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Hello, My name is Molly Conrad. I had a very bad accident when I was 6 years old. This is my story, one day I was outside playing with one of those BIC lighters back in the 1980’s when I got burned. I got burned playing with it and it caught my clothes on fire. My mom tried to get it out but she also burned her hands. I can’t really remember much of the accident because it was so bad, but I am telling you what pain is in my story. I lived in Riley’s Children’s Hospital for a year and a half. I died on the surgery table three times, but God brought me back. I have had 250 surgeries, I am now 34 years old! I also went to Chicago for children, they couldn’t help because it was for bones. So I got into Schriener’s which really helped me a lot. So then I went to Cincinnati, OH to the burn hospital, which is Schreiner’s Burn International Hospital. I was there for 17 years. I have been through so much pain it had been unreal for what I have been through. Its not fun but I hade it with Gods help, friends and family. I have seen so many doctors, had skin grafts, stitches and staples, I’ve had it all. The worst pain I have ever felt was the skin grafts, for those of you who don’t know that is where they take a portion of skin and replace it on a separate part of the body. That is pain. Then my back began to ache with pain and I couldn’t tolerate it, until one day an angel sent me Dr. Ungar. He is a really great doctor. He has eliminated almost all of my back pain, but I still feel a little, Its not nearly as bad as it was before he began to treat me. Molly Conrad - 2009
Cassandra Malave - May 2009 Background on the original injuries: Everyone knows about the obvious casualties of war, but what they fail to recognize are the hidden victims. My father served in the Pacific theatre during WWII in the Navy. He was stationed on a submarine which was torpedoed and subsequently destroyed, leaving only three survivors. Even though several years had passed by the time he wed my mother, he was still suffering from classic symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. Of course, in 1945, they didn't understand the real and long-lasting effects of war on the minds and emotions of human beings subjected to such horrific conditions. After he returned from the war, he was what they called "a nervous wreck". He had become a chain smoker and he insisted on having a very quiet household. That's just not possible with two small children. Having to deal with a strong-willed child such as myself was too much for him. Consequently, one day when I was three years old, I had wet my pants for the umpteenth time, and it was just too much stress for my father. He promptly threw me to the floor and proceeded to strangle me. I survived thanks to my mother intervening after I passed out. I was black and blue from just above my chin down to the top of my chest. But those were only the exterior signs of the damage done. Unfortunately, he had succeeded in damaging my neck, to the extent that now my cervical spine curves in the opposite direction that God intended it to. Over the years it has resulted in a variety of pains running down my shoulders, sharp, stabbing pains at the base of the back of my neck upon turning my head, and occasional migraines. As I'm sure you can guess by now, my younger brother and I were raised in an abusive household, and pain has always been meaningless to both of us. We both have a dangerously high threshold for pain tolerance. My cervical vertebrae also display a narrowing of the disk, called "stenosis", which is congenital. My mother's mother died when my mother was only 14 years old, and about the only thing she remembers about her mother was that her Dad used to constantly tell her, "Shh honey, Mommy's laying down in the bedroom with one of those really bad headaches again." I’m grateful to God He released her from that body of pain as early as He did. Glory to God for His unending mercy! As I grew into my adult body, everything settled down, and even though my neck was far from "normal", the grace of God was with me over the years, and I had only minimal trouble with it. As far as my lower back is concerned, I injured that when I was 25 years old. I lifted a box that was FAR too heavy for me. Then, to set it down, I reached with the box, and twisted my back, and that was all she wrote! My back "went out" and was never the same after that. After struggling with it for 6 months, I finally capitulated to my husband and went to see a chiropractor. Within a month he had me walking upright again, and within 3 months I was relatively free from pain and could resume my normal daily activities. The lifestyle in Arizona is substantially different than it is in Indiana, and virtually everyone works out in a gym several times a week, and we go "mall walking" on the other days. I was no exception, and over a period of 17 years I got into the best, most physically fit condition I had ever been in my life. I was quite active, and I love the outdoors. In Arizona, many people enjoy the great outdoors. I loved camping on the Mogollon Rim, hiking the West Fork Trail in Sedona (a moderately easy hike, I assure you), swimming with friends, picnics and cookouts at the Estrella Mountain Park, horseback riding, site-seeing other, more remote parts of Arizona that most of the tourists don't know exist, etc. And now you will see how drastically my life has changed. Current disabling conditions and how they came to be so: As I aged, I had all the normal aches and pains other people have. After living in the Sonoran Desert for 30 years, I met a wonderful Christian man in Indiana, we married, and I am now a "Hoosier in training". :-)) Living in Indiana where we have a temperate climate, the rain and cold winters have taken somewhat of a toll on my body. I have arthritis in my spine, shoulders, hands, and right hip. But I was able to compensate for these minor annoyances by being able to sit at the computer most of the day to do my work. When my back became stiff, I could stretch it out by taking a short walk. When my legs ached, I could elevate them on a box I had hidden beneath my desk. Not a big deal. Then on August 29, 2006 I got what I believed was the stomach flu. It