Jackson’s Story

Every summer, Jackson cycles between 2,000 and 2,500 miles. Biking was his passion, his stress reliever, and mode of competition, doing at least one triathlon a year. 

However, doing what he loved became very difficult after a snowboarding accident in 2013. After a bad fall on ice, his back began to hurt instantly. Though the pain subsided for a while, it aggressively returned, leaving him in need of frequent physical therapy and chiropractor sessions. He worked tirelessly to strengthen his back and core, yet the pain did not go away.

Two years after the accident, Jackson visited Summit Brain and Spine seeking non-surgical solutions. He was afraid that surgery would affect every aspect of his life. Nurse Practitioner, Shea Nielson, suggested steroid shots. His first shot was a great relief to him, making the remaining back aches manageable.

Jackson said one of the things that was most impressive to him about Dr. Edwards and his staff was how they suggested other, simpler routes first before choosing surgery.

Two years later, he went in to get a second shot, but it wasn’t very successful. He had constant shooting pain down his right leg for a year and a half. His pain continued to get worse until one day, he woke up to go to work and it took him 20 minutes to get his pants on. That was when he knew that this was serious enough to discuss surgery.

He went to get a new MRI, and on examination, there was a marked difference between it and the one he had had in 2016. What had been a bulging disc at L5-S1 had become a fully herniated disc. Jackson wasn’t surprised to hear that, because his pain had gotten so bad that he was unable to play with his son on the floor or even get in or out of bed without his wife’s help. So he agreed with Dr. Edwards’ assessment that surgery was the best option forward. 

Just six weeks post operation, he was back on his bike, doing his daily tasks on his own, and most importantly, able to play on the floor with his son, all pain-free.

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