What We Treat
Every body is unique and every body has an amazing capacity to regenerate, restore and rebuild. Our role as your medical team is to diagnose the root cause of your pain, so we implement an appropriate care plan that will allow your body to heal. We want you to live life on your terms; free to exercise, compete, and enjoy your family in whatever ways make you most happy. At Desert Sky Spine & Pain we deal with pain daily and are here to address what ails you.
What Is Arthritis?
Arthritis is swelling and tenderness in the joints. It can cause stiffness, pain and general discomfort and is, quite literally, a pain to live with. It is common as we age, and is often centralized in areas our body has experienced traumatic injury or overuse. If you’ve been diagnosed with arthritis, chances are you’ve tried multiple doctors and treatments to relieve the pain. Please contact us today – we can help get you back to the life you want to live!
There are 2 main types of arthritis.
Osteoarthritis: This is the most common type of arthritis as it is caused by overuse or traumatic injury. This means a young, otherwise healthy 20 year old can experience arthritis in a specific area of the body due to injury.
Rheumatoid arthritis: This type of arthritis can be very debilitating. It is characterized as an autoimmune disease where the body’s immune system attacks the lining of the joint capsul. This causes the lining to become inflamed and swallowed, eventually leading to the destruction of cartilage within the joint. When that breaks down, it can feel like your bone is grinding together without anything to protect it, because that’s essentially what is happening inside your body.
Arthritis can be incredibly painful. Most people with arthritis experience pain, stiffness, swelling, redness and often a decreased range of motion. If left untreated, these symptoms can worsen, making it difficult to function.
What Is Scoliosis?
Scoliosis causes a sideways curve in the spine that can greatly impact the body’s overall wellbeing as well as healthy function and movement within the entire body. As challenging as this condition can be, it doesn’t mean you don’t have options. We can help you manage your pain and enjoy the activities that bring you joy.
Scoliosis can cause a lot of complications, depending on the severity of the curve. It’s important to seek medical attention in order to determine the severity, and manage pain associated with the diagnosis.
Scoliosis cannot be cured, but its progression and severity can be managed with an effective treatment plan. We believe that people who have scoliosis can lead fulfilling and active lives. A therapeutic treatment plan is key to giving you the freedom to enjoy your life.
What Is Sciatica?
Sciatica pain can cause a range of symptoms from tingling and numbness down the leg to sharp pain in the lower back. It can impact your range of motion, interfere with sleep and cause general discomfort in day to day activities.
Many patients with sciatica pain can achieve relief through time and rest, but when pain interferes with daily life, we will often look at anti-inflammatory treatment to expedite the recovery time. Our bodies do an amazing job self-healing, but sometimes need a boost in the right direction to do so. We can help you get some relief so you can heal!
Typically sciatica pain originates in the spine because of a herniated disc, bone spur, tumor or spinal stenosis. Injury to the pelvic area and pregnancy can also cause sciatica pain.
Sitting and lying down can often put pressure on the sciatica and aggravate the pain you are feeling. Some patients find that an anti-inflammatory regimen helps them rest and recover at night, but often need to find a new desk chair, or purchase more supportive shoes in order to help them in their day to day life.
What is Joint Pain?
Joint pain is a catch-all term for many different conditions like arthritis, bursitis, gout, strains, sprains and other injuries. Most of us have or will experience joint pain in our lifetimes – especially if you lead active lifestyles. It can be frustrating and far too often it keeps us from being and staying active. We want your body to have the freedom to move so that it can continue to regenerate and heal.
Because joint pain is so common, there are thousands of websites, products, etc that promise if you buy it you will be pain free. It’s so important to remember each body is different and understanding the root cause of your pain is critical to determining an effective treatment plan that will help reduce or resolve that pain. If you are having unexplained pain in the joints, it’s essential that you seek care so that you don’t further aggravate that pain.
