THIS POST IS PART OF THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO BACK PAIN RELIEF
On March 29, 2018, Amanda Davis was the first patient in Indiana to have a procedure done with the Mazor X Robotics Guidance System. The Mazor X Robotic Guidance System combines pre-operative planning tools and guidance during surgery, giving OrthoIndy spine surgeons advanced spinal surgery options.
About two years ago, Amanda found that her massage therapist and chiropractor were not helping her back pain anymore.
“The back pain was getting worse and worse. The pain wasn’t being alleviated by my normal chiropractor anymore,” said Amanda. “It used to be that an adjustment would last me about a week or two from my pain but then it got to the point where it wouldn’t even help my pain for an hour.”
Amanda’s mother had gone to OrthoIndy before to see Dr. Meredith Langhorst, non-operative pain management specialist,and recommended Amanda go see her. So Amanda decided it was time to do something about her back pain and followed in her mother’s footsteps to see Dr. Langhorst.
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First, Dr. Langhorst ordered X-rays of Amanda’s back. She decided to try non-surgical approaches to alleviate Amanda’s back pain, however, it did not help Amanda’s condition as much as she would have liked over the following months.
Dr. Langhorst decided to take another MRI at the end of the year and found that Amanda’s condition had gotten worse.
“The disc that I had previously, was all gone… it was dead. I had bone rubbing on bone,” said Amanda. “I had nerve pain all the time so at that point, Dr. Langhorst referred me to Dr. David Schwartz.” Dr. Schwartz is an OrthoIndy orthopedic spine specialist.
Within a couple months of Amanda’s first consultation with Dr. Schwartz, he found that Amanda had Spondylolisthesis. This is a spinal disorder in which a bone (vertebra) slips forward onto the bone below it. If the vertebra slips too far, it may press on nerves and cause severe back pain or nerve crowding that produces leg pain or numbness.
Dr. Schwartz told Amanda that surgery would be the next step.
“After examining Amanda, I knew I would be able to give Amanda her life back. I was very excited to be able to offer to her the most advanced spinal surgery treatment, in the entire state of Indiana, using the MazorX spinal robot at the OrthoIndy Hospital,” said OrthoIndy physician Dr. David Schwartz.
Back surgery
“About a week before my surgery, Dr. Schwartz called me to let me know that OrthoIndy had the first spine robot in Indiana and that he wanted to use this robot in my surgery on my back,” said Amanda. “I thought to myself ‘holy cow I am going to be biotic!’ I thought it was going to be great and it made me more excited about my chances for success after Dr. Schwartz explained to me what the Mazor X Robotic Guidance System is.”
It has been a little over a month since Amanda’s surgery and she is pain-free. Amanda is able to walk around without any issues now and she is able to play with her kids.
As Amanda began to tear up she said, “I never thought I would be pain-free ever again. The pain was absolutely awful and constant. I am grateful I was able to get into OrthoIndy and that I was qualified for this surgery. I don’t mean to be dramatic about it but it was life changing having this procedure done,” said Amanda.
Amanda has two sons and she plans to give her youngest child the active mom he’s never had.
“My youngest child hasn’t been able to experience that active mom I once was, especially with my oldest son. I used to always go on trips but because of my back pain in recent years, most of my youngest son’s life I haven’t been able to show him that active mom,” said Amanda. “I’m excited that later this summer I will be able to give back to my kids and go kayaking and other fun and active trips.”
To schedule an appointment with Dr. Schwartz, please call 317.802.2883 or learn more about back pain treatment at OrthoIndy
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