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Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD

Accepting New Patients

(Paul Thananopavarn, MD)

(4 Ratings)

Specializes in: Physiatry (Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation) and General Practice

University of Southern California (USC), Keck School of Medicine (1999 - 2003)

Professional interests include: musculoskeletal problems, wounds, botulinum toxin injection, and more.

911 S. Hughes Street
Apex, NC 27502

(984) 974-9747

Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD is a physiatrist in Apex, NC specializing in physiatry (physical medicine & rehabilitation) and general practice. He graduated from University of Southern California (USC), Keck School of Medicine in 2003 and has 23 years of experience. Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD is affiliated with UNC Health and UNC Health Rex UNC Hospitals.

Office Locations

911 S. Hughes Street
Apex, NC 27502

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1807 Fordham Boulevard
Chapel Hill, NC 27514

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101 Manning Drive
Chapel Hill, NC 27514

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Some issues Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD can help you with:

Joint Injections

A joint is any area of the body where two bones connect. Due to injury or disease, the space between the two bones can sometimes become swollen and inflamed, which leads to pain and a loss of mobility. Injection and aspiration are two tools that physicians use to treat joint pain locally without needing to perform surgery.

Both injection and aspiration are techniques that involve inserting a needle connected to a syringe directly into the joint. Aspiration involves the removal of excess fluid, and injection is the placement of medication directly into the joint space via the needle. Both procedures may be performed at the same time. In both cases a local anesthetic may be used, the skin will be cleaned and disinfected, and then the needle will be inserted. In some cases, especially if the injection or aspiration is in a large and deep joint such as the hip or spine, ultrasound may be used to guide the needle to the exact location desired.

In some cases, irritation to the joint can cause fluid to build up so significantly that the joint hurts and can no longer move well. Aspiration removes some of the excess fluid and relieves the pressure. In addition, aspiration can be used to provide a sample of joint fluid if it needs to be examined microscopically for the presence of white blood cells, bacteria, or crystal formations.

Certain injuries and diseases that affect joints are inflammatory in nature, such as rheumatoid arthritis, tendonitis or gout. These diseases may be helped by the local injection of anti-inflammatory medications directly into the affected joint. In this case, corticosteroids such as methylprednisone are usually used. Relief from the pain may be felt right away and may last for weeks or even months.

In some cases, such as with osteoarthritis, the cartilage buffer between the two bones wears down and pain comes from bones rubbing against each other. In this case, injection of a lubricating agent such as hyaluronic acid may be beneficial. It provides a slippery cushion between the bones to relieve pain that can last for months.

Musculoskeletal Problems

The musculoskeletal system refers collectively to the bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, and nerves. It is what gives the body structure and movement. Because this system encompasses so much of the body, musculoskeletal problems are extremely varied and can happen almost anywhere. There are musculoskeletal problems that affect only the joints, those that affect the bones, those that affect tendons and ligaments, and those that can happen in any area of the body but cause pain and numbness.

Joint problems include bursitis and arthritis. Bursitis is the inflammation of a fluid-filled sac cushion on the outside of a joint, causing symptoms including pain and swelling. Arthritis is the inflammation and damage of a joint due to wear and tear or disease. There are several treatments for arthritis, but if the damage progresses far enough, joint replacement may be necessary. In joint replacement, a metal or plastic implant is surgically placed within the joint to make movement easier.

Bone problems include scoliosis, fractures, and osteoporosis. Scoliosis is a curvature of the spine, making the normally straight spine look like a 'C' or 'S.' It is treated with braces or surgery. Osteoporosis is a disease that causes bones to weaken and break easily. It's most common in women, especially older women. Fully half of all women over 65 have osteoporosis. Fractures are any break in the bone. They can be a simple crack or a severe and complicated shatter. Osteoporosis causes fractures in people who have it, but other causes are trauma (such as a fall) or overuse.

Tendon and ligament problems most often result from injury or overuse. Two good examples are ligament tears and tendonitis. The most common ligament tear is the ACL tear in the knee. This ligament supports and stabilizes the knee and is most often torn during sports activities. Tendonitis happens when a tendon, which connects muscles and bones together, becomes irritated and inflamed. This happens most often in older patients who push their bodies too far, leading to pain and swelling. Treatment for both tendon and ligament problems usually includes rest, ice, and supporting the area to let it heal.

