Jianguo Cheng, MD, PhD
Primary Location
Cleveland Clinic Main Campus
- Appointment:
- 216.445.7370
- Desk:
- 216.445.9572
- Fax:
- 216.444.9890
Additional Locations
Neurosciences
Cleveland Clinic Main Campus
9500 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44195
Directions
- Appointment:
- 216.445.7370
- Desk:
- 216.445.9572
- Fax:
- 216.444.9890
Treatment & Services
- Acute Postoperative Pain Management
- Back Pain Treatment
- Celiac Plexus Block
- Cervical Epidural Injections
- Cervical Facet Joint Block
- Cervical, Thoracic and Lumbar Radiofrequency Ablation
- Diagnostic Epidural Differential Blocks
- Discograms
- Epidural Steroid Injection
- Epiduroscopy
- Facet Median Nerve Branch Block
- Implantable Intrathecal Drug Delivery Systems
- Implantable Spinal Cord Stimulator Therapy
- Intradiscal Procedure for Pain Relief
- Intradiscal Intervention (IDET, Biacuplasty)
- Intrathecal Baclofen Pump
- Joint Injections
- Lumbar Epidural Injections
- Lumbar Facet Joint Block
- Neck Pain Treatment
- Neuromodulation
- Occipital Nerve Block
- Occipital Nerve Stimulation
- Pain Management
- Peripheral Nerve Blocks
- Placement of Cervical Tunneled Epidural Catheter
- Placement of Lumbar Tunneled Epidural Catheter
- Regional Anesthesia
- Rheumatoid Arthritis: How to Treat
- Second Opinion Neuropathic Pain
- Selective Nerve Root Injection
- Spinal Cord Stimulation
- Splanchnic Nerve Block
- Sympathetic Nerve Blocks
- Thoracic Epidural Injections
- Thoracic Facet Joint Block
- Trigeminal Nerve Radiofrequency Ablation
Specialty in Diseases & Conditions
- Abdominal Pain
- Arthritis
- Back Pain
- Back Pain in Athletes
- Bursitis
- Cancer Pain
- Causalgia
- Central Pain Syndrome
- Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease
- Chronic Back Pain
- Chronic Myofascial Pain (CMP)
- Chronic Neuropathic Pain
- Cluster Headaches
- Coccydynia
- Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
- Facet Joint Syndrome
- Headaches
- Herniated Disc
- Interstitial Cystitis
- Knee Injuries
- Knee Pain
- Lumbar Degenerative Disc Disease
- Musculoskeletal Pain
- Myofascial Pain Syndrome
- Neck Pain
- Nerve Injuries
- Neuropathic Pain
- Neuropathy
- Neuropathy - Diabetic
- Occipital Headache
- Orofacial Pain
- Osteoporosis
- Painful Joints
- Pediatric Pain
- Pelvic Pain
- Peripheral Artery Disease
- Peripheral Neuropathy
- Radiculopathy
- Raynaud's Phenomenon
- Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD)
- Sciatica
- Shingles (Varicella-Zoster Virus)
- Spasticity
- Spinal Fractures
- Spinal Stenosis
- Spine Pain
- Spondylitis
- Spondylolysis
- Spondylosis
- Temporomandibular Disorders
- Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis)
- Tension Headaches
- Trigeminal Neuralgia
- Vertebral Compression Fracture
- Vulvar Pain Syndromes
- Vulvodynia
- Whiplash
Insurance
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View All PlansAbout Jianguo Cheng, MD, PhD
Jianguo Cheng, MD, PhD, serves as a Professor of Anesthesiology and the Director of the Cleveland Clinic Multidisciplinary Pain Medicine Fellowship Program. He has a distinguished background, having previously held the position of President of the American Academy of Pain Medicine (AAPM) and Chair of the US Section of the World Institute of Pain. Dr. Cheng played a critical role in the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Pain Management Best Practices Inter-agency Task Force (PMTF), leading the drafting of the Task Force's Report to the U.S. Congress aimed at identifying gaps in pain management and proposing recommendations.
Dr. Cheng serves as a member of the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) Action Collaborative on Combating Substance Use and Opioid Crises, contributing to the development of the 3Cs Framework for Pain and Unhealthy Substance Use: Minimum Core Competencies for Interprofessional Education and Practice. Dr. Cheng also served in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Expert Work Group (EWG), where he participated in the development, specification, and maintenance of clinical quality measures.
Recognized for his clinical expertise, Dr. Cheng has received accolades such as inclusion in Best Doctors in America, Top Doctors in America, and acknowledgment as one of the 70 Best Pain Management Physicians in the US by Becker's ASC Review. In his role as a principal investigator, he has secured research grants exceeding $10 million from prestigious institutions like the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Department of Defense, conducting groundbreaking research in areas such as stem cells, opioid tolerance, and chronic pain.
