By Deborah Westergaard, MD | Regen Experts | Dallas and Plano Short answer: Hydrodissection may be appropriate for selected patients with peripheral nerve entrapment, but diagnosis must come first. Similar symptoms can arise from the spine, multiple compression sites, or surrounding musculoskeletal structures. At Regen Experts in Dallas and Plano, Dr. Deborah Westergaard evaluates the nerve pathway and potential contributing structures before deciding whether hydrodissection

By Deborah Westergaard, MD | Regen Experts | Dallas and Plano Short answer: Back surgery may be appropriate when nerve compression, progressive neurological symptoms, instability, or substantial functional impairment supports that decision. The choice depends on how structural findings relate to symptoms and function. At Regen Experts in Dallas and Plano, Dr. Deborah Westergaard evaluates symptoms, spinal structure, and function to assess nonsurgical options or the need for s

By Deborah Westergaard, MD | Regen Experts | Dallas and Plano Short answer: Back surgery may not be the first step when other pain sources, preserved stability, or reasonable nonsurgical options warrant further evaluation. Discs, joints, ligaments, and muscles work together, so MRI findings alone may give an incomplete picture. At Regen Experts in Dallas and Plano, Dr. Deborah Westergaard evaluates spinal structure and function before discussing treatment options. Avoid Back

Deborah Westergaard, MD | Pain Experts | Dallas–Plano The Problem: Why Many Patients Struggle to Avoid Surgery As a specialist, I routinely evaluate patients who have already consulted highly skilled and respected surgeons. These physicians do extraordinary work, and I continue to refer to them when surgery is appropriate. However, many patients seeking to avoid surgery arrive after consultations constrained by time which is an unavoidable reality of insurance-driven medicine

By Deborah Westergaard, MD | Pain Experts | Dallas–Plano What Most People Get Wrong About MRI Results: Why Facet Pain Often Goes Undetected as Back Pain in Dallas Many individuals with demanding, high-performance lives are told their MRI is “normal,” yet they continue to struggle with persistent low back pain—especially during activities requiring extension, rotation, standing, or prolonged sitting. One of the most overlooked reasons for this disconnect is facet joint dysfunc

By Deborah Westergaard, MD | Pain Experts | Dallas–Plano When Traditional Pain Management Tools No Longer Match the Demands of Modern Life When I transitioned from the intellectually rewarding field of anesthesiology into pain management more than two decades ago, my goal was not simply to join a specialty. I wanted to operate at the highest level of it. That search led me to Texas Tech and the legendary Dr. Gabor Racz, whose fellowship was regarded internationally as the pi

By Deborah Westergaard, MD | Pain Experts | Dallas–Plano Recently, a patient shared that during his MRI, a radiology technologist told him, “PRP really doesn’t work for most people.” The statement wasn’t malicious but it was incomplete. And for patients trying to make informed decisions, incomplete information is often the most damaging kind. “PRP Doesn’t Work” A Misinterpretation of Technique, Not Science When you hear that PRP is unreliable, the issue is almost never the

NSAIDs, Steroid Injections, and Turmeric are Often Options Joint pain flares push many people toward two common options: Oral NSAIDs Intra-articular corticosteroid injections Both have been widely used for decades. Both temporarily reduce pain. And both have well-documented downsides for cartilage biology. Oral NSAIDs inhibit COX-1 and COX-2 and can impair: Cartilage cell metabolism Proteoglycan synthesis Collagen turnover Long-term cartilage recovery Repeated intra-articular

By Deborah Westergaard, MD | Pain Experts | Dallas–Plano The Hidden Bias Behind “Covered Care” There’s a deeply ingrained belief among both patients and physicians that if an insurance company doesn’t cover a treatment, it must be unproven or worse, “fringe.” Even excellent, forward-thinking physicians fall into this mindset. We’re trained from day one to consider cost and coverage because we genuinely care about our patients. We want to ease their suffering without creating

By Deborah Westergaard, MD | Regen Experts | Dallas and Plano Short answer: Older age alone does not determine whether PRP may be appropriate. Tissue condition, medications, and the joint's mechanical environment also influence candidacy and expectations. At Regen Experts in Dallas and Plano, Dr. Deborah Westergaard evaluates tissue health, medication use, and structural limitations to assess whether a personalized PRP approach is reasonable for selected patients. Orthobiolog

