Born in Brooklyn, New York, Dr. James Celestin thought about becoming a lawyer or a teacher while in college at Harvard University, but ultimately he kept coming back to medicine. “My parents were immigrants and they put a lot of emphasis on education when I was young,” he explains. “I thought about different careers, but I always wanted to do something that would have a positive and real impact on the lives of others.”

Dr. Celestin has a multidisciplinary training background which incorporates diverse fields such as anesthesiology, psychiatry, and interventional pain medicine, and he uses his skills to provide comprehensive care for all of his patients. According to Dr. Celestin, there has been a great deal of advancement in pain medicine over the last 10 years. “We’ve gained a lot of knowledge regarding the neuroscience of pain and this has led to different approaches and modalities for treatment.”

Some of the procedures Dr. Celestin performs in his practice range from epidural injections for back or neck pain to the percutaneous implantation of devices such as a spinal cord stimulator for patients for whom more invasive surgeries have already failed. “These days there are so many options we can offer and so much we can do for our patients who are suffering from pain, it makes it very exciting and rewarding to be a doctor in my field. I feel like I can really make a difference for the people I care for.”

Dr. Celestin believes that every patient he sees is unique and needs a singular approach. “Some patients may not want to have surgery, some people don’t want to have an injection; others are more interested in complementary and holistic treatments. The best way to come up with a treatment plan for a patient is to really listen, get to know them as a whole person, and ask the right questions.”

In his spare time, Dr. Celestin enjoys being with his family. He is also an avid reader, and enjoys running and has participated in two Boston marathons.