While we do believe each body is unique and needs to be assessed to be accurately treated, there are a few supplements that truly are not harmful and can be beneficial – even if they don’t “heal” your pain.
What are Migraines?
There is nothing quite like the blinding pain of a migraine to interrupt an otherwise excellent day. If you struggle with chronic migraines, you know the pain is absolutely life-altering, and often keeps you from enjoying your family, friends, and normal activities. That is not a good way to live and, good news – there is a better way!
Migraines are headaches, but are also much more than just a headache. Migraines often involve the whole body and can cause all sorts of bizarre, seemingly unrelated symptoms such as: constipation or diarrhea, unexplained mood changes, neck stiffness, etc. They are also often accompanied by a sensitivity to light as well as nausea/vomiting, dizziness and extreme fatigue.
Truthfully, if you are asking this question, it’s likely time to reach out for help. Most doctors consider 15 or more migraines per month to be a chronic condition requiring medical intervention. That said, the severity of the migraine has to be taken into consideration. If your migraines are completely debilitating and occur with some level of frequency (at least once per month), it may be time to come and see us.
What Is Knee Pain?
Knee pain impacts nearly everyone at some point in their lives. Our knees help us so much – they give us the ability to do amazing things and support our weight each and every day. Knee pain can be caused by injury, overuse or arthritis so it’s important to understand the cause of the pain in order to treat it.
Our treatments focus on returning you to your activities as it’s important to keep the body moving as much as possible throughout the healing process.
Knee pain is incredibly common and most of the time we know what caused it – whether it is an overuse injury (runners, in particular) or a fall. When knee pain is sudden with no obvious cause, it’s important to have a doctor take a look to make sure it’s not cause for concern. If you hear an audible pop, can’t bear weight on your leg or see deformity or swelling, you should seek medical care immediately to avoid further damage to your knee.
We often see patients who suffer from arthritis and are afraid to further damage the joints through movement but, in fact, the opposite is true. In almost all cases, light activity even when injured can increase blood flow to the area and actually help with mobility and healing. As long as the activity does not worsen the knee, we encourage you to remain active as much as possible throughout the healing process.
What Is Shoulder Pain?
Like most pain, shoulder pain is most often rooted in the spine and neck. Most of us have very poor posture, and this can lead to referral pain and inflammation in the shoulder. Our shoulders can also be very prone to injury from sports and other activities as well as bursitis, tendonitis and arthritis. Our treatment options will give you the freedom to get back on the golf course, or experience the joy of holding your child or grandchild again.
Absolutely – and it often does because your shoulder and your neck share the same muscles. Sometimes it becomes a chicken and the egg scenario – did the shoulder pain cause the neck pain and headaches or did the neck cause the shoulder pain? In either case, the pain is likely a result of injury or imbalance in the body. Most of us have bad posture and/or spend too much time sitting and inactive in awkward positions throughout the day. This can cause weakness in stabilizing muscles, or overextension and compression throughout the neck/shoulder area. Like all pain, it’s critical that we look at your whole body to determine the root cause of the pain so that we can come up with a treatment plan to address the cause, as opposed to symptom management.
Tendinitis is very common in athletes (swimmers, baseball players, golfers, tennis players) but can also arise from overuse or injury. Tendinitis
Caused by impingement – or pinching, within the tendon. If that isn’t treated, it can eventually turn into tendinitis OR bursitis (the bursa is located right next to the tendon). Pain and swelling with present on the front or side of the shoulder as well as pain, tingling, weakness, or a pinching feeling as you move your arm up above your head. You may even hear a clicking sound. If you are a side sleeper, you will experience more pain from sleeping on the affected side. The benefit of seeing a physiatrist (like our very own Dr. Coury) is that they are trained to look at the whole body, and diagnose the root of the pain as opposed to prescribing to alleviate symptoms.
What Is Ankle Pain?
