A Journey to Pain Relief
September is Pain Awareness Month
Artesia General Hospital is fortunate to have Casey Dellabarca, MD, on staff to offer highly specialized pain management care to local patients.
If you are living with pain, relief may be closer than you think. A local resident and patient of Southeastern New Mexico Pain Management Clinic, shares his success story thanks to Dr. Dellabarca.
Well-known Artesia resident Mike Deans and his brother started Deans Incorporated—a company offering services like oilfield electrification. As a small company, every capable team member had to be ready to climb utility poles to meet client needs, including Mike. A couple of times while working in the field, though, Mike came down from a pole much faster than he intended—landing hard on his feet both times and injuring his back.
As years went by, Mike’s back injury became more and more of a problem. About 10 years ago, he found himself taking heavy doses of over-the-counter pain relievers with little result. Mike needed to find relief.
At the time, there was no pain doctor close to home so Mike had to visit a large spine practice several hours away. After a thorough exam that included X-ray and MRI, he was prescribed physical therapy that helped only a little. Doctors tried an epidural injection, but it gave only marginal relief. As an adjunct, doctors prescribed Percocet painkillers to Mike on an ongoing basis.
Over time, Mike began taking more and more Percocet. “They had me medicated into a hole, and it was still inadequate relief,” says Mike.
Mike realized he had two problems: chronic back pain and dependence on prescription painkillers.
When Dr. Dellabarca established his local Pain Management practice five years ago, Mike was one of his very first patients. Mike was hopeful for a solution and admired that Dr. Dellabarca wanted to use the latest, most effective treatments personalized for each patient.
Dr. Dellabarca treated Mike with epidural steroid injections. Placed while Mike was fully awake and repeated every three to five months, the injections relieved nerve inflammation and offered Mike tremendous relief from his back pain for the very first time.
Mike was determined to overcome his opioid addiction as well. With his daughter’s help, he successfully completed a 30-day rehab program in Dallas.
Mike’s message to anyone with chronic pain? “Relief may be closer than you think. You don’t have to settle for living with chronic pain!”
Request an appointment online or by calling 575.736.8233.
Locations
606 N. 13th St., Suite 300
Artesia, NM 88210
575.736.8233
1410 N. 8th St., Suite B
Carlsbad, NM 88220