Premier Pain Talk

In this episode of Premier Pain Talk, Dr. Michael Danko sits down with Dr. Wesley Youngblood to discuss his journey from fellowship to joining Premier Pain Treatment Institute in July 2025. Dr. Youngblood reflects on his decision-making process when choosing between private practice, academics, and hospital-based medicine, and shares what ultimately led him to pursue private practice.

Dr. Youngblood offers insight into what it’s li...

A recent CNN article and BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine study questioned whether tramadol is effective, or even safe, for chronic pain. In this episode, Dr. Michael Danko, founder of Premier Pain Treatment Institute, offers and informed perspective on the research, its limitations, and what it really means for patients living with chronic pain.

Dr. Danko breaks down the difference between short-term clinical trials and long-term patie...

On this week's episode of Premier Pain Talk, Dr. Michael Danko answers questions submitted by our patients in honor of Pain Awareness Month! We cover how to differentiate between chronic and acute pain, explain the purpose behind pain contracts, dive into what makes cancer pain different, and many more questions!

If you have a question that you'd like to submit, email us at info@premierpaintreatment.com . You might just hear your q...

In this episode of Premier Pain Talk, we explore the evolving trends in pain medication prescribing and how they’ve shaped modern pain management. We start by looking back at the history of opioids and the circumstances that gave rise to dedicated pain clinics. Listeners will gain insight into why these clinics became a crucial resource for patients, as well as the challenges that arose along the way. This episode is designed for b...

In this episode of Premier Pain Talk, Dr. Michael Danko sits down with Jennifer Craft, Director of Nursing for Premier Surgical Institute, to take you behind the scenes of what it really takes to open and operate an ambulatory surgery center. From regulatory hurdles and staffing challenges to building workflows and patient safety protocols, Jennifer shares valuable insight into the complex process of launching a high-functioning su...

In this episode of Premier Pain Talk, Dr. Michael Danko dives into the sacroiliac (SI) joint - a commonly overlooked but critical source of low back and pelvic pain. If you've been dealing with chronic discomfort and other treatments haven't helped, the SI joint might be the missing piece of your pain puzzle.

Dr. Danko explains how SI joint dysfunction is diagnosed, the limitations of conservative treatments, and when surgical inte...

In this week’s episode, Dr. Michael Danko dives into one of the most common, and misunderstood, complaints in pain management: low back pain.

While it may sound straightforward, “low back pain” can be the surface symptom of many different underlying issues. Dr. Danko unpacks the complexity behind this diagnosis, exploring how detailed physical exams, imaging, and a thorough understanding of each patient's symptoms work together to ...

In this episode of Premier Pain Talk, we dive into the world of neuromodulation and advanced pain procedures that are changing the game in pain management. Dr. Danko breaks down spinal cord stimulators, peripheral nerve stimulators, and intrathecal pain pumps—explaining how these cutting-edge therapies help patients regain control over their pain. We also explore minimally invasive procedures like the MILD procedure and the Ver...

In this episode of Premier Pain Talk, Dr. Michael Danko breaks down the seven most common pain management procedures, including epidural steroid injections, medial branch blocks, radiofrequency ablations, SI joint injections, small and large joint injections, and trigger point injections.

Whether you're a new or experienced provider looking to refine your knowledge or a pain patient wanting to better understand your treatment optio...

In this episode of Premier Pain Talk, host Dr. Michael Danko is joined by April Egbert, DNP, APRN, and special guest Lindsay Link, PA-C, a newer provider in the field of pain management. Together, they pull back the curtain on what it’s really like stepping into this specialty — from the challenges of treating complex pain conditions to the rewarding moments of helping patients regain their quality of life. Whether you're a healthc...

In this eye-opening episode of Premier Pain Talk, Dr. Michael Danko sits down with special guests April Egbert, DNP, APRN, and Lindsay Link, PA-C, to tackle the many misperceptions surrounding pain management. They dive into the myths patients often believe, the realities of modern pain care, and even share what surprised them about the specialty before becoming providers in the field themselves. If you’ve ever wondered what pain m...

It's the return of Premier Pain Talk!

Dr. Michael Danko is joined by April Egbert, DNP, APRN to discuss how patients are selected who may be good candidates for Intrathecal Pain Pumps, how patients are prepared for their pain pump trial period, expectations of insurance companies, and what to expect in the months that follow a patient's pump implant.

Premier Pain Treatment Institute is a pain management clinic with locations in Hil...

Treatment For Sacroiliac (SI) Joint Pain

Today on the podcast, host, Dr. Michael Danko talks about one of the most common causes of low back pain. Tune in to learn about the characteristics of sacroiliac (SI) joint pain and the different treatments that are available.

Episode Highlights:

• The sacroiliac (SI) joint is a common contributor to low back pain. 
• The SI joint...

Restorative Treatment For Mechanical Low Back Pain

Dr. Danko and his partner at the practice, Dr. Tim Feldheim hosted a webinar about an exciting new therapy called, ‘restorative neurostimulation’. Many people experience low back pain at some point throughout their life and for varying reasons and this therapy is  targeted at low back pain.Tune in to learn more.

Episode Highlights:

• There is an ex...

On today’s episode, Dr. Danko talks with Dr. Matthias Wiederholz; He is the founder and visionary behind Performance Pain & Sports Medicine, also known as Performance. Performance is a boutique medical practice with a focus on the treatment of acute and chronic pain. Dr. Danko and Dr. Wiederholz have worked together on targeted drug delivery and today they are going to discuss a new therapy called peripheral nerve stimulation of wh...

This week's episode is brought to you by a webinar that Dr. Michael Danko hosted with his practice, Premier Pain Institute. Two treatments are discussed are the zip procedure, also called posterior spine fusion and  Silo, a sacroiliac joint fusion. Dr. Danko explains how both of the treatments are used in his practice and have great outcomes. Tune in for all of the details. 

Episode Highlights:

• Dr...

Targeted Drug Delivery For Chronic Pain

On today’s episode of Premier Pain Talk, is a topic near and dear to Dr. Danko’s heart- targeted drug delivery also called a pain pump. It is an underutilized therapy but can be done very well and be very effective. This is an option that offers hope when other treatment options are not working or will not work. Dr. Feldheim, Dr. Danko’s partner at Premier Pain Institute joins the podcast as ...

Treatment for a Herniated Disc

In the spirit of the football season kicking off, today on the episode Dr. Danko discusses one of the most common injuries to the low back, which is a lumbar disc herniation. What exactly is it? How does it happen? What are the treatment options? Tune in for all of the details.

Episode Highlights:

• What is a lumbar disc? Dr. Danko explains what they are and their stru...