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

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By Deborah Westergaard, MD | Pain Experts | Dallas–Plano Outdated Thinking About Cartilage Repair After 50 They told you cartilage can’t...

And every morning: 8 miles. But here’s the problem no one is telling her — and no one is telling him , either (and many of our gentlemen...

A year ago this July, I joined a club I never wanted to be part of the Hip Replacement Club. And while I would’ve traded nearly...

Long hours. High expectations. Active weekends.Joint pain, stiffness, or old injuries shouldn’t be the reason you slow down—or the reason...

By Deborah Westergaard, MD Pain Experts How to Avoid Knee Surgery Are you or someone you know facing knee pain or considering surgery? There are ways to explore non-surgical options that may help protect your natural joint for longer. In our latest Pain Experts Talk  episode, we dive into the impact of prior knee surgeries on early arthritis and explore how regenerative treatments like PRP and bone marrow concentrate can support cartilage health and possibly delay the need fo