Though COVID-19 is a top concern for health officials and physicians worldwide, it doesn’t negate the importance of maintaining good health in other areas of your life.

Chris Hanson of Guthrie County Hospital’s Pain Clinic says they had to close their facility for a short period of time during the pandemic, but since they have reopened to in-person visits he says the number of active patients is slowly increasing. For specialty services like the pain clinic, Hanson believes there is a hesitance for people to seek treatment as hospitals are occupied with the pandemic. He advises that health concerns shouldn’t be left ignored, “The classic example is somebody who maybe has coronary artery disease that’s walking around, quite short of breath or has chest pain. You know these are symptoms that your body is telling you, you need to have addressed before something catastrophic happens. And like with pain similarly, if we are experiencing pain when we’re doing activities or daily living, or decreased function we really should consider doing something about it.”

Hanson mentions that they are wearing personal protective equipment during patient visits, and they offer telehealth appointments as well. The pain clinic treats conditions including acute or chronic pain, neck and back pain, herniated disc, spinal stenosis, and fibromyalgia. You can hear more about the clinic in a two-part Let’s Talk Guthrie County program on air today and tomorrow and at raccoonvalleyradio.com.