Pain and numbness problems can be caused by overuse, disease, an injury, or a compressed nerve. Lower back pain and carpal tunnel syndrome are two of the most common conditions patients encounter. Lower back pain may be caused by sore muscles that have been overworked, or an injury to the disks separating the vertebrae in the spine. Lower back pain usually goes away on its own within a few days, but it may require medical treatment depending on the cause. Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the nerve at the base of the palm becomes trapped or pinched. Symptoms include tingling, pain, numbness, or weakness in the hand. Treatment involves rest and sometimes steroid injections.

Because the musculoskeletal system involves so much of the body, problems here can be incredibly varied in their type and severity. Some musculoskeletal problems will go away on their own or only require rest, while others may require medication, physical therapy, or even surgery.

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2012 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD treated as a physiatrist in Apex, NC during 2012 were hospital care, inpatient care and nursing home care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	62
hospital care	1023
inpatient care	1023
nursing home care	800

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2013 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD treated as a physiatrist in Apex, NC during 2013 were hospital care, inpatient care and nursing home care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	54
hospital care	827
inpatient care	827
nursing home care	822

2013 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD.

**Gender**
Male	191
Female	305

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	407
Black	64
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	145
From 75 to 84	155
85 and over	132
Less than 65	64

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD in 2013

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	64
Stroke	16
Ischemic Heart Disease	51
Depression	40
Chronic Kidney Disease	47
Asthma	9
Osteoperosis	15
Atrial Fibrilation	26
Heart Failure	40
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	23
Diabetes	41
Dementia	28
Cancer	15

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2014 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD treated as a physiatrist in Apex, NC during 2014 were hospital care, inpatient care and nursing home care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	66
hospital care	703
inpatient care	703
nursing home care	680

2014 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD.

**Gender**
Male	163
Female	265

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	350
Black	54
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	111
From 75 to 84	129
85 and over	127
Less than 65	61

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD in 2014

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	54
Stroke	20
Ischemic Heart Disease	46
Depression	46
Chronic Kidney Disease	48
Asthma	12
Osteoperosis	14
Atrial Fibrilation	26
Heart Failure	40
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	24
Diabetes	39
Dementia	27
Cancer	15

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2015 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD treated as a physiatrist in Apex, NC during 2015 were hospital care, inpatient care and nursing home care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD for Medicare patients.

hospital care	832
inpatient care	832
nursing home care	591

2015 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD.

**Gender**
Male	348
Female	620

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	780
Black	138
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	194
From 75 to 84	322
85 and over	332
Less than 65	120

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD in 2015

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	60
Stroke	21
Ischemic Heart Disease	46
Depression	40
Chronic Kidney Disease	52
Asthma	21
Osteoperosis	17
Atrial Fibrilation	29
Heart Failure	42
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	26
Diabetes	41
Dementia	30
Cancer	14

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2016 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD treated as a physiatrist in Apex, NC during 2016 were nursing home care, hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	38
hospital care	534
inpatient care	534
nursing home care	798

2016 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD.

**Gender**
Male	208
Female	339

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	451
Black	69
Hispanic	0
Asian	11
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	120
From 75 to 84	169
85 and over	202
Less than 65	56

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD in 2016

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	64
Stroke	20
Ischemic Heart Disease	47
Depression	42
Chronic Kidney Disease	55
Asthma	26
Osteoperosis	17
Atrial Fibrilation	29
Heart Failure	43
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	24
Diabetes	39
Dementia	41
Cancer	14

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2017 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD treated as a physiatrist in Apex, NC during 2017 were nursing home care, hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	17
hospital care	523
inpatient care	523
nursing home care	937

2017 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD.

**Gender**
Male	229
Female	369

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	506
Black	59
Hispanic	0
Asian	13
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	136
From 75 to 84	203
85 and over	212
Less than 65	47

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD in 2017

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	62
Stroke	20
Ischemic Heart Disease	51
Depression	49
Chronic Kidney Disease	63
Asthma	12
Osteoperosis	19
Atrial Fibrilation	30
Heart Failure	45
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	28
Diabetes	39
Dementia	45
Cancer	16

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2018 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD treated as a physiatrist in Apex, NC during 2018 were nursing home care, hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	50
hospital care	500
inpatient care	500
nursing home care	665

2018 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD.

