Kootenai | Kootenai Health | Issue 3, 2020

Christopher Wood, D.O. Kootenai Clinic Gastroenterology Tell us a little bit about you and your family: I lived all over the South Central U.S. as a kid. We moved every couple years. I grew up in a large family where I was the sixth of 10 children. I graduated from high school in Venezuela. I have been happily married for 16 years and have four daughters. Why did you pick your specialty? I always found the GI tract interesting. I enjoy seeing patients in a variety of environments, such as the hospital and clinic, and for procedures. I wanted to focus on helping people to improve both their quantity of life and their quality of life. For many people, this is somehow tied to eating and/or bowel habits. I like to think by helping with these issues I am able to make a difference in my patients’ quality of life. What can patients expect when they first meet with you? I like to teach and have them be involved in their health care decisions. I am pretty direct and open with my patients, and I try to make the environment feel as natural as it can, given the circumstance. What are some of your hobbies? I am very family-oriented and strive to spend quality time with my kids and wife. I love being active and exercising or doing things outdoors, like hiking, camping, hunting and fishing. I personally enjoy woodworking projects and things like that as well. What drew you to Kootenai Health? I came to Kootenai to be part of a group that I feel shares my desire and goal to provide good patient care, as well as to have a good work-life balance. It is like being in an extended family, working toward common goals while allowing me to keep my personal family a priority. What is your favorite healthy tip? Be aware, be involved and be active. Most of us are looking for some balance. Nothing alone is as good as it can be with other things in balance. I believe if a person is aware of things, involved and active, they can find a good balance that will help with a lot of physical and mental health issues. To schedule an appointment, call (208) 625-4595 . Meet our new providers By Andrea Nagel We’ve all experienced the occasional stiff back in the morning or a day or so of lower back pain after doing yard work. But for some, back pain is more than a temporary inconvenience. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, chronic (or long-lasting) back pain is one of the top reasons adults in the U.S. seek medical care. Ongoing chronic pain has been linked to problems completing daily activities, a higher likelihood of dependence on opioids, increased anxiety and depression, and a reduced quality of life overall. To help identify the potential source of pain, physicians look for symptoms such as numbness, weakness and a lack of response to conservative treatment methods. “It’s important to find the source of the pain so we can determine the best course of treatment,” said neurosurgeon Michael Raber, M.D., Kootenai Clinic Neurosurgery and Spine. Surgery may not be needed. “In some cases, we can work to manage pain through physical therapy or pain management with their primary care provider,” he said. “For others, though, DON’T LET FEAR HOLD YOU BACK Seek relief—back surgery is easier than you might think 12