Suzanne Manzi, MD

Dr. Suzanne M. Manzi, MD, FAAPMR, CLCP, is a quadruple board-certified physician specializing in interventional pain management, electrodiagnostic testing, physical medicine and rehabilitation, and medical weight management. She is also a Certified Life Care Planner and a Fellow of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. As co-founder of Performance Pain and Sports Medicine, Dr. Manzi leads a patient-centered practice with locations in Houston, Baytown, and League City, Texas. She has been practicing medicine since 2010.

Dr. Manzi believes deeply in building trusting relationships with her patients, striving to empower them through thoughtful, personalized treatment plans that promote health and wellness. Her clinical approach emphasizes thorough diagnostic evaluation before recommending any treatment. Rather than relying on medication alone, Dr. Manzi focuses on identifying the root cause of pain and developing individualized plans that may include interventional procedures, regenerative therapies, and lifestyle modification.

For patients dealing with chronic pain, Dr. Manzi offers a clear message: non-surgical options should be fully explored before considering surgery. Her training in physical medicine and rehabilitation provides the foundation for this philosophy, combining functional restoration with advanced interventional techniques.

Board Certifications and Training

Dr. Manzi holds four board certifications, each representing specialized expertise that informs her clinical approach.

Board Certifications

  • Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2010) — Foundation for non-surgical musculoskeletal care, functional restoration, and mobility optimization across a broad range of conditions
  • Pain Medicine (American Board of Pain Medicine, 2013) — Expertise in comprehensive pain management including interventional procedures, medication management, and multimodal treatment strategies
  • Electrodiagnostic Medicine (American Board of Electrodiagnostic Medicine, 2011) — Specialized training in nerve conduction studies and electromyography (EMG/NCS) for precise diagnosis of nerve and muscle disorders
  • Obesity Medicine (American Board of Obesity Medicine, 2023) — Clinical expertise in weight management and metabolic health, addressing the relationship between weight and chronic pain conditions

Additional Certifications and Accreditations

  • Certified Life Care Planner (CLCP), International Commission on Health Care Certification, 2025
  • AANEM Electrodiagnostic Laboratory Accreditation with Exemplary Status (2018 to present)
  • Fellow, American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (FAAPMR)
  • Certificate in the Evaluation of Disability and Impairment Rating (CEDIR, 2012)

Education

  • Doctor of Medicine (MD), St. George’s University School of Medicine, Grenada, West Indies, 2005
  • Bachelor of Science, Biology, University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), 2000 (Honor’s College, NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Scholarship)

Postgraduate Training

  • Internship: Transitional Year, Bassett Healthcare, Cooperstown, New York, 2005–2006
  • Residency: Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Baylor College of Medicine / UT Houston PM&R Alliance, 2006–2009
  • Fellowship: Interventional Spine, Electrodiagnostic Medicine, and Pain Management, Michigan State University and Lansing Orthopedics, 2009–2010

Procedures and Treatments

Dr. Manzi performs a comprehensive range of interventional pain management procedures using fluoroscopic and ultrasound guidance for precision and safety.

Injection Therapies

Nerve Treatments

Neuromodulation

Diagnostic Testing

Regenerative Medicine

Additional Services

  • Medical weight management
  • Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT)
  • Sexual wellness procedures (O-Shot, P-Shot, testosterone pellet therapy)
  • Kyphoplasty (vertebral compression fracture management)
  • Certified Life Care Planner (CLCP), designated by the International Commission on Health Care Certification. Dr. Manzi is a member of the American Academy of Physician Life Care Planners and serves as an Associate Physician with Physician Life Care Planning, LLC.

