Live Life Better

ECPC Roanoke Rapids Welcomes Dr. Hertzberg

Dr. Brian Hertzberg is a double board-certified Anesthesiologist and Pain Management doctor. He was raised in Durham and Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and graduated with honors from Duke University in 2008, where he earned a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Psychology. While at Duke, he played for the Duke University Rugby team and helped his team finish runner-up for the Division III National Championship. Academically, he conducted research focused on veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at the VA Medical Center, and worked as a lab technician and research assistant at the Thurston Arthritis Research Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

After experiencing the Duke-UNC rivalry from one side of tobacco road as an undergraduate, Dr. Hertzberg attended the University of North Carolina School of Medicine at Chapel Hill where he was inducted into the John B. Graham Research Society and earned his medical degree in 2012. He then journeyed north for 5 years to complete an Anesthesiology Residency followed by a Pain Medicine Fellowship at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.  During his residency and fellowship, he participated in additional training in ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia, attended interventional pain management workshops, and performed research focused on acute and chronic pain.

After his residency and fellowship, Dr. Hertzberg returned to his roots in North Carolina. He worked as a pain management physician for 7.5 years in the Raleigh area at Wake Spine and Pain Specialists. On February 1st, 2025 he joined East Carolina Pain Consultants in Roanoke Rapids to take over the practice when Dr. Joey Thomas retired.

Dr. Hertzberg considers it a privilege and honor to be a physician serving this community. He finds it rewarding to communicate with patients, perform procedures, and develop the best personalized plan of care for each patient. One of his core philosophies is the importance of treating every patient with the same kindness, compassion, and empathy he would want for his own family. Additionally, he finds it important to educate each patient about the medical cause of their individual condition so they have a full understanding of the recommended treatment approach. Treatment plans are specifically tailored using evidence-based medicine with the ultimate goal of improving quality of life.

Dr. Hertzberg’s interests outside of medicine include going to the movies, listening to music, and spending time with his 3 children and wonderful wife. He is an avid Duke Basketball fan and his wife is a Tar Heel fan and alumna, which always makes for an interesting March Madness.

Procedures to Treat Pain, Improve Quality of Life, and Restore Function

  • Spinal Cord Stimulator Trials
  • Platelet Rich Plasma Injections
  • Stellate Ganglion Blocks for PTSD
  • Kyphoplasty for Compression Fractures
  • Sphenopalatine Ganglion Blocks
  • Peripheral Nerve Stimulation
  • Radiofrequency Ablations
    • Back, Neck, & Knee Pain
    • Headaches
  • Epidural Steroid Injections
  • Sacroiliac Joint Injections
Learn More

Conditions We Treat

This is a small sampling of the conditions we treat.

Neck Pain

Neck pain occurs in people of all ages and can come from bad posture, sleep position, ruptured discs, torticollis, and more. Good neck health includes practicing good posture, standing often if you sit a lot at work, sleeping in a healthy position, and being active. Symptoms of neck pain includes tightness and stiffness in the neck, the inability to turn the head, constant headaches, and numbness, weakness, or pain in or around the neck.
Learn More

Knee Pain

Knees are a very important part of your body and are subject to wear and tear over the years. Arthritis is a large cause of knee pain. If the orthopedic doctors can’t offer you a surgery, ECPC doctors can provide steroid injections or genicular nerve ablations.
Learn More

Back and Leg Pain

Intense back pain with extension to the legs and feet that is described as burning and throbbing often indicate a herniated disc. Riding in a car and sitting in a hard chair can greatly increase this pain. If physical therapy and conservative measures do not improve pain, you may benefit from an injection in your spine to decrease the inflammation. Visit an ECPC pain specialist and find a treatment plan that works for you.
Learn More

Cancer Pain

Some people who are diagnosed with cancer don’t experience any pain related to the cancer itself, but some do. Cancer pain can vary depending on the type of cancer you have, the type of treatment you are receiving, and even what part of the body it is affecting.
Learn More

