McKenzie Health Welcomes Dr. Lawlor To Area

Dr. Brett Lawlor is now offering his extensive experience in interventional pain medicine and nonsurgical treatment of neurologic and musculoskeletal injuries, his specialized knowledge in neck and back pain and sports medicine at McKenzie Health in Watford City. He is board certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation and also offers electromyography (EMG and nerve conduction tests).

Having started his private practice from scratch in his home town of Rapid City, SD in 1997, which grew to include four physicians, Lawlor is looking forward to developing and growing a similar program in Watford City. His practice was merging with Black Hills Orthopedic and Spine and Lawlor took the opportunity to investigate other options. He said that the forward looking approach to attracting specialists to the area made McKenzie Health a good fit. The move provided him with a part time practice where he could once again develop a new program to serve patients in this area.

Dr. Lawlor practices interventional pain medicine where the source of the pain is identified and non surgical means explored to eliminate or manage the pain, thereby improving quality of life for patients. Utilizing a variety of diagnostics, comprehensive therapies, medications, along with therapeutic injections and other interventional therapies, the goal is the best possible outcome for patients.

Fluoroscopic guidance may be used where a patient keeps a pain log at home, documenting what impact various therapies have, and providing diagnostics with precise information. Follow-up therapies may include strategic injections or nerve ablations to alleviate the pain on a long-term basis.

Lawlor sees neck and back pain the most but also a variety of musculoskeletal pain in any joints. Carpal tunnel is common, along with pinched nerves in the neck and back, in addition to a host of neurological and muscular diseases.

He uses electrodiagnostic testing to determine whether the pain is muscular or nerve, where and how bad the pain is. He uses a general approach on the patient, with the goal of decreasing or eliminating the pain to improve function and quality of life. "Our goal is to use as many tools as possible to help manage pain," Lawlor said.

Dr. Lawlor is available one week per month at McKenzie Health. However, his nurse practitioner, Jade Kelling, provides full-time expertise to the community.

Dr. Lawlor is located at the McKenzie Health Specialty Clinic, 709 4th Ave. NE, Watford City. To schedule an appointment, please call 701-444-8370. No referral is needed.