Ankles, like knees, are responsible for supporting our full weight and can be prone to injury and overuse. They are also often impacted by arthritis because of how much we rely on them throughout our lives. Ankle pain can make it nearly impossible to walk, which is crippling and can have an impact on your physical and mental health. We’re here to help you reclaim your life.
Though it can be a sign of diabetes, ankle pain is not always a sign of diabetes. Sprain, strains, arthritis, tendonitis, bursitis, gout, and even flat feet can all be common causes of ankle pain. The best thing to do if you have unexplained ankle pain is to see your doctor and try to not consult google doctor.
We don’t like to paint with a broad brush as every body is different and unique but in almost all cases, the answer is no. Bracing, contrary to popular belief, is not your friend. There are times and cases in which it is absolutely necessary, but it will inevitably weaken the muscles and cause other issues in your stride, posture, etc. The best course of action is to address the source of pain within the ankle so the brace isn’t needed. We have written a more in-depth article on bracing which you can find here to learn more.
What Is Back Pain?
An achy back can completely ruin your day and derail your plans. It’s almost impossible to enjoy an active lifestyle when you live with chronic back pain because it seems to always be with you – whether you sit, stand, lie down, or move around. Back pain can range from muscle aching to sharp, stabbing pain. It can radiate out to the extremities when nerves are impinged and cause a whole host of referral pain when it isn’t diagnosed and treated properly. Back pain can be caused by a variety of different conditions: a herniated disc, degenerative disc disease, bulging disc,spinal fracture, spondylosis, etc. Our doctors do a physical examination, look at your history and may use x-rays or an MRI to determine the source of your back pain in order to create a care plan to help your body heal.
We are constantly bombarded with advertisements that promise to stop our pain with this simple solution – a bed, a pillow, a pill. The reason is because so many of us struggle with pain – either chronically or sporadically; and there is nothing quite as awful as dealing with debilitating pain. Every body is unique and there are so many variables to diagnosing the root cause of back pain. We believe it’s critical to receive a professional opinion by a licensed doctor from our team. We look at your body, and evaluate your activity level, goals, and sometimes your sleeping habits to figure out what is truly causing you to suffer.
Obesity can be a major source of pain in general in the body, but especially in causing back, neck and joint pain. There are so many factors to this and it can of course impact different areas of the back, depending on how your weight is distributed and how your body is compensating for excess weight. But weight loss will help ease back pain in many cases. At Desert Sky Pain & Spine, we take a holistic, whole-person approach to your pain, which means we look at your entire body and address all of the issues related to your pain. That can mean prescribing stretches, exercises and dietary changes should those be appropriate to your specific situation.
What Is Neck Pain?
Neck pain can cause headaches, migraines and just generally make you feel unwell. The bones, ligaments, and muscles of your neck all work together to provide mobility, and without that, your head can feel stuck, and movement can become incredibly awkward and painful. Though “cricks” in the neck can be fairly common, chronic neck pain is not, and we can help address the underlying cause of that pain-in-the-neck.
Is it surprising to know that most patients are deeply concerned about sleeping patterns and sleep loss? If you’re on this site, this most likely doesn’t surprise you because you know how disruptive pain can be, and losing sleep because of pain is stressful and depressing. The body needs sleep to repair so it’s important that you are able to sleep well, which is why there are times when medication is necessary to allow the body to regenerate. There is no blanket right answer for everyone with neck pain but we advise you not sleep on your stomach, especially if you are struggling with neck pain. Stomach sleeping puts a lot of stress on your spine. It forces your neck into one position all night, and can often aggravate current and underlying issues, making it difficult to achieve healing.
Though it can be, it’s not often a sign of something serious. Neck pain is almost always musculoskeletal, and impacts 10-20% of adults. Almost all neck issues originate in the spine and radiate out, impact other areas of the body, such as the shoulder and back. If you are concerned about your neck pain and are experiencing fevers, headaches, nausea, vomiting, confusion, dizziness or other concerning symptoms, you should see a doctor to help evaluate the source of the neck pain.