Back Pain

At some point or another, most people will suffer from lower back pain, whether it be from age, an injury, or from an activity. There are many things you can do to relieve back pain, from stretches, medications, and heating pads. You can also change your habits to prevent future injuries. Things like exercising regularly, eating better, and avoiding bad habits like smoking can keep you from getting injured. Being active and working out help keep your body and muscles moving, making strains and tears less likely.
Learn More

Muscle Pain

Muscle pain is a common issue that can occur anywhere in your body. Muscle soreness of knots can be triggered by dehydration, fatigue, stress, and over-exercising.. To prevent muscle tension, it is important to drink plenty of water and stretch before working out or being active. Persistent muscle pain despite conservative treatments may be improved with trigger point injections.
Learn More

Headaches/Migraines

Headaches are painful episodes that can completely incapacitate someone. Increasingly painful headaches that last for hours or days are known as migraines. Migraines can make you nauseous, sensitive to sound or light, and are typically specific to one side of your head. Generally, migraines are genetic and run in families. Headaches are typically categorized into two types — primary and secondary.
Learn More

Complex Regional Pain

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome is a condition that can affect your legs, feet, arms, or hands. This condition is typically caused by problems in the central nervous system, and usually develops after an injury, surgery, or heart attack, and is most commonly found in women around 40 years old. Symptoms of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome can include a burning or intense pain, pain throughout an entire limb, sensitivity to touch, swelling, stiff or achy joints, or even involuntary jerking.
Learn More

Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is a painful condition that often affects the nerves in the feet and legs. When blood sugar gets too high, the nerves in your body can become injured causing diabetic peripheral neuropathy.
Learn More

Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a condition that can cause fatigue, pain, or tenderness in various muscles. Typically, fibromyalgia can lead to additional conditions, including arthritis, lupus, and IBS. Normally triggered by stress, fibromyalgia can be dealt with by reducing anxiety/stress and exercising frequently.
Learn More

Meralgia Paresthetica

Meralgia paresthetica is described as burning pain, tingling, or numbness in or around your outer thigh. This condition occurs when the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve is squeezed or compressed. This nerve can become compressed from tight clothing, obesity, pregnancy, or having scar tissue that occurs from injuries. Treating meralgia paresthetica depends on how damaged the nerves are and the symptoms that it causes. When symptoms occur, they are typically only on one side of the body, and can start off mild and worsen over time.
Learn More

Sacroiliac Joint

The sacroiliac joints are located where the spine and pelvis meet. Sacroiliac joint pain can cause stiffness and pain in the lower back and legs and is often mistaken as pain from a herniated disc. Typically, standing or sitting for too long can make the pain even worse. This pain can occur from arthritis, pregnancy, or injury/infection in the sacroiliac joints.
Learn More

Shingles Pain

Shingles is an itchy, painful rash that occurs on a single side of the face or body. The rash typically shows up as scabbed over blisters. Shingles is most common in older adults but can affect anyone who has had chicken pox. Once someone has had chicken pox, the virus stays in the body and can potentially reactivate and develop into shingles. Similar to chicken pox, once a person has shingles, it is likely they will never get it again. Shingles is not contagious, but it is possible to pass it on to someone who has never had the chicken pox or the chicken pox vaccine.
Learn More

Trigeminal Neuralgia

Trigeminal Neuralgia is a type of neuropathic condition that causes facial pain from the trigeminal nerve. Typically occurring on one side of the face, symptoms include pain that can last from a few seconds to multiple minutes. Trigeminal neuralgia is often random but can be brought on by face injuries or dental surgeries. Other known causes include blood vessels and nerves contacting, causing the nerve to be exposed and sensitive. Many times, trigeminal neuralgia shows up with sudden and extreme burning or stabbing facial pain. The other type of pain that can occur is more dull but still sore.
Learn More

Neck Pain

Knee Pain

Back and Leg Pain

Cancer Pain

Back Pain

Muscle Pain

Headaches/Migraines

Complex Regional Pain

Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy

Fibromyalgia

Meralgia Paresthetica

Sacroiliac Joint

Shingles Pain

Trigeminal Neuralgia

Patient Testimonials

"I have been going here for almost 3 yrs and I can’t say enough good things about them. Great staff and very caring. Dr. Thomas and Dr. Pair really care about their patients and it shows. Always trying to find new ways to help you with your issues and always there when you need extra help or to be seen on an emergency!"

