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Take Back Pain out of Spring Cleaning

Submitted by Kaitlyn Wekerle on April 2, 2014

Spring-cleaning can be a pain, but pain doesn’t necessarily have to be a part of your routine. Spring has sprung up quite quickly this season, and before we know it summer will be in full effect. Putting off cleaning responsibilities will only increase your risk of enduring back pain. Don’t try and do too much, too quickly. Instead, spread your work over a week’s or month’s period, and practice safe cleaning!

At Southwest Spine and Pain Center, we are encouraged to help patients live normal lives. While cleaning may not be what most patients imagined they would need help with, these tips will help you feel less cluttered, less stressed, and more ready for summertime fun!

The following tips are explained that will help patients get their jobs done while avoiding injury and...

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Pain Assessment: Critical in Pain Management

Submitted by Kaitlyn Wekerle on March 26, 2014

A pain assessment not only allows a doctor to determine factors about a patient’s condition, but it also allows a patient to reflect on their own health. Even though pain is a personal experience, creating optimal pain interventions requires a unified approach. A good pain assessment will have patients identify the intensity of their pain, location, duration, and aggravating stimuli.

At Southwest Spine and Pain Center, determining a correct diagnosis is vital for the efficacy of treatment. Because of this importance, we have developed the best strategies and care plans that can be individualized to meet a patient’s needs. With four locations across Utah, Southwest Spine and Pain Center providers are better able to serve ailing patients in rural areas.

The International...

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Could Pain Sensitivity be Influenced by Your Environment?

Submitted by Kaitlyn Wekerle on March 26, 2014

According to researchers from King’s College London, their study reveals that a person’s lifestyle and environment could alter pain sensitivity. What was once thought to be relatively uncompromising, researchers implemented a process called epigenetics, chemically altering the expression of genes.

At Southwest Spine and Pain Center, we provide the right tools and tips for patients to make adjustments in their lives to better manage pain. As the leading pain management clinic in the southwest United States, Southwest Spine and Pain Center is obligated to assist ailing patients in every way possible.

The scientists of the study began their research on twins. Identical twins share 100 percent of their genes, which leads to the understanding that any variances would be due to...

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Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Injections Now Offered at Southwest Spine and Pain!

Submitted by Kaitlyn Wekerle on March 20, 2014

Naturopathic medicine has been researched for centuries, uncovering the natural healing powers of the human body. While effective medications and surgeries are largely utilized in the medical community, treatments using a patient’s own blood continually demonstrate efficacy, efficiency, and safety.

Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) injection therapy is a non-surgical treatment that is a beneficial alternative to other injection therapies. Southwest Spine and Pain Center now provides PRP injections to patients suffering with painful conditions. Platelet generation facilitates restoration to injured tendons, ligaments, muscles, and joints with the use of the patient’s own blood.

For the procedure, a patient’s blood is centrifuged, activating platelets that can be injected into...

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Caring for Someone With Chronic Pain

Submitted by Kaitlyn Wekerle on March 19, 2014

Caregiving is not simply a role one takes on; it is a way of life. There are procedures, techniques, and tailored practices that caregivers carefully utilize while looking after a loved one. Taking care of someone with chronic pain can be difficult at times, and Southwest Spine and Pain Center hopes caregivers utilize our help when taking on these roles.

Southwest Spine and Pain Center has four locations across Utah, continuing to be the leading pain clinic in the southwest United States. Offering patients with better access to care, Southwest Spine and Pain encourages pain sufferers and caregivers alike to visit any of our Centers for individualized care.

Caregiving is a skill. We commend the millions of Americans that step up to these roles each year to take care of...

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Mental Health and Chronic Pain

Submitted by Kaitlyn Wekerle on March 14, 2014

Most pain doctors would agree that a multi-level treatment plan is better than a one-tiered method of care. In fact, mental health plays as big of a role as physical pain in some instances. Assessing chronic pain has evolved dramatically over the last century. Physicians now know that pain often influences thoughts, which in turn influence actions, which explains how we interpret pain.

Psychologists play a vital role in the treatment of many pain conditions. One strategy that doctors use is to relieve patients of catastrophizing feelings by working through emotions related to the condition. At Southwest Spine and Pain Center, we believe in a multidisciplinary approach to treatment, working with every doctor affected within a patient’s care plan. This approach could involve...

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Talking to Your Kids About Chronic Pain: Keeping the lines of communication open

Submitted by Kaitlyn Wekerle on March 12, 2014

Chronic pain is a reality that millions of Americans will face at some point in their lifetime. People’s work, home, school, and social life will inevitably be affected in one way or another, and Southwest Spine and Pain hopes to prepare these patients with the best tools to prepare for the change. Many of our patients have families with young kids, and we remind these individuals to have a conversation with their children about their chronic pain condition.

At Southwest Spine and Pain Center, our physicians and entire team are dedicated to improving the lives of people in pain. We hold communication as a top priority between our physicians and patients, and advise our patients to keep the same lines of communication open to their families. With four locations across the state...

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Managing Chronic Bone and Joint Pain

Submitted by Kaitlyn Wekerle on March 7, 2014

Nearly 100 million Americans are affected by chronic pain of varying forms. Chronic bone, joint, and muscle pain accounts for one of the most common reasons for doctor’s visits in the United States.  At Southwest Spine and Pain Center, we are experts of pain management of the spine. As a specialty, however, we are equally adept in the management of musculoskeletal pain.

As the leading pain group in Utah, Southwest Spine and Pain Center is proficient in the diagnosis and care for chronic pain conditions. With four locations across the state, Southwest Spine and Pain caters not only to a patients needs, but their wants and concerns during treatment.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are notoriously the most prescribed form of treatment for pain. These...

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Poor Sleep Tied to Pain

Submitted by Kaitlyn Wekerle on March 5, 2014

Researchers from Keele University in Staffordshire, England, recently found that adults over 50 years of age have non-restorative sleep (when you wake up feeling tired and worn out) that is strongly linked to the onset of widespread pain and fibromyalgia. In addition, the study concluded that anxiety, memory impairment, and poor physical health also attributed to a higher risk of developing this pain.

At Southwest Spine and Pain Center, patients can expect to get help for their condition in all aspects of their health. We understand how pain affects sleep patterns and are determined to not only find relief during daily activities, but to find relief during sleep hours. Southwest Spine and Pain Center is the leading pain group in Utah, with 4 locations spread across the state....

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Osteoarthritis Risk Factors: Start prevention now!

Submitted by Kaitlyn Wekerle on March 4, 2014

Osteoarthritis affects 27 million adult Americans over the age of 25, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, making it the number one form of arthritis. When arthritis develops, inflammation and pain strikes in one or more joints, depending where the condition is. When joints become disabled, walking, sitting, and even standing become impossible, making osteoarthritis one of the leading causes of disability and missed workdays in America.

At Southwest Spine and Pain Center, our physicians are committed to determine a correct diagnosis and design an effective treatment plan- every time. We don’t use one template treatment design for every patient. Instead, we take the time to learn about a patient’s history and find out where they want their treatment to lead...

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