What Is Arthritis?
Arthritis is swelling and tenderness in the joints. It can cause stiffness, pain and general discomfort and is, quite literally, a pain to live with. It is common as we age, and is often centralized in areas our body has experienced traumatic injury or overuse. If you’ve been diagnosed with arthritis, chances are you’ve tried multiple doctors and treatments to relieve the pain. Please contact us today – we can help get you back to the life you want to live!
There are 2 main types of arthritis.
Osteoarthritis: This is the most common type of arthritis as it is caused by overuse or traumatic injury. This means a young, otherwise healthy 20 year old can experience arthritis in a specific area of the body due to injury.
Rheumatoid arthritis: This type of arthritis can be very debilitating. It is characterized as an autoimmune disease where the body’s immune system attacks the lining of the joint capsul. This causes the lining to become inflamed and swallowed, eventually leading to the destruction of cartilage within the joint. When that breaks down, it can feel like your bone is grinding together without anything to protect it, because that’s essentially what is happening inside your body.
Arthritis can be incredibly painful. Most people with arthritis experience pain, stiffness, swelling, redness and often a decreased range of motion. If left untreated, these symptoms can worsen, making it difficult to function.
What Is Scoliosis?
Scoliosis causes a sideways curve in the spine that can greatly impact the body’s overall wellbeing as well as healthy function and movement within the entire body. As challenging as this condition can be, it doesn’t mean you don’t have options. We can help you manage your pain and enjoy the activities that bring you joy.
Scoliosis can cause a lot of complications, depending on the severity of the curve. It’s important to seek medical attention in order to determine the severity, and manage pain associated with the diagnosis.
Scoliosis cannot be cured, but its progression and severity can be managed with an effective treatment plan. We believe that people who have scoliosis can lead fulfilling and active lives. A therapeutic treatment plan is key to giving you the freedom to enjoy your life.
What Is Sciatica?
Sciatica pain can cause a range of symptoms from tingling and numbness down the leg to sharp pain in the lower back. It can impact your range of motion, interfere with sleep and cause general discomfort in day to day activities.
Many patients with sciatica pain can achieve relief through time and rest, but when pain interferes with daily life, we will often look at anti-inflammatory treatment to expedite the recovery time. Our bodies do an amazing job self-healing, but sometimes need a boost in the right direction to do so. We can help you get some relief so you can heal!
Typically sciatica pain originates in the spine because of a herniated disc, bone spur, tumor or spinal stenosis. Injury to the pelvic area and pregnancy can also cause sciatica pain.
Sitting and lying down can often put pressure on the sciatica and aggravate the pain you are feeling. Some patients find that an anti-inflammatory regimen helps them rest and recover at night, but often need to find a new desk chair, or purchase more supportive shoes in order to help them in their day to day life.
What is Joint Pain?
Joint pain is a catch-all term for many different conditions like arthritis, bursitis, gout, strains, sprains and other injuries. Most of us have or will experience joint pain in our lifetimes – especially if you lead active lifestyles. It can be frustrating and far too often it keeps us from being and staying active. We want your body to have the freedom to move so that it can continue to regenerate and heal.
Because joint pain is so common, there are thousands of websites, products, etc that promise if you buy it you will be pain free. It’s so important to remember each body is different and understanding the root cause of your pain is critical to determining an effective treatment plan that will help reduce or resolve that pain. If you are having unexplained pain in the joints, it’s essential that you seek care so that you don’t further aggravate that pain.
While we do believe each body is unique and needs to be assessed to be accurately treated, there are a few supplements that truly are not harmful and can be beneficial – even if they don’t “heal” your pain.
What is Migraines?
There is nothing quite like the blinding pain of a migraine to interrupt an otherwise excellent day. If you struggle with chronic migraines, you know the pain is absolutely life-altering, and often keeps you from enjoying your family, friends, and normal activities. That is not a good way to live and, good news – there is a better way!