Patient Testimonials

"Very happy with Dr. Thomas and his staff. Very efficient office. No long wait times to get in for a visit or sitting in the waiting room."

Patient Testimonials

"Have been going there for years and they are very professional and caring. They will help get your pain manageable."

Patient Testimonials

"Been a patient of Dr. Thomas for over 20 years. I've seen Dr's all over and he is one of the best!"

Contact ECPC Roanoke Rapids

257 NC Highway 125
Roanoke Rapids, NC 27870

252-410-0001

Hours:

Monday - Wednesday 7:15am - 5:00pm
Thursday - 7:15am - 4:30pm
Fax: 252-410-0003

    Our Providers

    • Dr. Brian Hertzberg
      • Dr. Brian Hertzberg

      Dr. Brian Hertzberg

      Dr. Brian Hertzberg is a double board-certified Anesthesiologist and Pain Management doctor. He was raised in Durham and Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and graduated with honors from Duke University in 2008, where he earned a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Psychology. While at Duke, he played for the Duke University Rugby team and helped his team finish runner-up for the Division III National Championship. Academically, he conducted research focused on veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at the VA Medical Center, and worked as a lab technician and research assistant at the Thurston Arthritis Research Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

      After experiencing the Duke-UNC rivalry from one side of tobacco road as an undergraduate, Dr. Hertzberg attended the University of North Carolina School of Medicine at Chapel Hill where he was inducted into the John B. Graham Research Society and earned his medical degree in 2012. He then journeyed north for 5 years to complete an Anesthesiology Residency followed by a Pain Medicine Fellowship at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.  During his residency and fellowship, he participated in additional training in ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia, attended interventional pain management workshops, and performed research focused on acute and chronic pain.

      After his residency and fellowship, Dr. Hertzberg returned to his roots in North Carolina. He worked as a pain management physician for 7.5 years in the Raleigh area at Wake Spine and Pain Specialists. On February 1st, 2025 he joined East Carolina Pain Consultants in Roanoke Rapids to take over the practice when Dr. Joey Thomas retired.

      Dr. Hertzberg considers it a privilege and honor to be a physician serving this community. He finds it rewarding to communicate with patients, perform procedures, and develop the best personalized plan of care for each patient. One of his core philosophies is the importance of treating every patient with the same kindness, compassion, and empathy he would want for his own family. Additionally, he finds it important to educate each patient about the medical cause of their individual condition so they have a full understanding of the recommended treatment approach. Treatment plans are specifically tailored using evidence-based medicine with the ultimate goal of improving quality of life.

      Dr. Hertzberg’s interests outside of medicine include going to the movies, listening to music, and spending time with his 3 children and wonderful wife. He is an avid Duke Basketball fan and his wife is a Tar Heel fan and alumna, which always makes for an interesting March Madness.

    • Virgil Thomas Pair, FNP-C

      • Virgil Thomas Pair, FNP-C

      CERTIFICATIONS

      • Advanced Cardiac Life Support
      • Basic Life Support

      EDUCATION

      • University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC, Master of Nursing
      • Barton College, Wilson, NC, Bachelor of Science in Nursing
      • Halifax Community College, Weldon, NC, Associate Degree Nursing
    • Eileen Pauline Gentry, FNP

      • Eileen Pauline Gentry, FNP

      CERTIFICATIONS/AWARDS
      • Patient Choice Awards of 2024/ Hematology and Oncology
      • Fort Sam Houston Academy of Health & Sciences, Health Care Specialist/ NREMT/Combat Medic Certification, 2008
      EDUCATION
      • Maryville University of St. Louis, Master of Science in Nursing- Family Nurse Practitioner, May 2022, Sigma Theta Tau Honors Society
      • University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, May 2018, Sigma Theta Tau Honors Society
      • Halifax Community College, Associate Degree in Nursing, August 2011 – May 2013