Hooshang Hooshmand, M.D.

1934-2019

With a heavy heart, I would like to tell everyone in the RSD-CRPS community that Doctor Hooshang Hooshmand passed away on August 9, 2019.

Doctor Hooshang Hooshmand was a pioneer in Neurology for over 40-years with a special interest in the management of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS).

He helped thousands of RSD-CRPS patients from around the world. He also treated other neurological conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Epilepsy, and Electrical Injuries.

He received his degree in Pharmacy in 1953 from the University of Tehran, Iran, and in 1959, he received his degree in Medicine from the University of Tehran, Iran.

His Postdoctoral training included the following:

1960-1961: Intern, McKennan Hospital, Sioux Falls, SD.
Jan 1961-July 1961: Surgical Residency, Baroness Erlanger Hospital, Chattanooga, TN.
July 1961-Oct 1965: Neurosurgical Residency, Mayo Graduate School, Rochester, MN.
Oct 1965-Oct 1967: Resident, Neurology, Medical College of Virginia, Richmond, VA.

He was the recipient of research awards from the American Congress of Neurology as well as the AMA.

His pioneering work in the diagnosis and management of electrical injuries, management of Neurosyphilis, applications of Clonazepam in intractable seizures, and application of ACTH in the treatment of chronic pain were some of his original contributions.

He enjoyed writing about RSD-CRPS. He loved to educate people through his writings and through the many lectures he had given during his long career.

He truly loved helping his patients. He always tried to give them a better quality of life from the pain they were suffering. He always treated his patients with the utmost respect.

Most nights you would find Doctor Hooshmand working in his clinic until mid-night treating his patients. He would even see patients on an emergency at his clinic on Christmas Day.

In regards to the treatment of RSD-CRPS, he was ahead of his time with his knowledge of the disease. He had a remarkable way of knowing where the patient was having their pain.

He always looked outside of the box when it came to treatment of RSD-CRPS. He was not like the mainstream doctors who treat the disease.

I was fortunate and most grateful to have met Doctor Hooshmand in 1993 through reading the textbook that he wrote on Reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD). From the first time that I spoke with him, he was very gracious with his time. He spent over an hour on the phone with me discussing RSD.

After our first phone conversation, I had asked Doctor Hooshmand if he would like to come to Massachusetts to give a lecture to the RSD support group that I ran. He was so kind as to accept my invitation.

After knowing Doctor Hooshmand for a few years he had asked me to work on a large-scale medical conference which included patients and doctors. We did a total of three of these conferences in 1995, 1997, and 2000. During this time, he had asked me to help him write some medical articles that he wanted to get published. It was such an honor that he asked me to work with him on these very important projects. Over the years we had worked on dozens of projects that were published in medical journals and on our websites.

Doctor Hooshmand was a great mentor and best friend to me. He was also a second father to me. I am so grateful to him for all that he had taught me about RSD-CRPS.

The things that I will miss the most about Doctor Hooshmand is his knowledge about medicine and life. I will truly miss his friendship, his willingness to help his patients from their suffering, his willingness to help educate people on a disease such as RSD-CRPS that most doctors would not take the time to do. Besides treating RSD-CRPS patients he was a big-time advocate for his patients and the RSD-CRPS community.

I will also miss his great sense of humor (it was hard not to laugh at his wonderful jokes while he was giving me a nerve block in my neck). I will miss his awesome laugh. He had the most infectious laugh. People loved his laugh. I remember one time I was out to dinner with him and his wife Clara. He was telling us some funny jokes and everyone in the restaurant, heard him laughing up a storm. On our way out of the restaurant a gentleman approached Doctor Hooshmand and said to him how much he loved his laugh. That made Doctor Hooshmand laugh more.

These are just a few things that I will miss about Doctor Hooshmand. We were all so blessed to have had him in our lives.

Please rest in peace my friend and I know that we will meet again someday where you can tell me some new jokes.

Doctor Hooshmand leaves his wife, Clara, three daughters, and five grandchildren.

He will be truly missed by his family, friends, and patients.

Thank you Doctor Hooshmand for your inspiration!

We all love you and will miss you so very much!

Sincerely your friend,

Eric Phillips

Eric and Dr. Hoosh 12395