Migraines are headaches, but are also much more than just a headache. Migraines often involve the whole body and can cause all sorts of bizarre, seemingly unrelated symptoms such as: constipation or diarrhea, unexplained mood changes, neck stiffness, etc. They are also often accompanied by a sensitivity to light as well as nausea/vomiting, dizziness and extreme fatigue.
Truthfully, if you are asking this question, it’s likely time to reach out for help. Most doctors consider 15 or more migraines per month to be a chronic condition requiring medical intervention. That said, the severity of the migraine has to be taken into consideration. If your migraines are completely debilitating and occur with some level of frequency (at least once per month), it may be time to come and see us.
What Is Knee Pain?
Knee pain impacts nearly everyone at some point in their lives. Our knees help us so much – they give us the ability to do amazing things and support our weight each and every day. Knee pain can be caused by injury, overuse or arthritis so it’s important to understand the cause of the pain in order to treat it.
Our treatments focus on returning you to your activities as it’s important to keep the body moving as much as possible throughout the healing process.
Knee pain is incredibly common and most of the time we know what caused it – whether it is an overuse injury (runners, in particular) or a fall. When knee pain is sudden with no obvious cause, it’s important to have a doctor take a look to make sure it’s not cause for concern. If you hear an audible pop, can’t bear weight on your leg or see deformity or swelling, you should seek medical care immediately to avoid further damage to your knee.
We often see patients who suffer from arthritis and are afraid to further damage the joints through movement but, in fact, the opposite is true. In almost all cases, light activity even when injured can increase blood flow to the area and actually help with mobility and healing. As long as the activity does not worsen the knee, we encourage you to remain active as much as possible throughout the healing process.
What Is Shoulder Pain?
Like most pain, shoulder pain is most often rooted in the spine and neck. Most of us have very poor posture, and this can lead to referral pain and inflammation in the shoulder. Our shoulders can also be very prone to injury from sports and other activities as well as bursitis, tendonitis and arthritis. Our treatment options will give you the freedom to get back on the golf course, or experience the joy of holding your child or grandchild again.
Absolutely – and it often does because your shoulder and your neck share the same muscles. Sometimes it becomes a chicken and the egg scenario – did the shoulder pain cause the neck pain and headaches or did the neck cause the shoulder pain? In either case, the pain is likely a result of injury or imbalance in the body. Most of us have bad posture and/or spend too much time sitting and inactive in awkward positions throughout the day. This can cause weakness in stabilizing muscles, or overextension and compression throughout the neck/shoulder area. Like all pain, it’s critical that we look at your whole body to determine the root cause of the pain so that we can come up with a treatment plan to address the cause, as opposed to symptom management.
Tendinitis is very common in athletes (swimmers, baseball players, golfers, tennis players) but can also arise from overuse or injury. Tendinitis
Caused by impingement – or pinching, within the tendon. If that isn’t treated, it can eventually turn into tendinitis OR bursitis (the bursa is located right next to the tendon). Pain and swelling with present on the front or side of the shoulder as well as pain, tingling, weakness, or a pinching feeling as you move your arm up above your head. You may even hear a clicking sound. If you are a side sleeper, you will experience more pain from sleeping on the affected side. The benefit of seeing a physiatrist (like our very own Dr. Coury) is that they are trained to look at the whole body, and diagnose the root of the pain as opposed to prescribing to alleviate symptoms.
What Is Ankle Pain?
Ankles, like knees, are responsible for supporting our full weight and can be prone to injury and overuse. They are also often impacted by arthritis because of how much we rely on them throughout our lives. Ankle pain can make it nearly impossible to walk, which is crippling and can have an impact on your physical and mental health. We’re here to help you reclaim your life.
