A physical therapist’s experience with joint pain
Clay Hammons, a husband, father of four young children and doctor of Physical Therapy, suffered from pain in his arm for years due to a compressed disc in his neck. Once conservativeefforts no longer provided enough relief, he sought advice from a neurosurgeon – and his neighbor – Zain Boghani, MD, with Northeast Georgia Physicians Group.
“As a physical therapist, I’m in the business of keeping people from needing surgery,” said Clay. “However, the pain got to a point where I needed surgery. Working long hours at a busy clinic for a decade had taken a toll on my body and its mobility. I trusted Dr. Boghani to advise me on the best course of action.”
During his appointment, Dr. Boghani told Clay that he was a good candidate for artificial disc replacement surgery. For patients experiencing chronic back or neck pain, either artificial disc replacement surgery or spinal fusion surgery are often recommended to treat herniated or degenerating discs, depending on a patient’s unique situation.
“I knew my pain was bad, but once I was healed, I truly understood how much I had been suffering,” said Clay. “Before having the surgery, I was not able throw a baseball or football with my kids without being in pain.”
With an artificial disc replacement, worn or damaged discs are removed and replaced with a prosthetic, or artificial, disc. In contrast, spinal fusion surgery fuses vertebrae together to prevent motion and improve stability. Both procedures aim to provide symptom relief, with disc replacement restoring greater range of motion in the spine.
“An artificial disc in the spine acts in a lot of ways like an artificial joint in the knee or hip,” said Dr. Boghani. “It provides nearly immediate relief and improved mobility. Like Clay, I tend to err on the conservative side of treatment for my patients. However, spinal surgery is sometimes necessary to provide long-term relief.”
Dr. Boghani removed a portion of Clay’s C6-C7 disc, located at the base of his neck, and replaced it with an artificial disc. This area in the cervical spine is one of the most common for a herniated disc and controls the back of the arm and hand, so activities like lifting and throwing are impacted when the disc is damaged.
“The care I received at Northeast Georgia Medical Center was flawlessly executed,” said Clay. “I cannot say enough good things about the team there. After surgery, I felt immediate
relief and had full range of motion back in two weeks. I’ve since referred friends and patients to Dr. Boghani and will continue to do so for years to come. He’s not only an exceptional surgeon but an exceptional person as well.”
Learn more about NGPG’s expert spine surgeons and schedule an appointment today.