By Deborah Westergaard, MD | Pain Experts | Dallas–Plano Pain Transformation: When Pain Becomes the Teacher: Adversity as the Catalyst for Transformation When Pain Interrupts Your Power One day it’s simple. Twisting a cap, shifting gears, or signing your name. Then, seemingly overnight, that freedom disappears. Pain at the base of your thumb, the wrist that once steered your car or typed your vision into reality, now protests every small movement. Blow-drying your hair become

By Deborah Westergaard, MD | Regen Experts | Dallas and Plano Short answer: Pain may involve more than one contributing problem. Changes in a joint, nerve, muscle, or movement pattern can affect connected structures, so the most painful area may not explain everything. At Regen Experts in Dallas and Plano, Dr. Deborah Westergaard evaluates the interconnected musculoskeletal system to identify potential contributors before discussing treatment options. It’s human nature to loo

By Deborah Westergaard, MD | Pain Experts | Dallas–Plano The Umbilical Stem Cell Myth: What the FDA Really Says The Myth: You’ve probably heard it. “Umbilical stem cells are the most powerful, youthful cells you can get. Why use your own when you can have younger ones?” It’s a seductive story, especially in an era obsessed with quick rejuvenation. Clinics across the country promote umbilical, placental, and amniotic products as if they were a medical revolution already blesse

By Deborah Westergaard, MD | Regen Experts | Dallas and Plano Short answer: PRP should not be expected to provide an instant result. Changes may develop over weeks to months, and the timing and degree of response vary. At Regen Experts in Dallas and Plano, Dr. Deborah Westergaard uses imaging and functional assessment to evaluate the treated structures and discuss realistic expectations with selected patients. “PRP Works Instantly " Is Expecting Instant Gratification From Bio

By Deborah Westergaard, MD | Pain Experts | Dallas–Plano Outdated Thinking About Cartilage Repair After 50 They told you cartilage can’t grow back after 50? Not exactly true. Many active adults over 50 have been told that once cartilage wears down, it’s gone forever as if aging shuts off the body’s repair switch. That’s outdated thinking. While cartilage turnover slows with age, modern studies reveal the joint environment can be reprogrammed toward protection and repair throu

By Deborah Westergaard, MD | Pain Experts | Dallas–Plano The Problem: When back pain care is built for profit, not people Chronic low back pain is one of the most common reasons patients end up in a system that feels more like a business plan than a care plan. Here’s what usually gets offered: Burn the nerves with rhizotomy. Implant a device (most commonly a spinal cord stimulator, and now newer devices like ReActiv8 Restore). ReActiv8 Restore is not a spinal cord stimulator—

By Deborah Westergaard, MD | Regen Experts | Dallas and Plano Short answer: Joint replacement is not an inevitable part of aging. Joint condition, stability, and function help determine whether nonsurgical care may be appropriate for selected patients. At Regen Experts in Dallas and Plano, Dr. Deborah Westergaard evaluates joint structure and function to assess options, recognizing that some patients still need surgery. The Problem: We’ve Normalized Joint Replacement as “Inev

By Deborah Westergaard, MD | Pain Experts | Dallas–Plano Sales Hype vs. Safety Reality with PRP vs Birth Products In regenerative medicine, patients are often pitched “stem cell” treatments derived from birth products like umbilical cord or amniotic tissue. These products are marketed as young and powerful, with no harvesting required. When deciding between PRP vs birth products here’s the reality: birth products come with risks of infection, contamination, and unknown DNA.

By Deborah Westergaard, MD | Pain Experts | Dallas–Plano The Problem with New Drugs for Chronic Pain Pharmaceutical companies continue to release new drugs for chronic pain, often celebrated as breakthroughs. These medications can quiet the brain’s pain signals or reduce inflammation temporarily. For some, they offer a measure of relief. But here’s the truth: pain is a signal. It’s the body’s way of alerting us to a deeper issue. If we only mask it, we risk ignoring the cause

By Deborah Westergaard, MD | Pain Experts | Dallas–Plano Surgery and Medications Aren’t the Only Answer Too many people are told their only solutions for joint pain, spine pain, or aging tissues are surgery or medications that simply mask symptoms. This fragmented model overlooks the body’s ability to restore itself. True healing requires excellence, precision, and trust—values often missing in conventional care. The Inspiration: A Childhood Book and a Female Healer When pati