Category: Patient Stories
I always considered myself a young man. I was physically active. I liked to run with young guys—full court basketball—the whole nine yards. I had persistent back problems. My back would “go out” every couple of months. I just thought it was the aging process. The last time that I had it, it wouldn’t really go away. My primary care doctor knew Dr. McCance and recommended that I see him. I went to Dr. McCance and had a full set of tests. He said it was a congenital issue—the structuring of my spine. One of the lower vertebrae slipped forward …
I had continuous pain for two years. It started in my buttock and radiated down my left leg to my foot. At first it was bearable, but after a year it became so severe that I started looking for a doctor to help me. At first I tried sports medicine doctors, and then I tried orthopedic surgeons. But I could never get a clear diagnosis. Denise // Age: 62 Condition // Scoliosis/Spinal Stenosis Occupation // Retired (Puerto Rico) Why did you choose Dr. McCance for your spine surgery? Dr. McCance was very thorough. He was clear. He’s very thorough. He …
For me it started with a car accident. I injured my back. I did physical therapy and a lot of pain management, but I still suffered from constant pain. I am a school teacher, so it made it more difficult for me to do my job. It kept getting progressively worse. This went on for 4 or 5 years. Evelyn // Age: 44 Condition // Stenosis/Degenerative Disk Disease Occupation // Teacher (NY) How did you find Dr. McCance I went to Dr. McCance because my aunt had back surgery with him. My aunt and my cousin were raving about him. …
In 1982 I injured my neck in an accident. The pain would come and go and I’d see a chiropractor once in awhile. Then, I was moving my daughter into college and I tried to move a refrigerator—and something happened. The pain was constant and so bad that I couldn’t sleep. I couldn’t even move my head. I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to drive again. I went to a neurologist who ordered an MRI. Then he referred me to a local spine surgeon. I went to see him and he explained what needed to be done. He was …
I started having back pains at 26. Got progressively worse over the next couple of years. People I knew were very negative about back surgery—people think it’s not efficient, it doesn’t work. On and on. My leg was hurting—my back—my toes. Went for two opinions—surgeons in the area—and both recommended surgery. One of my dad’s best friends is a neurologist and he looked at my MRI and said you should really go for it. Greg // Age: 30 Condition // Herniated Disk Occupation // Financial Advisor (CT) How did you find Dr. McCance? My wife’s best friend’s husband had back …
It all started in 1996—I was out raking leaves and I felt all this pain in my back. Went to a doctor a friend recommended. Had an MRI—they found a herniated disk and they wanted to operate right away. I asked if I could try physical therapy first, before any surgery, and they said yes. I got better, but it never went away. I suffered with pain—but not severe. Over the years I developed spinal stenosis. It hurt to pick up my granddaughter. I couldn’t straighten up and my back was really hurting. I went to a second doctor, who …
At 21 I was diagnosed with a herniated disk in my lower spine. In 2009 I started experiencing numbness in my right and left hands. I would wake up with a stiff neck in the morning. Then it became pins and needles from my shoulder to my hands. And then it got really bad—the pain was very great. It felt like I had broken an arm. Saw an orthopedic doctor. He ordered X-rays and MRIs. The diagnosis was two herniated discs that were causing pressure on my spinal column. The nerves that controlled my arms were being compressed. Then my …
I was diagnosed at 14 or 15. At the time my doctor told me there was nothing that could be done—other than exercise. But the pain continued throughout my life. I was 38 when I went to see Dr. McCance. By then I had trouble getting out of bed in the morning—it was a really painful experience. I had arthritic pain from the bones rubbing together—and bones hitting nerves. My life from boyhood until nearly 40 was one long, painful experience. Tom // Age: 38 Condition // Spondylolisthesis Occupation // Market Research (NY) How did you find Dr. McCance? When …
I was having chronic back for a couple of years. I was treated with oral medication and occasional medical interventions. This worked temporarily. In some instances the pain did not return for extended periods of time—maybe two months, three months. In 2011 the back pain did not respond to any treatment. It kept getting worse, with stabbing pains in my back, going through my legs—all the way from my back down to my feet. It left me with limited flexibility in my movement. Chronic back pain has a very negative effect on your emotions and your loved ones—they were worried …
After sleeping in a hotel I woke up with a backache. I medicated myself for a couple of weeks. A friend of mine had kidney stones, and he said maybe you have kidney stones. I went to my doctor and he did an ultrasound—they found nothing. So my doctor suggested massage therapy. I did go, and I discovered they were doing Rolfing therapy.* Unfortunately, the Rolfing therapy had broken my L5 vertebrae and it was hitting on a nerve. On July 4th weekend I was driving to my home when my leg and foot became paralyzed. I kept driving until …
