Disc Tear Management Without Surgery In Bellevue, WA

1600 116th Avenue NE, Suite 204 Bellevue, WA 98004

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.

1600 116th Avenue NE
Suite 204
Bellevue, WA 98004

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Doctors

With extensive training in regenerative medicine, as well as integrative and alternative medicine, Dr. Attaman’s goal as a physician is to offer his patients the best of both conventional and alternative medicine for a truly integrative approach to their pain issues.

Dr. Attaman is the first physician in Washington fully trained in and offering all forms of treatments using Regenexx injectates, and he was one of the very first physicians in Washington to offer image-guided regenerative injections into the spine.

Selected as Seattle Magazine’s “Top Doc” in pain medicine for 2019 and 2022, he is an expert at diagnosing and treating every form of pain, from tennis elbow to cancer pain. His treatment plans aim to help patients reduce or eliminate their need for pain medications, avoid surgery, improve their function, and get them back to their life.

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

Dr. Cameron Cartier is a double board-certified physician in Pain Medicine and Anesthesiology who helps patients reduce pain and improve function through personalized, non-surgical treatment options. A Bellevue native, he is proud to care for patients in the community where he grew up. Dr. Cartier specializes in treating musculoskeletal conditions affecting the spine, joints, and extremities, combining advanced interventional pain management techniques with regenerative orthopedic procedures. His training includes a Pain Medicine fellowship at the University of Vermont and additional fellowship training with the founders of Regenexx at the Centeno-Schultz Clinic in Colorado. He is known for taking the time to listen, educate, and partner with patients throughout their care journey.

Before returning to the Pacific Northwest, Dr. Cartier served as a physician in the United States Air Force, including a deployment to Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom, and was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal. His military experience deepened his commitment to caring for veterans, first responders, and others facing complex pain conditions. Dr. Cartier earned his medical degree from A.T. Still University’s Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine and a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience from Brigham Young University. Outside of medicine, he enjoys spending time with his family, hiking, skiing, swimming, and following his favorite sports teams.

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

Dr. Garcia is a board certified physiatrist, and has been practicing physical medicine since 2010. Since graduating from Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine, he has been passionate about injury recovery and regenerative medicine, including prolotherapy. He is well versed in treating sports injuries, as well as supporting aging joints to stay active. He uses ultrasound and x-ray guidance for injection accuracy to reduce pain and help patients get back to the activities they love. He is fluent in Spanish and loves spending time with his family in nature.

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Areas treated: Lumbar Spine

Areas Treated

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