Working in construction for 40 years as a union electrician, Arnaldo Ortiz was used to having back pain. “Sometimes it would get better and sometimes it would get worse,” he said. He tried different types of treatment but nothing helped. He read about the Back & Neck Pain Center seminar at Mather Hospital and decided to attend. At the seminar, Arnaldo met some of the doctors affiliated with the program and made an appointment. He was seen right away.
Arnaldo was diagnosed with Lumbar Spondylosis and L5/S1 degenerative disc disease, according to Dr. David BenEliyahu, Administrative Director of the Back & Neck Pain Center. “The doctors told me I had options,” said Arnaldo. They recommended starting with physical therapy. If that didn’t work, there were other treatments, the last of which would be surgery. He went to physical therapy for 15 to 20 sessions, sometimes three times per week. He was given strengthening exercises.
“I no longer have back pain whatsoever,” Arnaldo said. He credits Mather’s Back & Neck Pain Center and the physical therapy team at Mather for eliminating his pain. He’s back to gardening, something he was previously unable to do because his back pain prevented him from bending. “I feel great,” said Arnaldo.