Dr. Cheng's extensive contributions extend to academia, with over 200 research papers, review articles, and book chapters published. His inventions and technology products are globally utilized in clinical practice. He has held positions such as Safety Officer of the Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) at the National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) and served on grant review panels/committees for the NIH and the Department of Defense.
As an educator, Dr. Cheng has published three textbooks and delivered over 200 lectures worldwide. The textbooks include: Fundamentals of Pain Medicine (Springer-Nature, 2018), Neuropathic Pain (Oxford University Press, 2019), and Neuroimmune Interactions: Mechanisms and therapeutics (Springer-Nature, 2023). Dr. Cheng directs one of the largest and most esteemed pain medicine training programs in the US, having trained over 200 clinical fellows and postdoctoral research fellows. Recognized as Best Teacher of the Year and Staff of the Year in Anesthesiology/Pain Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic, his program has been honored with the American Academy of Pain Medicine Pain Medicine Fellowship Excellence Award.
Beyond his institutional roles, Dr. Cheng has actively contributed to organizations such as the Association of University Anesthesiologists (AUA, Scientific Advisory Board), American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA, Board Examination Question Writer), American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA, multiple committees), and American Academy of Regenerative Medicine (Board of Directors). His editorial roles include serving as Senior Editor, Associate Editor, and Section Editor for scientific journals like "Pain Medicine", "Pain Practice", "Pain Physician", "Frontiers in Pain Research", and "Therapeuticals".
Dr. Cheng's extensive list of awards and honors, totaling more than 80, reflects his significant contributions to the field. His research interests and clinical expertise encompass a wide range, including the mechanisms and therapeutic strategies of chronic pain, sensory-motor integration in the spinal cord, clinical applications of neuromodulation, and stem cell biology and applications in pain medicine.
Dr. Cheng was trained in Pain Medicine at Harvard University (Fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital), Surgery and Anesthesiology at University of Louisville (Residency), Neurology at the Qingdao University, and Neurosciences at the University of Guelph (PhD, Biophysics), University of Manitoba, and University of Alberta (PDF) in Canada.
Education & Professional Highlights
Appointed
2006
Education & Fellowships
Fellowship - Massachusetts General Hospital
Pain Management/Anesthesia
Boston,
MA
2005
Residency - University of Louisville Hospital
Anesthesiology
Louisville,
KY
2004
Internship - University of Louisville Hospital
Surgery
Louisville,
KY
2002
Medical Education - University of Guelph
biophysics and neuroscience
Guelph, Ontario,
1995
Residency - Qingdao Medical College
Neurology
Shandong,
1991
Medical Education - Qingdao Medical College
Bachelor of Medicine
Shandong,
1986
Additional Training
- Leading in Healthcare Leadership Class, Cleveland Clinic Academy and Board of Governors, Cleveland, Ohio, 08/2009-05/2010. A 10-month course focusing on leadership in healthcare, human resource management, emotional intelligence, finances, marketing, organizational culture and team building.
- Program Director Certification Program, Cleveland Clinic Education Institute, Department of Faculty Development, 09/2011-05/2012. Certification of Distinguished Development Award, September of 2013.
- PhD, biophysics, Interdepartmental Group of Biophysics and Department of Human Biology, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada, 1991-1995
- Postdoctoral Fellow, electrophysiology of neurons: cell membrane and receptors, Department of Physiology/Spinal Cord Research Centre, University of Manitoba Faculty of Medicine, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, 1995-1996
- Postdoctoral Fellow, neural control of locomotion: neural networks and therapeutic strategies, Division of Neuroscience/Department of Physiology, University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, 1996-1998
Professional Highlights
- President of the American Academy of Pain Medicine (2018~-2019)
- Member, US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Pain Management Best Practices Inter-agency Task Force (PMTF Feb 21, 2018-2019)
- Member of National Academy of Medicine Action Collaborative on Countering the US Opioid Epidemic, 2018-2022.
- Member of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Expert Work Group (EWG) on the development of the measure evaluating potential opioid overuse. 2016-2021.
- Chairman, USA Section of World Institute of Pain (2013-2015).
- Board of Directors, American Academy of Pain Medicine (AAPM) (2014-2020)
- Board of Directors, American Academy of Regenerative Medicine (AARM) (2016~)
- Academy of Medicine of Cleveland & Northern Ohio (AMCNO), 2019-2021.
- Senior Editor/Section Editor, Pain Medicine (Official Journal of American Academy of Pain Medicine), 2015-present)
- Associate Editor, Pain Practice (Official Journal of World Institute of Pain) (2011-2017)
- Scientific Advisory Board, the Association of University Anesthesiologists (AUA) (2015-2018).