Conditions Treated

Dr. Manzi evaluates and treats patients with a wide range of chronic and acute pain conditions, including:

  • Chronic back pain, neck pain, and sciatica
  • Spinal stenosis, herniated discs, and degenerative disc disease
  • Facet joint arthritis and sacroiliac joint dysfunction
  • Joint pain (knee, hip, shoulder)
  • Nerve pain, neuropathy, radiculopathy, and complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)
  • Sports injuries and overuse conditions
  • Failed back surgery syndrome
  • Cervicogenic headaches and chronic migraines
  • Neuromuscular disorders (diagnosed via EMG/NCS testing)
  • Obesity-related pain conditions

Clinical Philosophy

Dr. Manzi’s approach to patient care is built on three principles: accurate diagnosis, individualized treatment, and honest communication.

Every patient evaluation begins with a comprehensive review of symptoms, imaging, and medical history. When appropriate, Dr. Manzi uses electrodiagnostic testing (EMG/nerve conduction studies) to evaluate nerve and muscle function, providing objective data that guides treatment decisions. This commitment to precision diagnosis reflects her belief that effective treatment depends on understanding exactly what is causing the pain.

Treatment plans are tailored to each patient’s specific condition, goals, and lifestyle. Dr. Manzi’s training across four board certifications allows her to draw from multiple disciplines, whether a patient needs an interventional spine procedure, weight management support, or a combination of approaches.

Dr. Manzi is equally committed to honesty about what a treatment can and cannot achieve. When surgery is the most appropriate option, she will recommend it. When conservative and minimally invasive approaches can provide meaningful improvement, she will pursue those first. This transparency is central to the trusting relationships she builds with her patients.

Her role as teaching faculty at UT Health Houston McGovern Medical School reinforces this evidence-based approach. Staying connected to academic medicine ensures that her clinical practice reflects current research and best practices.

Professional Leadership and Recognition

Teaching and Academic Roles

  • Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, McGovern Medical School at UT Health (2012 to present)
  • Lectures and mentorship to UT Houston and Baylor PM&R faculty, residents, and medical students in Pain Medicine, Electromyography, and Practice Development
  • Clinical Instructor, Michigan State University Department of PM&R (2009 to 2010)

Leadership

  • Founding Member and Director at Large, The Society for Women Innovators in Pain Management (WIPM), 2019 to present
  • Harris County Medical Society, Southwest Branch: Secretary (2017), Vice President (2018), President-Elect (2019), President (2020)

Awards and Recognition

  • Houstonia Magazine “Houston’s Top Doctors” in Pain Management/PM&R, yearly from 2016 through 2024
  • Top 3 Pain Management Doctors in Houston, ThreeBestRated.com (2018)
  • Leading Physician of the World (2014)

Professional Memberships

  • American Academy of Physician Life Care Planners (2025 to present)
  • North American Neuromodulation Society (NANS)
  • Texas Pain Society (TPS)
  • Obesity Medicine Association (OMA)
  • American Association of Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine (AANEM)
  • Texas Medical Association (TMA)
  • Harris County Medical Society (HCMS)
  • Women Pain Physicians of Houston (Founding Member, 2012 to present)
  • Houston Obesity Partnership of Excellence (HOPE)

Career Milestones

  • Co-founded Performance Pain and Sports Medicine (2016 to present)
  • Founded and initiated the Outpatient Interventional Pain program at TIRR Memorial Hermann Hospital
  • Medical talk show hostess of “Pain Diaries” on NowMedia Television (2022 to 2023)
  • Former clinician at the Pain Management Center of Houston (2012 to 2016)

Publications and Research

Dr. Manzi is a published author and active contributor to interventional pain management research. Selected publications include:

