Kaitlyn Wekerle's blog

Smoking is bad for you. That is not new information. Advertisements, commercials, and campaigns are swirling around the Internet and social media informing people about the causes of inhaling cigarette smoke. Smoking is definitely linked to increased risk of cancer, but not many people know that smoking will also increase your risk of developing chronic pain.

At Southwest Spine and Pain Center, our treatments do not only improve patients’ chronic pain conditions, but their entire lifestyles as well. St. George, Richfield, Cedar City, and Logan are home to Southwest Spine and Pain locations, giving suffering patients better access to our care. One of the first suggestions to kicking chronic pain is kicking smoking in the butt.

People who smoke are more likely to:

If you suffer from chronic pain, it is likely that you currently take or have taken some form of pain medication. Whether you use over-the-counter medicine or take what your provider has prescribed you, there are important steps in proper medication management and safety.

At Southwest Spine and Pain Center, our providers ensure that patients receive only the safest treatments and are fully aware of side effects, recovery information, and how to safely take and dispose of their medication, for example. With four locations across the sate of Utah, Southwest Spine and Pain Center is the leading pain practice in the southwest United States.

When you experience pain, exercise and physical activity is probably the last thing that you want to do. However, yoga and mindful meditation may help relieve chronic pain without making you feel worn out and tired. At Southwest Spine and Pain Center, our specialists encourage patients to do research. Alternative medicine such as acupuncture, tai chi, and yoga can be successful in managing chronic pain.

As May comes to an end, Southwest Spine and Pain Center wants to encourage patients to ask their doctors about physical therapy to treat their chronic condition. May is Physical Fitness and Sports Month, and Southwest Spine and Pain Center uses physical therapy to help manage chronic pain for many patients. With summer just under a month away, patients are encouraged to seek outdoor activities to switch their routines up and keep their workouts fresh.

May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, and Southwest Spine and Pain Center is taking this time to remind patients to stay physically active. Chronic pain is a debilitating condition that often leaves patients devoid of motivation. However, physical fitness or any form of activity can actually help relieve painful symptoms.

A fibromyalgia diagnosis is scary because little is still known about this mysterious disease. With no available cure, physicians and researchers have created conservative ways to manage painful symptoms, allowing patients to live normal lives. While clinical management of fibromyalgia is difficult, a multidisciplinary approach to treatment is ideal, as different healthcare providers can lend a hand in caring for suffering patients.

Nonpharmacological treatments for fibromyalgia include massage, psychological therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, relaxation therapy, and physical activity. Common fibromyalgia symptoms such as pain, stiffness, and fatigue, can all be targeted with light physical activity and a little motivation.

Athletes are at a higher risk of enduring pain and injury than inactive people. With summer quickly approaching, Southwest Spine and Pain Center is gearing up to efficiently care for chronic pain sufferers who need relief from a sports injury. Tennis is a great sport that can be played year-round, both indoors and outdoors. Tennis elbow is not so great on the other hand. However, did you know that most people who develop tennis elbow don’t actually play tennis? According to research, less than 5 percent of people who develop tennis elbow play tennis. This condition isn’t a direct result of the sport, but rather an overuse injury to the elbow, wrist, and hand.

A lot of times, people assume that exercise involves long periods of sweating and putting their body through extensive physical training. While this is true for some people, it doesn’t define exercise at all. Working out and physical activity is what you, the individual makes of it. Whether you walk around the block for 30 minutes, lift weights for an hour, or hit the gym for a relaxing yoga session, exercise can be obtained by just about any physical activity.

Gender differences in pain have been studied for years, and multiple reports continue to support the notion that women feel pain more frequently and more powerfully than men do. At Southwest Spine and Pain Center, our providers keep this fact in mind as we treat patients of different genders.

Southwest Spine and Pain Center is the leading pain specialist group in Utah, with four locations statewide. Cedar City, Richfield, St. George, and Logan host Southwest Spine and Pain’s Centers, providing suffering patients with better access to care.

Knee pain is a common complication experienced by many people. Years of wear and tear and injuries are common reasons people develop knee pain, with surgery being the only option for relief and improved function. At Southwest Spine and Pain Center, we believe in providing conservative therapy to avoid aggressive surgery and the risk of further complications.

Southwest Spine and Pain Center is the leading pain clinic in the southwest United States, with four locations across Utah. Our providers are committed to coming up with a correct diagnosis and supplemental treatment for faster, safer, and better treatment results. Knee pain, though common and treated through surgical intervention, can be improved by maintaining muscle strength in the legs.