- Board of Directors, American Academy of Pain Medicine (AAPM) (2013-present).
- Chairman, AAPM Scientific Review/Clinical Guideline Committee (2011-present).
- Member of National Institutes of Health Study sections/Grant review committee (National Institutes of Health Special Emphasis Panel/Scientific Review Group.
- Expert Reviewer of grant applications to the US Army Medical Research and Material Command, the Scientific Peer Advisory and Review Services division of the American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS).
- Published more than 260 research papers, reviews, book chapters, and abstracts.
- Received research grants of more than $4 million from the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense, the Lisa Dean Moseley Foundation, and other funding agencies.
- Executive Board Member, Association of Pain Program Directors (2013-2016).
- Committee Member, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Committee on Pain Medicine (2013-2017)
- Committee Member, ASA Educational Track Subcommittee on Pain Medicine (2014~).
- Pain Medicine Examination Committee, American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA), the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (ABPMR), and the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN), (2013-2018)
- Examiner, World Institute of Pain, Fellow of Interventional Pain Physicians Board of Examination.
- Previously worked or studied in Harvard University, University of Louisville, University of Alberta, University of Manitoba, University of Guelph, and Qingdao University.
- Trained more than 180 postdoctoral fellows, clinical fellows, and clinical research fellows.
- Received more than 60 honors and awards from institutions, societies, and government agencies.
Certifications
- Anesthesiology - Pain Medicine
Specialty Interests
abdominal and pelvic pain, Abdominal Pain, abdominal pain and spinal cord stimulation for chronic pain, acute postoperative pain management, anesthesia for orthopedic surgery, back, back neuropathic, Back Pain, back/neck pain, cancer pain, CRP, complex regional pain syndrome, evaluation of back and neck pain, headache and orofacial pain, Headaches, interventional pain management, interventional pain management for back and neck pain, Low Back Pain, management of chronic pain, Neck Pain, neuromodulation, neuropathic, neuropathic pain, pain, pain management, pain management including spine, Pediatric Pain, pelvic pain, reflex sympathetic dystrophy, regional anesthesia, research, spinal cord stimulation, spine, spine pain
Awards & Honors
Cheng was recognized by Best Doctors in America (Best Doctors Inc.), 70 Best Pain Management Physicians in the US (Becker's ASC Review), and Top Doctors in America, one of 25 Great Physicians in Ohio (Becker's Review), and one of Top 10 Anesthesiologists in Cleveland (Vitals). He has received Life-time Achievement Award (Marquis Who's Who, 2018), Patients' Choice Awards for 5 consecutive years (Vitals), Most Compassionate Doctor Award (Vitals), among more than 60 honors from academic, societal, and governmental agencies. His achievements in education have been commended by the ACGME and the Cleveland Clinic Education Institute and recognized by a Certification of Distinguished Development from the Cleveland Clinic. His pain fellowship program is the recipient of American Academy of Pain Medicine Pain Medicine Fellowship Excellence Award. He was recognized as Staff of the Year Award, Pain Medicine, and Best Teacher Award, Department of Pain Management, Anesthesiology Institute, and the Cleveland Clinic Clinical Achievement Award, announced by Dr. Toby Cosgrove, the President and CEO of Cleveland Clinic Foundation, in his 2012 State of the Cleveland Clinic Address.
Innovations & Patents
Dr. Cheng holds several US patents and technology transfers/licensing. He is recipient of the Cleveland Clinic 2012 and 2007 Inventor Awards for his achievements in effectively treating back pain generated from the sacroiliac joint and his innovations of stem cell therapy for chronic pain and opioid tolerance. He is also the inventor of a wheelchair powered by electrical stimulation of paralyzed leg muscles, designed for patients with spinal cord injury and the elderly. Dr. Cheng and his partners in Biomotion Inc. developed and commercialize the WalkAide® technology to treat foot drops due to strokes, multiple sclerosis, and other neurological disorders. WalkAide device has been utilized worldwide since 2008.
Memberships
- Association of University Anesthesiologists (AUA)
- American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA)
- American Academy of Pain Medicine (AAPM)
- International Association for the Study of Pain
- Society for Neuroscience (SFN)
- World Institute of Pain (WIP)
- Association of Pain Program Directors (APPD)
Research & Publications
See publications for Jianguo Cheng, MD, PhD.
(Disclaimer: This search is powered by PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. PubMed is a third-party website with no affiliation with Cleveland Clinic.)
Industry Relationships
Cleveland Clinic physicians and scientists may collaborate with the pharmaceutical or medical device industries to help develop medical breakthroughs or provide medical expertise or education. Cleveland Clinic strives to make scientific advances that will benefit patient care and support outside relationships that promise public benefit. In order for the discoveries of Cleveland Clinic physicians' and scientists' laboratories and investigations to benefit the public, these discoveries must be commercialized in partnership with industry. As experts in their fields, Cleveland Clinic physicians and scientists are often sought after by industry to consult, provide expertise and education.
