Cite as: Blessing M. Editor’s corner:  looking back, moving forward. ASRA Pain Medicine News 2026;51. https://doi.org/10.52211/asra080126.002.

Editor’s Corner

It is with great pride and gratitude that I write my first Editor’s Corner as editor of ASRA Pain Medicine News. My hope is that ASRA Pain Medicine News continues to be a place where members discover new ideas, revisit established practices with fresh perspectives, and learn from one another through the generous exchange of knowledge and experience—both within ASRA Pain Medicine and with our sister societies around the world. I invite you to explore the wide range of articles featured in this August issue. We have an outstanding collection of new content to share with you!

In this edition, we look forward to the upcoming 25th Annual Pain Meeting this November with a preview from its co-chairs, Drs. Tina Doshi and Ariana Nelson, detailing the exciting educational and scientific programming planned for Tampa. We also revisit the value of fellowship training with an article that explores the impact of chronic and acute pain fellowships on early-career development from the perspective of two early-career attending physicians, Drs. Caroline Varlotta and Chelsea Teare. Our global perspective continues with an article by Dr. Amany Ayad on pain fellowship training in Egypt and one from the Latin American Society of Regional Anesthesiologists on gaps in access to interventional pain management in Latin America. Closer to home, our Diversity Special Interest Group presents an article written by Drs. Derek Colaizzo and Carmen Gurrieri focusing on how to improve access to regional anesthesia in rural and resource-limited settings.

I want to highlight two of our core articles because they share a similar theme: Sometimes what is old becomes new again. Our specialty advances not just through innovative ideas but also by revisiting established techniques with fresh eyes. Our How I Do It article on thoracic epidural demonstrates how to incorporate live ultrasound into thoracic epidural catheter placement, while our ASRA Answers column revisits intrathecal morphine’s role in contemporary nonobstetric practice.

In this edition, we look forward to the upcoming 25th Annual Pain Meeting this November with a preview from its co-chairs, Drs. Tina Doshi and Ariana Nelson, detailing the exciting educational and scientific programming planned for Tampa.

And we have so many more great articles. For acute pain, we have another high-yield How I Do It on erector spinae plane catheters for rib fracture pain management. And for chronic pain, we have articles on the management of intractable hiccups, an orphaned clinical problem looking for a home, as well as a How I Do It on the ultrasound exam of the shoulder and an article on a too-common problem: painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy. 

Thank you very much for reading ASRA Pain Medicine News. This publication is a labor of love made possible by the hard work of many ASRA members and staff. I want to thank all the contributors to the August newsletter and everyone on the ASRA Pain Medicine newsletter committee for their hard work. Your dedication, expertise, and generosity make this newsletter possible and are why ASRA Pain Medicine News remains a publication our society can be proud of.

Although you do not have to be a member to enjoy our content, our newsletter reflects one of ASRA Pain Medicine’s greatest strengths: members generously sharing their experience, research, and ideas with one another. Membership provides the opportunity not only to benefit from that collective expertise, but also to contribute your own voice through scholarship, education, committee service, and leadership.

Let’s continue the conversation. We welcome your feedback and article ideas at [email protected]. We also encourage members to share their creativity by submitting artwork for future issues.

We hope to see you at our upcoming society meetings, where the conversations that begin in these pages continue in person.