One Physician’s Hip Pain Recovery Journey in Dallas: From Regenerative Treatment to Surgical Strength

By Deborah Westergaard, MD

Pain Experts

Even Healers Must Break Sometimes

One year ago, I faced the same challenge many of my patients bring into my clinic—debilitating hip pain that no longer responded to conservative care. This is the story of how I navigated a comprehensive hip pain recovery journey in Dallas, combining regenerative precision with expert surgical timing to reclaim my strength, practice, and purpose.

In summer of 2024, I found myself in a place I never imagined—flat on my back, staring at the ceiling, unsure how I would get through the pain. My hip had failed me, and for the first time in decades, I wasn’t the doctor helping patients rise from injury. I was the patient—injured, vulnerable, and faced with the same haunting question I’ve heard echoed across so many exam rooms: “Is this the beginning of the end of me?”

I had held off surgery for years with advanced regenerative treatments—PRP, focused shockwave therapy, neuromuscular support. And they worked. Until, finally, they didn’t.

Sequencing, Surrender, and True Strength

I had to surrender—but not to despair. I chose to surrender to timing, to wisdom, to the understanding that sometimes the best thing you can do is let go of what no longer serves you… and trust your own healing design.

Under the care of Dr. Jason Markle at both Regenexx Cayman and The Centeno-Shultz Clinic, I underwent precise orthobiologic treatment to repair multiple damaged joints. Then, a brilliant orthopedic surgeon performed a hip replacement that honored everything we had built beforehand. My recovery was not a miracle—it was a masterclass in sequencing: regenerative treatments to support the lateral hip compartment and other supportive structures first, surgical precision second, and intentional rehabilitation after.

I didn’t just get back to work—I came back stronger, more aligned, and more compassionate toward the patients who walk through my door every day.

Are You Standing at That Same Crossroads?

Maybe your pain has reached the point where you’re starting to doubt what’s next. Maybe you're scared surgery is the only answer, or maybe you've been told it’s already too late. It's not. But the right path is personal. And there is power in making a decision that honors your timeline, your biology, and your long-term vitality.

If you’re not sure where to begin, I invite you to start a conversation. Let’s explore your sequence—what comes first, what’s still possible, and how you can rise.

Schedule a consultation

You don't have to figure it out alone.

#BackpainDallas #BackpainPlano #RegenerativeMedicine #HipPainRecovery #Regenexx #OrthoHealing #PrecisionHealing #DallasPainDoctor