‘Our goal is to increase quality of life’: Desert Pain takes aim at cervical dystonia with innovative treatments

Stock image | Photo by Sasha_Suzi/iStock/Getty Images Plus, St. George News

CONTRIBUTED CONTENT — The treatment of chronic pain is a difficult undertaking. At Desert Pain Specialists, a team of highly skilled medical providers seeks to improve the quality of life for Southern Utah patients through innovative pain management solutions for conditions both common and rare. 

A treatment room with a view at Desert Pain Specialists, St. George, Utah, date not specified | Photo by Jeff Hauck courtesy of Desert Pain Specialists, St. George News

Cervical dystonia, also called spasmodic torticollis, is a condition in which the neck muscles contract involuntarily, causing a person’s head to twist or turn to one side. About 70% of patients also have an associated tremor that causes their head to shake, and some experience uncontrollable head tilting backward or forward. 

Hayden Worwood, a physician assistant-certified at Desert Pain, said that cervical dystonia can be a very painful disease that greatly impacts patient quality of life. 

Cervical dystonia mostly affects adults in middle age and is almost twice as prevalent among women. The onset of symptoms is gradual, usually beginning with persistent neck pain and stiffness that Worwood said patients often attribute to more common causes like a bulging disc or muscle strain. 

“In a lot of cases, this condition goes undiagnosed,” he added. 

Cervical dystonia is estimated to affect approximately 60,000 people in the United States. Risk factors may include a family history of the disease caused by a genetic mutation, but in most cases, the cause is unknown. 

A welcome waiting room greets guests at Desert Pain Specialists, St. George, Utah, date not specified | Photo by Jeff Hauck courtesy of Desert Pain Specialists, St. George News

“There’s a lot we don’t know about it. We don’t know why it’s more common in women or in a specific age group,” Worwood said. “It’s still being studied.” 

For roughly 10% of patients, symptoms resolve without treatment. However, long-term remission is rare, and cervical dystonia is considered to be a chronic disease. Left untreated, it will continue worsening and eventually lead to painful orthopedic changes in neck posture.

Desert Pain targets cervical dystonia with trigger point injections and Botox injections. During a trigger point injection, the provider administers a combination of numbing medications along with steroids to help relax the muscle. Botox, on the other hand, prevents certain nerve signals from reaching the muscles, thus preventing painful involuntary spasms. Patients may also benefit from physical therapy and oral medications such as muscle relaxers. 

“Our goal is to increase quality of life, limit pain and increase range of motion so that people can continue to work and do most of the things they want to do,” Worwood said. 

If you’re experiencing symptoms of cervical dystonia or any kind of chronic pain, don’t suffer in silence. Many people don’t realize that pain management goes far beyond opioid medications and surgeries, Worwood said. Desert Pain is committed to exploring the least invasive treatment options and working with patients to avoid or delay surgery for as long as possible. 

Map of Desert Pain locations in Southern Utah | Image by St. George News

As Southern Utah’s premier interventional pain management team, Desert Pain practices evidence-based, forward-thinking medicine that integrates the newest available treatments. They address all types of chronic and acute pain conditions, including back pain, neck pain, sciatica, neuropathy, migraines and sports injuries.

Desert Pain’s state-of-the-art facility in St. George allows them to offer unmatched quality of care to their patients. And with six additional locations throughout the area, they’re prepared to serve the needs of the growing population. 

Living with any pain condition is a daily battle against a nearly invisible enemy. At Desert Pain, patients are 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: 460 E. 300 South, Suite 4.
    • Mesquite, Nevada: 340 Falcon Ridge Parkway, Suite 600.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.

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