Dr. Figueroa is on Doximity
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Office
56 Holden St
Worcester, MA 01605Phone+1 508-852-4407
Summary
- I practiced rheumatology for 3+ decades in central Massachusetts, retiring December 2014, after surviving a serious bout of T-cell lymphoma. From the beginning I elected to be a sole practitioner. I was honored to serve hundreds of patients from my 3 offices with a full spectrum of disease.
Given my clinical activity, I was invited to join the “Speakers Bureaus “ of numerous pharmacological companies and their “Marketing Advisory Boards “. I delivered hundreds of lectures to other physicians and patient groups. I contributed innovative ideas at large conferences and smaller meetings throughout the USA (including the NIH, Washington DC) and abroad (Munich, Germany/ Toledo, Spain/ Rome, Italy).
I was the first to describe the use of tizanidine with multi-drug combination therapy for fibromyalgia, the first in central Massachusetts to use hyaluronic acid intra—articular knee injections for advanced OA of the knee, the first physician, at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Worcester, MA, to use oral methotrexate for a resistant rheumatoid arthritis patient.
I was honored to be invited to join academic medical services at Univ. of Rome, UCLA and UMass.
Over a decade and a half, I developed a successful clinical technique for the treatment of therapeutically resistant fibromyalgia associated intimately with PTSD - interestingly this also significantly improved the PTSD. I am calling this “tertiary fibromyalgia “. This is a new concept in clinical therapeutic resistance. It may apply to other disease states. My rheumatology fellowship mentor, Professor John Calabro, a dual professor of internal medicine and pediatrics , a designated “Master of Rheumatology “ and a “Founding Father of Modern Day Rheumatology” after criticizing me for my extended interest in fibromyalgia, called me in one day to his office and said “Jim, you’ve got it! “. He went on to compare my ideas on fibromyalgia to his finest clinical revelations. This was my finest compliment ever.
Education & Training
UMass Chan Medical SchoolFellowship, Rheumatology, 1986 - 1988- UMass Chan Medical SchoolChief Residency, Internal Medicine, 1985 - 1986
- UMass Chan Medical SchoolResidency, Internal Medicine, 1984 - 1985
MetroWest Medical CenterResidency, Internal Medicine, 1981 - 1982- MetroWest Medical CenterInternship, Rotating Internship, 1980 - 1981
Methodist HospitalRotating Clinical Clerkship, 1979 - 1980
Sapienza University of RomeClass of 1979, Laurea di Dottore in Medicina e Chirurgia- Fordham UniversityBS, 1965 - 1969
Certifications & Licensure
MA State Medical License 1983 - 2017
Awards, Honors, & Recognition
- 32nd Degree Mason Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite - Valley of Boston, 2011
- Skeet Champion, Class D Eight Point Sportsman's Club, Sterling, MA, 1993
- Instructor in Medicine University of Massachusetts Medical Center, 1986-1992
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Publications & Presentations
Journal Articles
- Co-occurrence of the Reiter syndrome and acquired immunodeficiencyWeber CA, Figueroa JP, Calabro JJ, Marcus EM, Gleckman RA, Ann Intern Med, 1/1/1987
- Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis: Comprehensive ManagementCalabro JJ, Figueroa JP, Reich KA, Today's Therapeutic Trends, 1/1/1987
Books/Book Chapters
Abstracts/Posters
- Symptomatically Severe Secondary Fibromyalgia, Tertiary Fibromyalgia, Therapeutic Clinical Resistance and PTSDFigueroa J, Postgraduate Medicine/ PainWeek 2020, Vol 132 2020, Supp 1 2020 pgs 1-76, PnWk Abstract bk 2020, PDF, pg 21-22, www.TANDFONLINE,com/LPGM, 2020
- Fibromyalgia as a Clinical Indicator of Restorative Sleep in the Treatment of PTSD, Anxiety and Depression.Figueroa J, Kobus B., Myopain ‘04 Supp #9, 2004// Encore Presentation: NIH Nov 2004: 108, Fibromyalgia Workshop - The Next Advances, Munich, Germany // NIH, Washington, DC
- Pain,Opioid Therapy,Fibromyalgia and PTSD - A Singular Disease Entity - A Fundamental Concept in Disease TreatmentFigueroa J., Postgraduate Medicine - Painweek abstracts , Sept. 2017 pg 26-27, Las Vegas, 9/2017
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Press Mentions
Posts & Comments on PTSD & associated fibromyalgia February 18th, 2022
Post addendum to PTSD & secondary fibromyalgia February 18th, 2022
Physician Focus: Explaining Fibromyalgia May 21st, 2022
Committees
- Chairperson Harrington Memorial Hosp, Bylaws Committee 2001 - 2011
Professional Memberships
- Member Emeritus
- 1986-1995
- New England Rheumatology Association1988-2014
- Worcester District Medical Society1986-1995
Other Languages
- Italian
Industry Relationships
- Speaker’s Bureau, Ortho-McNeil, Wyeth, Centacor, Jazz, Accorda, Forest, Cypress,TakedaI delivered hundreds of lectures on various medical topics including fibromyalgia to doctor’s throughout the USA.Disclosure: None - retired 10 years.1993 - 2014
- Marketing Advisory Boards, Elan, Merck, Ortho-McNeil, Wyeth, Centacor, PfizerI offered new and innovative clinical uses for numerous pharmacological products in various diseases.Disclosure: None - retired 10 years1998 - 2012
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