Dr. Melnik is a board certified specialist in musculoskeletal medicine, rehabilitation, non-surgical orthopedics, and regenerative medicine. She completed her internship in general surgery and residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at Stanford University Hospital. Her fellowship training in non-surgical orthopedics, interventional sports, and spinal procedures was completed in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Dr. Melnik specializes in treatment of patients with sports, work or car accident related injuries, different types of arthritic conditions of the peripheral joints and spine, soft tissue and nerve injuries, herniated discs and sciatica, degenerative discs and spinal joints. She utilizes conventional, alternative and regenerative medicine treatments, including ultrasound (US)and XR guided injections of platelet rich plasma (PRP), Bone Marrow Aspirate (BMAC), adipose (fat) derived stem cells and many others.
Dr. Melnik has authored numerous medical textbook chapters and scientific research publications. She has spoken at many local, national and international medical conferences and meetings. She has also been a guest speaker at multiple healthcare related radio talk programs on the subject of minimally invasive, regenerative and non-surgical treatment of back pain, sports injuries and degenerative arthritic conditions, including stem cell treatments using the patient’s own tissue.
Dr. Melnik volunteers with Flying Doctors of America, providing free medical care to patients abroad, in Asia, Latin America etc., who do not have access to medical care facilities, delivering direct patient treatment, medical supplies and medications.
Dr. Irina L. Melnik
EDUCATION:
Fellowship in Interventional Spine, Sports, Musculoskeletal and
Orthopedic Rehabilitation, Honolulu, HI 2003-2004
‘Portner Orthopedic Rehabilitation’ Clinic
Fellow
Stanford University, Department of Physical Medicine 2000-2003
and Rehabilitation, Stanford, CA
Resident in PM&R
Stanford University, Department of General Surgery,
Stanford, CA 1999-2000
Resident/intern in General Surgery
Tartu University School of Medicine and Sport Medicine, 1988-1993
Tartu, Estonia
Doctor of Medicine & Sports Medicine
Institute of Physical Education & Sports, 1984-1988
Almaty, Kazakhstan
PhD equivalent in Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation
with teaching credentials
WORK EXPERIENCE:
Comprehensive Spine &Sports, Mill Valley, CA 2007- present
Physician
Subspecialty in non-surgical orthopedics, regenerative medicine
Spinal Diagnostics &Treatment Center, Daly City, CA 2007- present
Physician
Interventional Spine Procedures, Pain; Musculoskeletal, Sports Disorders
Mt. Tam Orthopedics Spine Center, Larkspur, CA 2004-2007
Staff Physician
Subspecialty in Interventional Spine and Pain procedures
UCSF/Stanford Healthcare, Stanford, CA 1998
Community Screening Project Clinical Volunteer
Community Screening Project Development in East Palo Alto
for low income population
Arbor Free Medical Clinic, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 1998
Clinical volunteer
Treatment of low income residents of the San Francisco Bay Area.
Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 1997-1999
Research Fellow, volunteer
Dr. Christopher H. Contag lab, project on “In vivo monitoring
of bioluminescent tumor cells progression and response to
immunotherapy in living mice”
PUBLICATIONS AND RESEARCH:
Melnik I and Derby R Discogenic Pain Interdisciplinary Pain Medicine: A Case Approach, ed. S. Hayek, H. Smith, M. Desai etc.Submitted
Derby R, Melnik I, Choi JW, and Lee JE. Indications for repeat diagnostic medial branch nerve blocks following a failed first medial branch nerve block. Pain Physician. 2013 Sep-Oct;16(5):479-88.
Melnik I, Derby R, and Baker R. Chap 45. Provocative Discography, Comprehensive Treatment of Chronic Pain by Medical, Interventional, and Integrative Approaches the AAPM (American Academy of Pain Medicine) Textbook on Patient Management, ed. Deer TR, Leong MS etc, Springer New York Heidelberg Dordrecht London, 2013, p. 461-478.
Derby R, Melnik I, Lee JE, and Lee SH. Cost Comparisons of Various Diagnostic Medical Branch Block Protocols For Identifying Patients For Medial Branch Neurotomy, Pain Medicine, 2013, 14(3): 378-391.
Derby R, Melnik I, and Seo KS. Cervical Diagnostic and Therapeutic Interventional Procedures Decision Making in Spinal Care, 2nd Ed. Anderson DG, Vaccaro AR. Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc. New York, NY, 2013, p.170-176.
Derby R, Melnik I, Lee JE, and Lee SH. Correlation of Lumbar Medial Branch Neurotomy Results With Diagnostic Medial Branch Block Cut-Off Values to Optimize Therapeutic Outcome, Pain Medicine, 2012, 13(12): 1533-1546
Derby R, Melnik I, Lee JE, and Lee SH. Results of Medial Branch Neurotomy and Total Procedures Cost in a Single Practice Audit Study. Speaker, International Spine Intervention Society (ISIS)19th Annual Scientific Meeting. Chicago, IL. Aug 10-12, 2011.
Derby R, Baker RM, Melnik I, Lee JE, and Lee CH. Chap.27 Intradiscal heating therapy, Evidence-Based Managememnt of Low Back Pain, ed. Dagenais S and Haldeman S, Elsevier Mosby, St. Louis, MO, 2012, p.364-388
Lew HL, Lee EH, Date ES, Melnik I: 8/2002
“Rehabilitation of a patient with Heat Stroke”: A Case Report.
American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 002;81:629-632