About me
Dr. Ding is double board-certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) and Pain Medicine, having done a fellowship in interventional pain management.
Dr. Ding treats pain conditions resulting from the back, neck, peripheral joints (e.g., hips, shoulders, knees), muscles and peripheral nerves.
His practice involves a multidisciplinary approach for the management of various chronic pain conditions and restoration of function. His approach to treatment involves the utilization of structured and targeted physical therapy, modalities, and evidence-based pharmacological therapies. When indicated, he also incorporates advanced image-guided procedures which utilize ultrasound and/or X-rays.
Dr. Ding received his medical degree from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and completed his residency in PM&R at Burke Rehabilitation Hospital, where he served as chief resident. He also completed his fellowship in Interventional Pain Medicine at Montefiore Medical Center, where he served as chief fellow. His research has been published in peer-reviewed journals.
An avid tennis and squash player, Dr. Ding spends his spare time on various courts as well as running on local trails. He also loves to travel, explore the greater DC area, and spend time with family and friends.
Dr. Ding practices in Bethesda and Chevy Chase.
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Abdominal Pain
- Ankylosing Spondylitis
- Arthritis
- Arthritis Pain
- Arthropathy
- Back Pain
- Bone Pain
- Cervical Radiculopathy
- Cervical Spine Injury
- Cervicogenic Headache
- Chronic Neck Pain
- Coccydynia
- Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)
- Crps (COMPLEX REGIONAL PAIN SYNDROME)
- Deforming Dorsopathies
- Diabetic Neuropathy
- Disorders Of Autonomic Nervous System
- Dorsalgia
- Dorsopathies
- Elbow Joint And Ligament Dislocation And Sprain
- Elbow Pain
- Facet Joint Pain
- Facet Joint Syndrome
- Facial Pain
- Finger Pain
- Herniated Disc Pain
- Hip Pain
- Inflammatory Spondylopathies
- Interstitial Cystitis
- Intervertebral Disc Disorders
- Knee Dislocation
- Knee Injury Pain
- Knee Pain
- Leg Pain
- Long Term Drug Therapy
- Lordosis Pain
- Lower Back Pain
- Lumbar Radiculopathy
- Lumbar Spine Injury
- Lumbar Strain
- Migraine
- Mononeuropathies
- Muscle Strain
- Musculoskeletal System Complications
- Neck Pain
- Neck Strain
- Neuropathic Pain
- Occipital Neuralgia
- Osteoarthritis
- Osteoarthritis Pain
- Phantom Limb Pain
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Postherpetic Neuralgia
- Postherpetic Neuralgia (PHN)
- Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy
- Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction
- Sacroiliac Joint Pain
- Sciatica
- Soft Tissue Pain
- Spinal Fracture Pain
- Spinal Stenosis
- Spondylolisthesis
- Spondylopathies
- Spondylosis
- Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome
- Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Disorder
- Tendinitis
- Trigeminal Neuralgia
- Upper Back Pain
- Vertebral Compression Fracture
Procedures I perform
- Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Treatment
- Elbow Joint Injection
- Genicular Nerve Branch Destruction
- Hip Joint Injection
- Joint Pain Treatment
- Peripheral Nerve Stimulation
Insurance
MedStar Health accepts most major health insurance plans. If you are uncertain as to whether your individual health insurance plan is accepted at MedStar Health, please call your insurance company.
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List of insurance plans we accept
- CIGNA Indemnity
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Choice POS II
- TRICARE East Select
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- CareFirst EPO
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Blue Choice Advantage
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Core Essential (HMO)
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Aetna Basic
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- IH-HMO
- Aetna Classic 5000
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- IH-Indemnity
- CareFirst Administrators
- TRICARE for Life East
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- United Student Resources
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- IH-POS
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- IH-Open HMO
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- IH-Open POS Plus
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Beech Street PPO
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Choice POS II Open Access
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Choice POS
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- CIGNA PPO
- Medicare Direct
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- IH-Network Only Plus
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- IH-Open POS II
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- IH-POS Plus
- Navigate
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Choice Fund PPO
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- First Health PPO
- HumanaChoice PPO
- OA Plus
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- United Healthcare Choice
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Tricare Reserve Select
- CareFirst NASCO
- TRICARE East Prime
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- MultiPlan, Inc
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- HighMark
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Medicare FFS
- CIGNA EPO
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- POS OA
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Aetna HMO
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Employee Health Plan
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- IH-PPO
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- First Health PPO
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Optimum Choice
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Police and Fire Clinic
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- UHC Passport
- IH-EPO Plus
- HealthyBlue PPO
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Sentara Health
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Network OA
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Fellowship: Montefiore Medical Center (2025)
Residency: Burke Rehabilitation Hospital/Weill Medical Colleg (2024)
Internship: Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra Northwell (2021)
Medical School: Yeshiva University Albert Einstein College of Medicine (2020)
News and publications
Ding ME, Mbekeani JN, Ahmed Y, Conigliaro R, Delphin E, Durstenfeld A, Jagannath A, Masters-Israilov A, Milstein M, Rabin M, Ramachandran S, Vlismas P, Yang D, Heo M, Rosenberg JB. Measurement of resident fatigue using rapid number naming. J Neurol Sci. 2019 Feb 15;397:117-122. doi: 10.1016/j.jns.2018.12.034. Epub 2018 Dec 28. PMID: 30612084.
Sim GY, Caparó M, Varrassi G, Lu CR, Ding ME, Singh R, Slinchenkova K, Shaparin N, Koushik SS, Viswanath O, Gitkind AI. Comparing the Effectiveness of Hands-on vs. Observational Training of Residents in Interlaminar Epidural Steroid Injections (ILESI) Using a High-Fidelity Spine Simulator. Cureus. 2023 Dec 2;15(12):e49829. doi: 10.7759/cureus.49829. PMID: 38164314; PMCID: PMC10758203.
Ding ME, Traiba H, Perez HR. Virtual Reality Interventions and Chronic Pain: Scoping Review. J Med Internet Res. 2025 Feb 18;27:e59922. doi: 10.2196/59922. PMID: 39965778; PMCID: PMC11888090.
