florida and graduated from Florida State University with a BA in Biology and attended Nova Southeastern University where she received her Masters in Medical Science. She is dedicated to exceptional patient treatment and care with goals of improving physical functionality, sleep and overall health. In her spare time, Ali loves spending time with her family, traveling and kick boxing.
Christine Koenig, DNP, AGNP-C
Christine Koenig is a board-certified Adult-Gerontological Nurse Practitioner with a focus in pain management. Originally from New York, she began her healthcare journey with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from the City College of New York. She went on to earn her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Southern New Hampshire University and gained valuable experience as a Registered Nurse on a cardiac telemetry unit and in the operating room. In 2020, Christine relocated to North Carolina and completed her Doctor of Nursing Practice at UNC Greensboro. She is passionate about providing personalized care and works closely with each patient to help improve their quality of life. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband, their two daughters and their dog.
April Bailey, PA-C
April is a board-certified Physician Assistant who earned her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia and her Master of Medical Science from Emory University School of Medicine.
She spent 12 years in Boston specializing in sports medicine and orthopedic surgery before transitioning to pain management. Drawing on her extensive musculoskeletal background, April has a strong interest in interventional procedures and is dedicated to helping patients restore function, improve mobility, and enhance their overall quality of life.
April brings a strong foundation of compassionate, patient-centered care to every encounter.
Outside of the clinic, April enjoys spending time with her husband, twin boys, and their two dogs, Charlie and Shaymus. She is passionate about fitness and nutrition, ultrarunning, and Georgia Bulldogs football.
Kiara Yak, PA-C
Kiara is a board-certified Physician Assistant specializing in pain management. Originally from New Jersey, she earned her Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training from Montclair State University before completing her Master of Physician Assistant Studies at High Point University. Before specializing in pain management, Kiara practiced in primary care, where she developed a strong foundation in medicine and an appreciation for building meaningful relationships with her patients. Her background in athletic training and primary care has shaped her patient-centered approach to pain management. She focuses on understanding each patient’s individual needs and helping them improve their function and quality of life.
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Why You Should See a Board-Certified Pain Management Physician
You have probably heard the term “board-certified” before. Many do not know what this means, or why you should see board-certified physicians. In this post we will demystify this term. You will learn what board-certified …
