Rush University's Former Chair of Pain Medicine, Dr. Timothy Lubenow, Joins MAPS Centers for Pain Control to Expand Access to Advanced Pain Care in Chicago

CHICAGO, Dec. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- MAPS Centers for Pain Control (MAPS), one of the Midwest's leading interventional pain networks, today announced that Timothy R. Lubenow, M.D., former Chair of Pain Medicine at Rush University Medical Center, has joined its Chicago practice.

For Chicago residents living with chronic or complex pain, Dr. Lubenow's arrival means faster access to advanced procedures, shorter wait times, and specialized care previously available primarily in academic hospitals.

With more than 40 years of clinical leadership, Dr. Lubenow is regarded as one of the nation's foremost experts in interventional pain medicine. He helped establish the Budapest Criteria, now the global standard for diagnosing Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), and was among the first U.S. physicians to perform Dorsal Root Ganglion (DRG) stimulation, a minimally invasive breakthrough for nerve-related pain.

At Rush, he trained hundreds of pain specialists and helped build one of the country's most respected fellowship programs.

"Every patient deserves access to world-class care without waiting months to be seen," said Dr. Lubenow. "Joining MAPS allows me to bring advanced treatments directly into the community, where we can deliver relief, improved function, and hope much more quickly."

His transition reflects a broader movement of top academic physicians bringing specialized procedures into community-based outpatient settings—making high-level pain care more accessible, affordable, and personalized for patients across Chicagoland.

"Dr. Lubenow is a visionary in pain medicine," said Darrel Saldanha, M.D., Co-Founder of MAPS. "His expertise strengthens our ability to deliver the most advanced procedures available today and meet the growing need for responsible, high-quality pain care in Chicago."

Thomas Pontinen, M.D., Co-Founder of MAPS, added: "Patients in our city deserve access to the very best. Dr. Lubenow brings the rare combination of deep clinical experience and a genuine commitment to patient outcomes."

Dr. Lubenow will treat patients at MAPS' Chicago location, offering advanced diagnostics and treatments for CRPS, spine pain, neuropathic pain, arthritis, and other chronic pain conditions.

About MAPS Centers for Pain Control

Founded by board-certified interventional pain specialists Dr. Darrel Saldanha and Dr. Thomas Pontinen, MAPS Centers for Pain Control is one of the Midwest's premier practices for advanced pain management.

Learn more at www.mwpain.com

About Dr. Timothy R. Lubenow

Dr. Timothy Lubenow is a nationally recognized leader in pain medicine, former Chair of Pain Medicine at Rush University Medical Center, and co-author of the Budapest Criteria for CRPS diagnosis. He has received Lifetime Achievement Awards from Rush and the American Society of Pain and Neuroscience (ASPN).

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SOURCE MAPS Centers for Pain Control