**Gender**
Male	223
Female	354

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	492
Black	62
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	114
From 75 to 84	213
85 and over	204
Less than 65	46

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD in 2018

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	65
Stroke	18
Ischemic Heart Disease	53
Depression	47
Chronic Kidney Disease	58
Asthma	9
Osteoperosis	17
Atrial Fibrilation	29
Heart Failure	43
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	25
Diabetes	41
Dementia	41
Cancer	18

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2019 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD treated as a physiatrist in Apex, NC during 2019 were nursing home care, hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	17
hospital care	323
inpatient care	323
nursing home care	696

2019 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD.

**Gender**
Male	263
Female	427

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	577
Black	78
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	13
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	168
From 75 to 84	232
85 and over	207
Less than 65	83

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD in 2019

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	70
Stroke	21
Ischemic Heart Disease	48
Depression	49
Chronic Kidney Disease	56
Asthma	10
Osteoperosis	20
Atrial Fibrilation	27
Heart Failure	39
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	23
Diabetes	40
Dementia	42
Cancer	19

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2020 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD treated as a physiatrist in Apex, NC during 2020 were nursing home care, hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD for Medicare patients.

hospital care	194
inpatient care	194
nursing home care	608

2020 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD.

**Gender**
Male	211
Female	285

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	397
Black	73
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	11
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	126
From 75 to 84	174
85 and over	138
Less than 65	58

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD in 2020

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	71
Stroke	21
Ischemic Heart Disease	52
Depression	54
Chronic Kidney Disease	60
Asthma	11
Osteoperosis	18
Atrial Fibrilation	29
Heart Failure	42
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	27
Diabetes	40
Dementia	44
Cancer	16

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2021 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD treated as a physiatrist in Apex, NC during 2021 were nursing home care, hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	20
hospital care	309
inpatient care	309
nursing home care	390

2021 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD.

**Gender**
Male	210
Female	285

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	395
Black	80
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	129
From 75 to 84	179
85 and over	106
Less than 65	81

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD in 2021

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	72
Stroke	21
Ischemic Heart Disease	54
Depression	47
Chronic Kidney Disease	63
Asthma	12
Osteoperosis	16
Atrial Fibrilation	27
Heart Failure	44
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	21
Diabetes	41
Dementia	41
Cancer	14

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2022 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD treated as a physiatrist in Apex, NC during 2022 were nursing home care, hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD for Medicare patients.

hospital care	284
inpatient care	284
nursing home care	290

2022 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD.

**Gender**
Male	198
Female	257

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	374
Black	57
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	11
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	137
From 75 to 84	132
85 and over	126
Less than 65	60

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD in 2022

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	74
Stroke	26
Ischemic Heart Disease	41
Depression	46
Chronic Kidney Disease	44
Asthma	10
Osteoperosis	25
Atrial Fibrilation	33
Heart Failure	35
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	27
Diabetes	42
Dementia	34
Cancer	21

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

Average Medicare Procedure Volume From 2012 - 2022

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD for Medicare patients.

The highest averages for the top procedures that Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD treated as a physiatrist in Apex, NC were nursing home care, hospital care and inpatient care.

doctor visit	40
hospital care	550
inpatient care	550
nursing home care	661

Average Medicare Patient Data From 2012 - 2022

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD.

**Gender**
Male	204
Female	318

**Ethnicity**
Black / African American	66
Asian / Pacific Islander	2
Non-Hispanic White	429
Native American / Alaskan Native	0
Hispanic	0
Other	3

**Age**
75 to 84	173
85 and over	162
Less than 65	61
65 to 74	125

Average of Total of Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD From 2012 - 2022

The highest averages of the most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD treated were hypertension, high cholesterol, chronic kidney disease and ischemic heart disease.

Hypertension	68
High Cholesterol	59
Stroke	18
Ischemic Heart Disease	44
Depression	41
Chronic Kidney Disease	49
Asthma	12
Osteoporosis	16
Heart Failure	37
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	22
Diabetes	36
Atrial Fibrillation	25
Dementia	33
Cancer	14

Education & Training

Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD graduated from University of Southern California (USC), Keck School of Medicine in 2003. He completed residency at East Carolina University Affiliated Hospitals. He is certified by the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Board Certified and has a state license in North Carolina.

