If you've ever hesitated to visit a spine doc for fear of being rushed into unnecessary surgery,…read morethis review is for you :)
I came to Dr. Derman after two of the worst months of my life. Severe sciatica and relentless low back pain made me nearly immobile. I often collapsed between my bed or couch, just standing long enough to cook breakfast felt impossible, and none of my usual remedies (PT, chiro, acupuncture, massage, cupping, etc.) helped. The hopelessness pushed me to a very dark place.
After hitting a breaking point with a couple visits to the ER offering no relief, I finally took a friend's advice and saw Dr. Derman. I arrived desperate for any solution to end my suffering - cutting my leg off, ripping my spine out, burning every nerve in my lower body, all of the above...or actual surgery lol. Dr. Derman patiently reviewed my imaging, explained his findings, answered my questions, and identified a herniated L5-S1 disc with uniquely shaped extruded material hammering a nerve center - a perfect storm for maximum suffering. The relief of finally understanding the problem was immense.
Although he explained that surgery was a real option if I wanted it, he encouraged me to try one last non-surgical approach: an injection and targeted PT. He told me, "the best surgery is no surgery at all," and reassured me my quality of life mattered so there wasn't a need to compromise if I didn't get back to where I needed to be. Reluctantly, I agreed. It's been 2.5 months and, with continued non-invasive treatment, I'm still improving week by week.
If I'd seen anyone else, I likely would've been rushed to surgery and charged an expedite fee. Dr. Derman took the time to evaluate, educate, and propose a thoughtful, conservative plan - something rare and invaluable. You only get one first back surgery, and thanks to Dr. Derman, I may have been able to delay it for good.
Don't wait until you're at your wits end. Go see him, knowing that relief is out there for you.