CONTRIBUTED CONTENT — Some 16 million Americans – 8% of all adults – experience persistent back pain, and as a result are often limited in everyday activities.

Having worked at Desert Pain Specialists’ St. George and Mesquite, Nevada, clinics for the past nine years, physician assistant Mark Udy is often asked by patients what they could have done to prevent their chronic low back pain. 

Arthritis, degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis and sciatica are common conditions that come with an aging spine. Udy said it’s not really a question of if someone will be affected by one or more of these problems, but when. However, people can delay the progression and minimize the impact of spine pain on their lifestyle by caring for their lower back. 

Some physical activities accelerate degeneration by jarring the spine repeatedly. The providers at Desert Pain encourage patients to participate in low-impact exercises like swimming, cycling or walking as opposed to running. Sports like pickleball and tennis are also impactful on the spine and require adequate core strength to help prevent injury.  

“Sometimes they have to avoid certain activities that aggravate their condition,” Udy said. “You can still keep your back mobile with low-impact movement.” 

Patients who swim usually have better core strength than those who don’t, but activities out of the pool like Pilates and yoga also help. Udy recommends stretching the back periodically and taking oral anti-inflammatories as needed when being active. 

Proper posture is essential, especially when bearing weight. Twisting the spine while lifting can damage the tendons and muscles of the lower back. When bending down, keep your knees bent and lift with your legs while maintaining a good lumbar curve. 

Excess weight, particularly in the abdominal region, adds a tremendous amount of pressure to the lower back. It’s estimated that every pound of stomach fat equals 10 pounds of torque on the spine and discs. Slimming down is always easier said than done, but losing even just 5 pounds can make a considerable difference. 

Desert Pain provides a comprehensive array of therapies to Southern Utahns living with chronic low back pain as a result of age, past injury, genetics or a combination of factors. Each patient who passes through the clinic’s doors is much more than just another name on a chart.

“We really get to the root cause of the problem,” Udy said. “We’re going to figure out exactly the reason or reasons why their back hurts, and then we’re going to give them the best options to treat their pain.” 

Patients whose pain is vertebrogenic – meaning it originates from the bones of the spine – may at last find relief thanks to a revolutionary new procedure called Intracept. Only a handful of medical professionals nationwide are trained to perform this outpatient procedure, which involves radiofrequency ablation of the nerves within the vertebrae of the lower back. The objective is to disable the connection so pain signals from that area can no longer be received by the patient’s brain. 

“Once that procedure is completed, the nerves don’t have the ability to regenerate over time,” Udy said. “Unlike some of the procedures we’ve been doing for years, this has a much higher likelihood of providing a longer duration of benefit.”  

Desert Pain also performs epidural steroid injections, nerve blocks and lidocaine infusions to help alleviate pain. For patients that may benefit from working with a physical therapist or chiropractor as well as a pain provider, Udy said he’s happy to provide referrals. 

“My philosophy is I want the patient to receive the best outcome,” he added. “We treat each patient individually, and we care more than anybody else.” 

Desert Pain stands at the forefront of treating acute and chronic pain conditions by offering patients shorter wait times and more one-on-one time with compassionate physicians trained in the latest procedures. As the area’s premier interventional pain management team, they practice evidence-based, forward-thinking medicine that integrates the newest available treatments. The practice addresses all types of pain conditions including back pain, neck pain, sciatica, neuropathy, migraines and sports injuries.

Living with a pain condition is a daily battle against an invisible enemy. At Desert Pain, patients aren’t just treated – they’re seen, heard, understood and supported throughout their pain management journey. Call 435-216-7000 or visit the Desert Pain website to schedule an appointment today.

Written by ALEXA MORGAN for St. George News.

• S P O N S O R E D   C O N T E N T • 

Resources

• Desert Pain Specialists | Telephone: 435-216-7000 | Email: [email protected] | Website.
• Locations:
  • St. George: 617 E. Riverside Drive, Suite 301.
  • Hurricane: 48 S. 2500 West, Suite 110.
  • Cedar City: 1760 N. Main St.
  • Beaver: 68 N. Main St.
  • Panguitch: 200 N. 400 East.
  • Kanab: 348 N. 300 West.
  • Delta: 126 White Sage Ave.
  • Fillmore: 65 N. Main St.
  • Mesquite, Nevada: 340 Falcon Ridge Parkway, Suite 600.
  • Overton, Nevada: 475 N. Moapa Valley Blvd.

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