Carol tells their story of how the AdventHealth Medical Group Spine Health team helped to diagnose, treat and heal their condition. Read their testimonial to learn more about our approach to helping our patients live pain-free.
Relishing Relief: How One Patient Got the Help She Needed from AdventHealth Medical Group Spine Health's Pain Management Specialists
Determining the specific source of a patient’s back pain isn’t always easy, but it’s an essential step toward arriving at the most appropriate and effective treatment plan. As a physician who specializes in spine care, Dr. Chetan Patel has a wealth of experience in diagnosing and resolving complex spinal conditions that defy one-step solutions and for which patients may previously have sought treatment only to have their pain return over time.
Carol’s story offers an inspiring example of exactly this scenario, including the unsurpassed level of care that AdventHealth Medical Group Spine Health provides for patients with chronic pain they thought might never subside.
A Legacy of Pain
Carol had received multiple epidural injections for chronic back pain over the past years, but none of those treatments had ever produced real and lasting relief. Instead, as time went on, her pain kept getting worse, to the point that it felt like excruciating lightning bolts were shooting from her back down to her thighs. Realizing it was time for a specialist, her primary care physician ultimately referred her to Dr. Chetan Patel at AdventHealth Medical Group Spine Health in Altamonte Springs in hopes that the source of Carol’s pain could be identified along with the right treatment for it.
Isolating the Source
After reviewing Carol’s test results, Dr. Patel diagnosed her with spondylosis and determined that the source of her pain was in her facet joints, the wing-like bones on either side of the vertebra. He recommended initiating her treatment with conservative measures that might allow her to avoid invasive surgery – specifically, facet joint injections for pain relief. After so many disappointments, Carol wasn’t fully convinced that this treatment would provide the relief she sought, but trusted Dr. Patel and his experience.
Time for Treatment
On the day of her scheduled treatment, Carol was filled with nervous anticipation and more than a few doubts. But her anxiety began to lessen the minute she saw James, the radiology technician who would assist in her procedure. James walked her back to the procedure room, and he took the time to listen and speak with her about her reservations. “He remembered me and was concerned with how I was feeling,” she said. “He went out of his way to make sure I was comfortable and no longer afraid before he began.” That made all the difference for her, and the injections were provided on schedule.
A Successful Outcome
Fast forward a few weeks, and here was Carol arriving for her follow-up appointment – completely pain-free, as she happily remains to this day. Instilled with a new sense of freedom, she says she is so excited to get her life back. With optimism in her voice, she says, “I’m looking into getting back in the gym and learning how to strengthen my core and back to prevent future injuries.”
Carol is glad that she came to AdventHealth Medical Group Spine Health, and said she would drive twice as far to receive treatment from the exceptional staff and medical team if she had to. “Everyone was friendly and they put me at ease,” she said. “Thank you for treating me like a person.”
If you’ve been experiencing back pain, give our office a call at Call 407-303-5452. Dr. Chetan Patel strives to provide the least invasive treatments possible for a variety of back and neck conditions. For educational videos on common spine conditions and prevention tips, visit our SpineU video library.
