What happens when lumbar degenerative disc disease begins taking away your sleep, mobility, work, and time with your family?

By Deborah Westergaard, M.D. Dallas | Regen Experts Dallas & Plano Regenerative Spine Treatment Dallas: Why Imaging Guidance Matters as Much as the Biologic Regenerative spine treatment uses biologic preparations such as platelet-rich plasma or bone marrow concentrate instead of steroid to address selected spinal structures. But the biologic is only half the procedure. Professional society safety practices and current reviews continue to identify fluoroscopy as the recommen

By Deborah Westergaard, M.D. Dallas | Regen Experts Dallas & Plano If you've been told that nerve burning—also known as radiofrequency ablation (RFA) or rhizotomy is your next step for chronic back pain, you may wonder whether it is your only option. For many years, I performed these procedures myself. Today, I do not. That decision was not based on a single study or a single patient. It came from years of experience, an evolving understanding of spinal biomechanics, and a gr

By Deborah Westergaard, M.D. Dallas | Regen Experts Dallas & Plano Many patients come to my office after months—or years—of pursuing treatments designed primarily to reduce pain. Pain relief matters. But if your goal is to avoid surgery, preserve function, and maintain an active lifestyle, an important question must be asked: Are we treating pain, or are we identifying the structures responsible for the pain? For many patients, those are not the same thing. About Dr. Westerga

By Deborah Westergaard, MD | Regen Experts powered by Pain Experts Avoid Back Surgery Dallas: Knowing When Surgery Is the Right Decision There are two common extremes in spine care: One pushes quickly toward surgery. The other tries to avoid it at all costs. Neither represents strong decision-making. Because the real question is not “surgery or no surgery.” The question is: “Is this the right decision for this patient, at this time, based on complete information?” To appropri

By Deborah Westergaard, MD | Regen Experts powered by Pain Experts Avoid Back Surgery Dallas: Understanding the Spine as a System, Not Just an MRI A disc bulge appears on an MRI. The conclusion often follows quickly: this must be the cause of the pain and surgery may be required. But this is where many decisions lose precision. Because imaging findings alone do not always explain symptoms. To effectively avoid back surgery in Dallas when appropriate, it is critical to underst

By Deborah Westergaard, MD | Regen Experts powered by Pain Experts Avoid Back Surgery Dallas: When a More Strategic Evaluation Changes the Decision Being told you need back surgery can feel like a final answer. An MRI shows a disc bulge, degeneration, or stenosis—and the path forward appears defined. But high-level decisions—especially irreversible ones—deserve a more complete view. The spine is not a single structure. It is a dynamic system of discs, joints, ligaments, and s

By Deborah Westergaard, MD | Pain Experts | Dallas–Plano High-performing individuals rarely identify as “patients.” They are CEOs, entrepreneurs, physicians, athletes, and weekend competitors who expect their bodies to keep pace with demanding professional and personal lives. Yet after 50, even disciplined training and excellent genetics can no longer fully offset age-related changes in joints, tendons, ligaments, and neuromuscular control. In Dallas, orthobiologics has becom

By Deborah Westergaard, MD | Pain Experts | Dallas–Plano Why “It’s Just the Disc” Is an Incomplete Diagnosis and How to Avoid Back Surgery Many patients seeking to avoid back surgery in Dallas are told their pain is caused by a “bad disc.” This conclusion is usually based on MRI findings alone with disc bulges, degeneration, or annular tears. The challenge is not that discs are irrelevant. The problem is that they are rarely the only pain generator. Disc changes are common wi

By Deborah Westergaard, MD | Pain Experts | Dallas–Plano When Should I Worry About Back Pain—And Is Surgery the Only Answer? Back pain is common—but not always harmless. If you’ve been told you might need back surgery, you may feel like there’s no other choice. But here’s what most people aren’t told: Surgery is not always the only option—even when it’s been recommended. At Pain Experts, we’ve seen many patients told they “needed surgery” when what they really needed was a de

What You Need to Know Before Repeating Another Shot By Deborah Westergaard, MD | Pain Experts | Dallas–Plano When Relief Comes at a Cost Epidural steroid injections are widely used for back and neck pain. They’re covered by insurance. They’re quick. And they seem to help — at least at first. But here’s the question more people are asking: Are epidural steroid injections harmful? The answer isn’t as simple as yes or no — but it is time for a more honest conversation. A single

By Deborah Westergaard, MD Board-Certified in Pain Medicine and Anesthesiology Regenexx-Affiliate Pain Experts Dallas–Plano Why So Many Back Pain Treatments Fail—and How PRP Works Differently Pain Isn’t Just About Discs—It’s About Structure, Stability, and Nerves If you’ve tried everything—physical therapy, anti-inflammatories, even steroid injections—and you're still in pain, the problem may not be what you think. Most treatments aim to quiet the symptoms. But PRP (Platelet

Deborah Westergaard, MD Board-Certified in Pain Medicine and Anesthesiology Regenexx-Affiliate Pain Experts Dallas–Plano Why High Performers Rush to the OR When pain strikes suddenly and severely, something primal happens—even to the most composed and capable among us Your nervous system goes on high alert. Your heart races. Your thoughts narrow. The brain’s survival systems take over. You’re not being irrational; you’re being human. This acute response is driven by the sympa

But here’s what most people aren’t told: Those same small nerves don’t just carry pain signals. They also provide input to critical stabilizing muscles of your spine—particularly the multifidus muscles. These deep muscles form a core part of your spine’s functional stability system. When they atrophy, the architecture of your spine weakens, leaving you vulnerable to progressive degeneration, instability, and worsening pain over time. This isn’t theoretical. We now have clear

At Pain Experts in Dallas and Plano, TX, we believe that exceptional care comes from more than just medical expertise—it comes from a commitment to core values that guide every decision we make. These values aren’t just words on a page; they define how we approach interventional regenerative medicine and why our patients experience better results. If you’re looking for real pain relief without unnecessary surgery or destructive procedures, here’s what sets us apart. Tradition

For over two decades, Regenexx has been at the forefront of non-surgical orthopedic and spine care, developing regenerative medicine treatments that utilize the body's natural healing capabilities. Now, Pain Experts, the official Regenexx affiliate in Plano, Texas, brings these research-backed, cutting-edge treatments to patients seeking lasting pain relief without surgery. The Problem: Traditional Treatments Often Fall Short Conventional approaches to joint and spine pain ty

You Avoid Back Surgery in the 21st Century A Candid Conversation Between Intern Dr. Westergaard and Her Future Self on Orthobiologic Spine Treatments and the Power of Regenerative Medicine #BackPainRelief #SpineHealthInnovation #AvoidBackSurgery #RegenerativeMedicine #PRPTreatments #SpinalCareSolutions #AdvancedPainManagement #OrthobiologicsForBackPain #NonSurgicalSpineTreatment #PainFreeMovement

IWhile surgery is sometimes necessary for severe spinal conditions, many cases can be managed with non-surgical treatments. At Pain Experts, we collaborate closely with world-class spine and orthopedic surgeons to ensure you receive the most appropriate care for your condition. Our goal is to explore innovative, non-surgical treatments whenever possible while maintaining a patient-first approach. By integrating advanced regenerative medicine techniques with the expertise of t

By Deborah Westergaard, M.D. Pain Experts Severe back pain doesn’t just affect your body—it disrupts your entire life. A dashing gentleman I’ve known for years recently reminded me of this. He reached out, desperate for relief from debilitating back pain that was keeping him from doing the things he loved most: hiking, skiing, and embracing his active lifestyle. Having reached a stage in life where he finally had the time and resources to pursue his passions, this pain was w