About Dr. Carrera
Training and credentials
Dr. Carrera is double board-certified in interventional pain medicine and physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R). He completed his entire medical training at the University of Colorado - medical school, PM&R residency, and pain management fellowship. During residency, he received the Humanism and Excellence in Teaching Award in recognition of his commitment to patient-centered care and medical education. He also serves as an oral examiner for the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
Dr. Carrera was born in Cuba and lived there for 11 years before moving to South Florida. He came to Colorado for medical school and has been here since. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two dogs, traveling, and trying new foods.
Treatment philosophy
Dr. Carrera's approach to pain is conservative but fast. He believes that when someone is hurting, the priority is to get them out of pain quickly using the least invasive option that makes sense for their condition. That starts with identifying the specific source of pain - not guessing, not just managing symptoms - and then treating it directly.
Most new patients are seen within one week of referral. Procedures are typically scheduled within one week of the initial visit. For patients with acute compression fractures or new disc herniations, the team can often arrange faster access.
What patients say about Dr. Carrera's team
"That was not as bad as I thought it was going to be." Most patients rate the pain of injections between 1 and 3 out of 10. The team uses the smallest needles available for procedures - patients are often surprised by how quick and comfortable the experience is.
"He pulled up my MRI and showed me exactly what was going on." Dr. Carrera believes that understanding your condition is the first step to feeling less afraid of it. The team reviews imaging with you on screen and explains what is happening in plain language.
"I finally have hope that there is a solution." Many patients come to the practice after months of physical therapy, medications, or visits with other providers that did not resolve their pain. Dr. Carrera's team focuses on identifying what was missed and building a plan that actually addresses the source of the problem.
The team
Dr. Carrera leads a small, focused team of physician assistants, medical assistants, and support staff. Patients see the same team at every visit - there is no rotating schedule of random providers. The physician assistants handle follow-up care, portal communication, and select evaluations, while Dr. Carrera oversees treatment plans and performs or supervises all procedures.
The team handles prior authorizations and insurance verification in-house so that referring providers and patients do not have to manage that process themselves.
Procedures offered
Dr. Carrera's team performs a wide range of interventional pain procedures, including epidural steroid injections, radiofrequency nerve ablations, medial branch blocks, joint injections, sacroiliac joint injections, kyphoplasty for compression fractures, Intracept (basivertebral nerve ablation), platelet-rich plasma (PRP), spinal cord stimulator trials, and peripheral nerve stimulator trials. Many of these are performed in an in-office procedure suite using fluoroscopy (live X-ray), which means lower costs for patients compared to a surgery center.
For more detail on any specific procedure, visit the Offered Treatments section in the menu above.
Call 720-455-3775 to schedule an appointment