To assure professional and commercial integrity in such matters, Cleveland Clinic maintains a program that reviews these collaborations and, when appropriate, puts measures in place to minimize bias that may result from ties to industry. Cleveland Clinic publicly discloses the names of companies when (i) its physicians/scientists receive $5,000 or more per year (or, in rare cases, equity or stock options) for speaking and consulting, (ii) its physicians/scientists serve as a fiduciary, (iii) its physicians/scientists receive or have the right to receive royalties or (iv) its physicians/ scientists hold any equity interest for the physician's/scientist's role as inventor, discoverer, developer, founder or consultant.* In publicly disclosing this information, Cleveland Clinic tries to provide information as accurately as possible about its physicians' and scientists' connections with industry.
As of 6/19/2024, Dr. Cheng has reported the financial relationships with the companies listed below. In general, patients should feel free to contact their doctor about any of the relationships and how the relationships are overseen by Cleveland Clinic. To learn more about Cleveland Clinic's policies on collaborations with industry and innovation management, go to our Integrity in Innovation page.
Royalty Payments. Dr. Cheng receives or has the right to receive royalty payments for inventions or discoveries commercialized through the companies shown below:
- Boston Scientific Corporation
- Springer Nature
Public Health Service-Reportable Financial Conflicts of Interest. Cleveland Clinic scientists and physicians engage in basic, translational and clinical research activities, working to solve health problems, enhance patient care and improve quality of life for patients. Interactions with industry are essential to bringing the researchers' discoveries to the public, but can present the potential for conflicts of interest related to their research activities. Click here to view a listing of instances where Cleveland Clinic has identified a Public Health Service (PHS)-Reportable Financial Conflict of Interest and has put measures in place to ensure that, to the extent possible, the design, conduct and reporting of the research is free from bias.
* Cleveland Clinic physicians and scientists subscribe to the guidance presented in the PhRMA Code on Interactions with Healthcare Professionals and the AdvaMed Code of Ethics on Interactions with Health Care Professionals. As such, gifts of substantial value are generally prohibited.
82 Patient Satisfaction Reviews
The Patient Satisfaction Rating is an average of all responses to the care provider related questions shown below from our nationally-recognized Press Ganey Patient Satisfaction Survey. Patients that are treated in outpatient or hospital environments may receive different surveys, and the volume of responses will vary by question.
Responses are measured on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the best score.
The comments are submitted by patients and reflect their views and opinions. The comments are not endorsed by and do not necessarily reflect the views of Cleveland Clinic.
Overall | Star Ratings | |
---|---|---|
Explains | 4.6 | |
Courtesy, Respect & Concern | 4.7 | |
Patient Rating of Doctor | 4.7 |
12 Patient Comments
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Reviewed on Jun 5, 2024
I needed follow through on an RX prescribed by Dr Chen. It has been 3 weeks and I cannot get through to the right person to resolve issue.
Reviewed on Jun 5, 2024
Dr Chen has to address the prescription issue. I don't know if he is at fault, the support staff or Georgia, the person who is to contact me.
Reviewed on May 17, 2024
I was originally scheduled one week earlier with a pain management physician in Twinsburg. As I was leaving my home for the appointment, I received a call from the doctor's office cancelling ibecause "the doctor does not treat groins", where my pain was located. Surely when I made the appointment this should have been known by the scheduler. When I called to reschedule at Main Camous (only location available for that "part"), I had no trouble.
Reviewed on Apr 3, 2024
I appreciate the extensive knowledge of my physicians I would highly recommend them to others
Reviewed on Feb 14, 2024
Dr. Cheng is very patient and open to questions.
Reviewed on Feb 14, 2024
Dr. Cheng is rather difficult to understand. Very nice man, though.
Reviewed on Jan 3, 2024
Both dr and associate dr very good, knowledgeable.. Great appointment.
Reviewed on Oct 25, 2023
Dr Cheng and his Fellow were super respectful and helpful. Very intelligent
Reviewed on Oct 25, 2023
I am very pleased with how my doctor and associates really cared about my health and listened to me very well with solutions to my health problem thank you so much and see you soon doc
Reviewed on Sep 13, 2023
DR CHENG. Explained everything to do with my issue. He takes the time to listen and adress my concerns.
Reviewed on Sep 6, 2023
I really appreciated Dr Cheng seeing me so soon with help of my other provider Allison Ferguson this wouldn't have been possible
Reviewed on Aug 16, 2023
I have seen Dr Ching for a long time now and has been very understanding and is a very nice doctor to talk to