Peer-Reviewed Publications

  • Massey C, … Manzi S, … Diwan S. “Guidelines From the American Society of Pain and Neuroscience for Using Artificial Intelligence in Interventional Spine and Nerve Treatment.” J Pain Res. 2025;18:4211-4235. (PubMed)
  • Deer TR, … Manzi SM, … Sayed D. “An Evidence-Based Consensus for the Use of Neurostimulation for the Treatment of Non-Surgical Low Back Pain: The NEURON Group.” J Pain Res. 2025;18:1247-1274. (PubMed)
  • Andary MT, Parkhurst DB, … Manzi SM, … Sylvain JR. “Can Carpal Tunnel Syndrome be Appropriately Diagnosed in a Cold Hand?” Spartan Med Res J. 2021;6(2):25941. (PubMed)
  • Chahadeh H, Rich B, Wiederholz M, … Manzi S, … “Subthreshold Peripheral Nerve Stimulation with a High Frequency Electric Magnetic Coupled (HF-EMC) Powered Implanted Receiver: A Case Series.” American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians. 2021.
  • Manzi SM, McCarthy MR, Francisco GE. “Computerized Tomography (CT)-Guided Injection of the Iliopsoas Muscle: An Alternative Technique for the Intervention of Spastic Hypertonia.” Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2008.

Textbook Contributions

  • Manzi SM. TMJ chapter. 5th Edition: Essentials of PM&R, 2023.

Selected Presentations

  • “Simultaneous Spinal Cord and Dorsal Root Ganglion Stimulation Trial for Treatment of CRPS Type II of the Left Upper Extremity.” WIPM Conference, Scottsdale, AZ, 2022.
  • “Wireless Stimulation of Superior Cluneal Nerve for Chronic Low Back Pain: A Case Series.” NANS E-Poster, 2021.
  • “Peripheral Nerve Stimulation of the Suprascapular Nerve for Treatment of Shoulder Pain.” NANS E-Poster, 2020.
  • “A Novel Technique for Watercooled Radiofrequency Ablation (Coolief) of the Sacroiliac Joint.” International Spine Interventional Society, 2016.

Speaking Engagements and Personal Background

Selected Speaking Engagements

  • NANS Plenary Session IV: “Optimizing Neuromodulation to Improve Patient Outcomes,” Orlando, FL, 2022
  • AANEM Invited Lecture: “How to Use EMG in a Non-EMG Practice,” 2022
  • Texas Pain Society: “Closed Loop Spinal Cord Stimulation and Programming,” 2023
  • WIPM Annual Conferences: multiple presentations on pain management, BHRT, practice building (2021 to 2024)
  • AANEM Invited Lecture: “Crossfires: Piriformis Syndrome: There is a Simple Explanation,” 2016

Industry Advisory and Speaker’s Bureau Roles

  • Biotronik Advisory Board and Speaker’s Bureau (2022 to 2024)
  • Medtronic Speaker’s Bureau (2022)
  • Abbott Key Opinion Leader and Speaker’s Bureau (2021 to 2022)
  • Curonix (formerly Stimwave) Speaker’s Bureau (2019 to present)
  • Avanos Speaker’s Bureau for COOLIEF Watercooled Radiofrequency Ablation (2015 to present)
  • Boston Scientific Key Opinion Leader and Speaker’s Bureau (2016 to 2019)
  • Eli Lilly Comprehensive Pain Management Advisory Board Co-Chair (2018)

Personal Background

Originally from Point Pleasant, New Jersey, Dr. Manzi earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), where she was a member of the Honor’s College and played NCAA Division I women’s basketball on scholarship. That competitive drive and discipline carry over into her approach to medicine.

Outside of the clinic, Dr. Manzi enjoys an active lifestyle that includes exercise, SCUBA diving, snow skiing, reading, and global travel. She values spending quality time with her two children and significant other, finding balance and inspiration through family and personal adventures.

Dr. Manzi recently launched Doctor Wander Well Travel, a travel agency designed to help patients celebrate their health achievements, whether through pain relief, weight loss, or regenerative medicine milestones, by planning meaningful, curated travel experiences.

Schedule an Appointment With Dr. Manzi

Dr. Manzi sees patients at the Houston, Baytown, and League City offices.

Performance Pain and Sports Medicine
Phone: 346-217-1111

Contact us to request an appointment

The information on this page is for educational purposes and does not replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Individual results may vary. Consult with your physician to determine the best treatment plan for your specific condition.

Last medically reviewed: April 2026 by Suzanne Manzi, MD