Medical School: University of Southern California (USC), Keck School of Medicine (2003)

Residency: East Carolina University Affiliated Hospitals (2008)

Board Certification: Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Board Certified

Licensed In: North Carolina

Affiliations & Hospitals

Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD is associated with these hospitals and organizations:

UNC Health

UNC Health Rex UNC Hospitals

Insurance Information

Please note: Insurance information may change at any time, and the provider may accept your insurance plan even if it is not listed below. Please contact the provider's office to confirm that your insurance is accepted.

Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD appears to accept the following insurance providers: Veterans Affairs, AmeriHealth Caritas, WellCare, Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, Carolina Complete Health, BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina (BCBSNC), Humana, Liberty Advantage, MedCost, Contigo Health, Cigna, Centene, WellCare, AmeriHealth, Medicare Advantage, Group Health Plan (GHP), OptumHealth Behavioral Solutions (United Behavioral Health), United Healthcare, Medicaid, Humana, Cigna, CHAMPVA, Longevity Health Plan I-SNP, HealthTeam Advantage, Aetna Whole Health (Tier 2), MedCost PPO, FirstCarolinaCare FirstMedicare Direct, Meritain Health, an Aetna Company, Aetna Premier Care Network Plus (APCN+) (Tier 2), Atlantic (Packaging) Corporation, Inc. (administered by Lucent Health), North Carolina State Health Plan, FirstCarolinaCare Insurance Company Group Health Plans, Contigo Health Plan (WakeMed employees only) (out-of-network beginning January 1, 2026), Veterans Affairs Community Care Network, BCBSNC Group Health Plans (except for Blue High Performance Network (BlueHPN)) and BCBSNC Blue Home with UNC Health Alliance (Blue Home with Novant Health is out of network).

Insurance Accepted by Provider includes:

According to our sources, Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD accepts the following insurance providers:

Veterans Affairs

AmeriHealth Caritas

WellCare

Aetna

UnitedHealthcare

Carolina Complete Health

BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina (BCBSNC)

Humana

Liberty Advantage

MedCost

Contigo Health

Cigna

Centene

WellCare

AmeriHealth

Medicare Advantage

Group Health Plan (GHP)

OptumHealth Behavioral Solutions (United Behavioral Health)

United Healthcare

Medicaid

Humana

Cigna

CHAMPVA

Longevity Health Plan I-SNP

HealthTeam Advantage

Aetna Whole Health (Tier 2)

MedCost PPO

FirstCarolinaCare FirstMedicare Direct

Meritain Health, an Aetna Company

Aetna Premier Care Network Plus (APCN+) (Tier 2)

Atlantic (Packaging) Corporation, Inc. (administered by Lucent Health)

North Carolina State Health Plan

FirstCarolinaCare Insurance Company Group Health Plans

Contigo Health Plan (WakeMed employees only) (out-of-network beginning January 1, 2026)

Veterans Affairs Community Care Network

BCBSNC Group Health Plans (except for Blue High Performance Network (BlueHPN))

BCBSNC Blue Home with UNC Health Alliance (Blue Home with Novant Health is out of network)

Ratings & Reviews

Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD has an exceptional overall rating with an average of 4.83 out of 5 stars based on 4 ratings. We collect ratings and reviews of Dr. Paul Thananopavarn, MD from all over the web to help you find the right in Apex, NC.

4.83

Overall Rating

(4 Ratings)

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Biography

Dr. Paul Thananopavarn's specialties are physiatry (physical medicine & rehabilitation) and general practice. His clinical interests include joint injections, internal medicine, and cancer rehabilitation. His average rating from his patients is 5.0 stars (out of 5). Dr. Thananopavarn can take Coventry, Group Health Plan (GHP), CHAMPVA, and more. Dr. Thananopavarn studied medicine at the University of Southern California (USC), Keck School of Medicine. He completed his residency training at a hospital affiliated with East Carolina University. He is affiliated with UNC Health. He welcomes new patients at his office inCHAPEL HILL, NC as reported by UNC Health.