Team Members | Craig Saran

Dr. Craig Saran joined AZ Pain Doctors in 2017 to provide a personalized approach to the acute and chronic pain which impacts so many people on a daily basis.

After earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology from Arizona State University in Tempe, he graduated from Midwestern University’s Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine in Glendale. Dr. Saran then completed his residency in Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine at University Hospitals Case Western Reserve Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio. He then completed additional fellowship training in Pain Medicine at Case Western University.

It was during residency training that he developed a passion for the field of Pain Medicine. The aspect of pain that stood out the most to him was the potential impact on a patient’s life from a functional, social and psychological standpoint.

Working under the guidance of Dr. Salim Hayek, a world-renowned expert in the field of Pain Medicine, Dr. Saran developed an approach to pain management that identifies each patient as an individual while incorporating evidence-based treatment.

He has found that helping patients affected by chronic pain restore their lives with a multimodal approach to treatment is an incredibly rewarding experience.

An avid sports fan, Dr. Saran spends his time away from the office cheering for the Arizona State Sun Devils, Phoenix Suns and Arizona Cardinals. He also enjoys travel, being outdoors and spending time with his wife, a Valley endocrinologist.

I became interested in the field of Pain Medicine after a family member developed a chronic pain condition known as Complex Regional Pain Syndrome after a foot surgery. The condition caused him to experience severe pain, swelling, and loss of mobility that really impacted his quality of life. Pain caused him to miss work, avoid activities, and even resulted in several hospitalizations. He saw multiple specialists and it was not until he saw a Pain Medicine specialist that his condition was correctly diagnosed. With appropriate treatment he improved significantly and ultimately returned to normal. This really showed me how much of a negative impact chronic pain can have on someone’s life and showed me how rewarding it can be to help someone with chronic pain improve their level of function and quality of life. This inspired me to pursue the field of Pain Medicine.