Couple Finds Life-Changing Pain Relief at Parkland Health Center

Bruce and Andrea Slaner both turned to the Pain Management Center at Parkland Health Center, for help with chronic pain. Today they are living pain-free and getting back to life, together.  

When Bruce Slaner, 45, woke up one morning with severe pain shooting from his neck down into his left arm, he knew something was wrong, but he had no idea how it would impact his life.  

“I’d never felt anything like it,” Bruce says. “The pain was weird, like it was moving inside me. I couldn’t lay my head down and I had to sleep sitting up.”

The pain quickly took over his daily life, and walking, sitting for long periods of time, and even lifting small items became difficult. Looking for answers, Bruce was referred to Lee Miesner, DO, at the Pain Management Center at Parkland Health Center. That visit would turn everything around.  

Parkland Health Center's Pain Management Center is committed to finding solutions to help patients with chronic pain. The Center features a full range of treatments, from traditional pain-relief therapies to minimally invasive procedures, designed to decrease the intensity and frequency of pain and to improve patients’ overall ability to function.

“Our goal is always to help patients get back to living their lives without being limited by pain,” Dr. Miesner says. “For some, that means finding the right combination of therapies; for others, a targeted treatment can make all the difference.”

Dr. Miesner recommended a cervical epidural steroid injection, delivering anti-inflammatory medication into the epidural space around the spinal nerves in Bruce’s neck. He received the treatment in late July 2024. The results were excellent: 100% pain relief that has lasted over a year.  

“I feel amazing,” Bruce says. “I can walk, sit, stand, and lift. It’s not holding me back anymore. I sleep great, and I have my life back. Dr. Miesner and his team were wonderful. They were thorough, answered every question, and really cared.”

But Bruce wasn’t the only one in his home struggling with chronic pain.  

His wife, Andrea Slaner, 45, had also been dealing with ongoing neck pain and migraines that disrupted her sleep and made everyday activities difficult. Like Bruce, Andrea found her answer with Dr. Miesner and the Pain Management Center.  

Andrea received a bilateral greater and lesser occipital nerve block, which targets nerves at the back of the head that often contribute to migraine and neck pain. “The injection gave me instant relief,” Andrea says. “Before, I couldn’t even lay my head on a pillow. I was having headaches all the time, and it hurt just to look down. After the treatment, I felt wonderful.”

Today, Andrea is pain-free from the migraines and neck issues and is working with Dr. Miesner again to address lower back pain, which she’s hopeful will also improve with treatment. “I am so happy with Dr. Miesner and his staff. Everyone is kind, professional, and very helpful,” Andrea says.  

“It’s incredibly rewarding to see a patient go from living in constant pain to enjoying life again,” Dr. Miesner says. “That’s why we do what we do, so patients can get back to the moments and activities that matter most.”

For the Slaners, finding relief through expert pain management has been life-changing, and something they’re grateful for every day.  

If chronic pain is interfering with your life, help is available. The Pain Management Center at Parkland Health Center offers personalized, advanced treatment options to help you find relief and get back to doing the things you love.  

Learn more about Dr. Miesner and the pain management treatments available at Parkland Health Center, or to make an appointment, call 573-760-8396.