Though it can be a sign of diabetes, ankle pain is not always a sign of diabetes. Sprain, strains, arthritis, tendonitis, bursitis, gout, and even flat feet can all be common causes of ankle pain. The best thing to do if you have unexplained ankle pain is to see your doctor and try to not consult google doctor.
We don’t like to paint with a broad brush as every body is different and unique but in almost all cases, the answer is no. Bracing, contrary to popular belief, is not your friend. There are times and cases in which it is absolutely necessary, but it will inevitably weaken the muscles and cause other issues in your stride, posture, etc. The best course of action is to address the source of pain within the ankle so the brace isn’t needed. We have written a more in-depth article on bracing which you can find here to learn more.
What Is Back Pain?
An achy back can completely ruin your day and derail your plans. It’s almost impossible to enjoy an active lifestyle when you live with chronic back pain because it seems to always be with you – whether you sit, stand, lie down, or move around. Back pain can range from muscle aching to sharp, stabbing pain. It can radiate out to the extremities when nerves are impinged and cause a whole host of referral pain when it isn’t diagnosed and treated properly. Back pain can be caused by a variety of different conditions: a herniated disc, degenerative disc disease, bulging disc,spinal fracture, spondylosis, etc. Our doctors do a physical examination, look at your history and may use x-rays or an MRI to determine the source of your back pain in order to create a care plan to help your body heal.
We are constantly bombarded with advertisements that promise to stop our pain with this simple solution – a bed, a pillow, a pill. The reason is because so many of us struggle with pain – either chronically or sporadically; and there is nothing quite as awful as dealing with debilitating pain. Every body is unique and there are so many variables to diagnosing the root cause of back pain. We believe it’s critical to receive a professional opinion by a licensed doctor from our team. We look at your body, and evaluate your activity level, goals, and sometimes your sleeping habits to figure out what is truly causing you to suffer.
Obesity can be a major source of pain in general in the body, but especially in causing back, neck and joint pain. There are so many factors to this and it can of course impact different areas of the back, depending on how your weight is distributed and how your body is compensating for excess weight. But weight loss will help ease back pain in many cases. At Desert Sky Pain & Spine, we take a holistic, whole-person approach to your pain, which means we look at your entire body and address all of the issues related to your pain. That can mean prescribing stretches, exercises and dietary changes should those be appropriate to your specific situation.
What Is Neck Pain?
Neck pain can cause headaches, migraines and just generally make you feel unwell. The bones, ligaments, and muscles of your neck all work together to provide mobility, and without that, your head can feel stuck, and movement can become incredibly awkward and painful. Though “cricks” in the neck can be fairly common, chronic neck pain is not, and we can help address the underlying cause of that pain-in-the-neck.
Is it surprising to know that most patients are deeply concerned about sleeping patterns and sleep loss? If you’re on this site, this most likely doesn’t surprise you because you know how disruptive pain can be, and losing sleep because of pain is stressful and depressing. The body needs sleep to repair so it’s important that you are able to sleep well, which is why there are times when medication is necessary to allow the body to regenerate. There is no blanket right answer for everyone with neck pain but we advise you not sleep on your stomach, especially if you are struggling with neck pain. Stomach sleeping puts a lot of stress on your spine. It forces your neck into one position all night, and can often aggravate current and underlying issues, making it difficult to achieve healing.
Though it can be, it’s not often a sign of something serious. Neck pain is almost always musculoskeletal, and impacts 10-20% of adults. Almost all neck issues originate in the spine and radiate out, impact other areas of the body, such as the shoulder and back. If you are concerned about your neck pain and are experiencing fevers, headaches, nausea, vomiting, confusion, dizziness or other concerning symptoms, you should see a doctor to help evaluate the source of the neck pain.
Are you popping pills to just make it through the day?
That’s not a way to live. We believe in getting to the root of your pain so we can aid your body in the healing process or better manage your pain when healing is no longer possible.
If you’re ready to get back to living life on your terms, we’re here to help.
