Disc Tear Management Without Surgery In Pain Doctors Medical – Spring Valley, NY

This location is for evaluation appointments only.

17 Perlman Drive Spring Valley, NY 10977

Spinal discs act as shock absorbers between the vertebrae (spinal bones) in your neck and back. They have a tough outer covering called the annulus fibrosus and a softer, gel-like center called the nucleus pulposus.  The annulus can tear from wear and tear or trauma and can cause mild to severe pain, depending on the location. And although many are asymptomatic, they are more likely to be painful if you’re under age 50.

Annular tears can be overlooked as a cause of pain and are often lumped in with degenerative disc disease (DDD). The only reliable way to find out if a tear is causing your back pain is via discogram. During a discogram, pressure is injected into the disc. The doctor uses this pressure to see if the disc is painful.

In many cases, given enough time and rest, torn discs will heal on their own. However, the area will be more prone to repeat injury and degenerative disc disease (DDD). 

If the pain and other symptoms don’t lessen over time, physicians often recommend a high-dose epidural steroid injection that can temporarily help the pain. But this can also lead to severe side effects and reduce your body’s natural ability to heal itself. 

If the steroid injection doesn’t work, the next common orthopedic option is spinal fusion, a procedure in which two vertebrae are screwed together, or fused. Spinal fusions have been shown to be no more effective than placebo surgeries (also known as sham surgeries), while complications occur in 25% of fusion patients and often lead to further issues, including adjacent segment disease (ASD).

That’s why we’ve developed a different approach.

17 Perlman Drive
Spring Valley, NY 10977

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Doctors

Dr. Ilana Etelzon is a highly skilled Pain Management Specialist with extensive experience in Interventional Pain and Musculoskeletal Medicine. Fellowship-trained, she emphasizes regenerative techniques and adopts a non-operative approach to pain management. Dr. Etelzon specializes in addressing a wide range of conditions, including lower back pain, sciatica, pinched nerves, neck pain, and musculoskeletal injuries related to overuse, sports, and arthritis. She employs advanced fluoroscopic and ultrasound-guided methods to ensure precise and effective treatments.

Dr. Etelzon is dedicated to breaking the cycle of pain by developing practical and personalized treatment plans in collaboration with her patients. Her approach begins with alleviating pain, followed by rehabilitation designed to prevent recurrence. The ultimate goal is to create an individualized strategy tailored to each patient’s needs, fostering long-term success and satisfaction.

With expertise in innovative, minimally invasive techniques, Dr. Etelzon focuses on treatments that promote the body’s natural ability to heal and repair. Her methods have been met with high success rates, as evidenced by the positive feedback from her patients.

Dr. Etelzon is an active member of leading professional organizations, including the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (ASIPP), Spine Intervention Society (SIS), North American Spine Society (NASS), and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPMR). She has contributed to numerous articles on pain management, regenerative medicine, sports medicine, and cardiac rehabilitation. In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Etelzon remains involved in research and enjoys teaching and mentoring residents and students.

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Areas treated: Cervical Spine (Not Upper Cervical or CCI)*, Elbow, Foot & Ankle, Hand & Wrist, Hip, Knee, Lumbar Spine, Shoulder, Thoracic Spine

Areas Treated

Cervical Spine (Not Upper Cervical or CCI)*, Elbow, Foot & Ankle, Hand & Wrist, Hip, Knee, Lumbar Spine, Shoulder, Thoracic Spine

*This provider is NOT authorized by Regenexx to treat the C0-C1 or C1-C2 levels of the neck or CCI (craniocervical instability).

During Regenexx’s outpatient procedures, custom concentrations of your body’s natural healing agents are injected into the exact areas of damage in the spine. Treatments use only your own blood to make super-concentrated platelet-rich plasma (PRP) or your own bone marrow concentrate (BMC), which contains stem cells.

Best of all, your downtime will be a fraction of what it is with surgery and generally requires little to no opioid pain medications or time off of work.

Am I a candidate?

Watch a real Regenexx spinal procedure performed by a certified Regenexx physician:

Our goal is to use the least invasive, least expensive procedure to get the desired results. Your Regenexx physician will work with you to determine whether that would be a platelet procedure or a BMC procedure.

At Regenexx, we are dedicated to giving you the information you need to make an informed decision about your best treatment option.

During your initial appointment, your Regenexx doctor will use our four-part SANS (stability, articulation, neuromuscular, and symmetry) evaluation to identify the underlying causes of your pain. Your doctor will examine your injury through a full range of motion and may use ultrasound to observe the inner workings in real time. 

Once the evaluation is completed, your doctor will determine if Regenexx is right for you and will discuss your customized treatment plan based on your specific needs.

Am I a candidate?

Join Chris Centeno, MD, founder of Regenexx, to learn how Regenexx procedures can help treat your back pain without surgery and lead to a faster recovery.

During this free webinar you’ll learn:

  • How procedures using bone marrow concentrate (BMC) and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) compare to surgery and other spine pain treatment options
  • Procedure expectations
  • Answers to the most common questions about regenerative medicine treatments
Watch Webinar
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