changed my life forever. I had a mild fever, vomiting, minor pain in my abdomen, all the classic symptoms. I figured it would be gone in a day or two. The next day it seemed worse instead of better, and I wasn't sure what was going on. I kept a close watch on my temperature, and it held steady at about 100 or 101 degrees. The pain in my abdomen seemed to be increasing, but I figured something I had eaten just wasn't agreeing with me, and I would probably feel better when it passed through my system. By Thursday morning, August 31st, I was in some pain, but again, I felt it would pass in time. I took my temperature though, and the thermometer read a whopping 104 degrees. Time to go to the Doctor! My husband made the appointment for me, and we got there within the hour. The Doctor couldn't see me right away, but his Nurse Practitioner could, and that was fine with me. When she took my temp. she called Dr. Maddock for a consult from across the hall. He gave me a shot of Demerol for the pain, and sent me to Porter Memorial Hospital for a Cat Scan of my abdomen. Dr. Nemeth was the surgeon on call at the time, and when he reviewed the Cat Scan, he said that things were "so messed up in there" that he couldn't tell what was wrong until he opened me up to look. He also said I may come out of the surgery with a colostomy bag. At this point, he just really couldn't tell exactly what the problem was. Three days later, I awoke out of a coma, on a respirator. I learned that I had a perforated appendix, which had leaked toxins throughout my abdominal cavity. They had to remove all my intestines, debreed them, flush my body cavity with antibiotics, wash my intestines with antibiotics, and put them all back into my body. I had gone septic, they couldn't keep my blood pressure up, and I had respiratory failure. It took me four months to recover from the surgery, but during that time, I noticed my arthritis had become excessively painful, and my hair was falling out. In October of 2006 I went to Dr. Maddock about it, and he explained to me that when the human body goes through a traumatic episode like this, it's common for it to react as my body was reacting. He said my hair would grow back in by spring of next year, and the arthritis pain would soon "calm down" and I could get back to my normal life. Spring of 2007 came, and spring of 2007 went, and my hair had grown back in, but the pain in my back had only grown worse. By this time, I no longer had a job, and consequently, no insurance. I sought medical help from the North Shore Health Center. They arranged a sliding fee schedule for me based on my husband's income, which I could afford, and I was able to obtain my medications through Fagen Pharmacy through their Uninsured People Plan. Dr. Girn, now my family Doctor, arranged a Cat Scan for me through the "Helping Hearts" Program at the Broadway Methodist Hospital. I had to find out what was causing so very much pain in my lower back. The Cat Scan showed lumbar spinal stenosis. Well and good. At least I had a name to go along with the pain. At last my husband had irrefutable proof that there was, indeed, something horribly wrong with my back, which was causing me such grief. It wasn't my imagination, it wasn't all in my head. It wasn't some sort of distorted attempt to get out of having to work the rest of my life. I've always loved my work, for that matter. I hold a Magna Cum Laude degree from Arizona State University in Education, majoring in Special Education, and I have loved working with the handicapped and mentally challenged for many years now. I've always lived a very active and involved life, and I've always enjoyed my life at every stage of it. But I knew I had to start facing this situation realistically. I couldn't even sit comfortably on our family sofa when I returned from the hospital, and we bought a special recliner just for me. At this point in my life, I am truly living my life in my recliner. But when I first began this journey, I had a lot of accommodations to make because of the pain and my lowered ability to stand, sit, or lift things. They are as follows:
Pain Management Efforts I have extreme difficulty rising from regular height chairs, a couch, or bed with pain in my back and legs, so: In 2004 I placed bankers boxes filled with books beneath my bed instead of using the frame, because it raises the height of the bed by 4 more inches than normal. I purchased 5 inch risers for my couch in 2004 to make it easier to rise up from. I purchased and installed an 8 inch tall heightened toilet seat in 2004 for the same reason. Since the autumn of 2006, I cannot walk or stand longer than 15 minutes without searing pain, so I purchased a walker with a seat in it so I could accompany my husband shopping at large "warehouse type" stores like Wal-Mart. The walker also assists me in maintaining an upright posture while walking, instead of ending up bent over from the waist when the pain becomes too much to bear. I purchased a recliner so I could elevate my legs, too. I also had to put a lumbar support cushion behind my back when I sit in the recliner in order to sit comfortably. I also learned that my knees have to be higher than my hips for me to get relief from the pain in my back. I built a stanchion for my recliner within 2 days of purchasing the recliner, so I could rise from it with relative ease. Because it causes pain in my back to pick something up from the floor, I purchased a long-armed "grabber" to assist me. In the summer of 2007 I began to get headaches from the stenosis in my neck, even to the point of losing my vision for a second or two, so: I stopped reading for more than 5 minutes at a time, due to my neck being bent downwards and it causing me increased "headaches".
I stopped crocheting for the same reason. To relieve the headaches, I lay back in my recliner, I draw the shades on the front windows, and place a lavender/sage scented cloth over my eyes (my efforts at aromatherapy). It's only truly effective if I fall asleep and nap for at least an hour, and, unfortunately, I have never been the type of person who could fall asleep during daylight hours, even as a child. Dr. Girn prescribed Elavil (amatriptyline) for the headaches, but we have had to raise the dosage three times before any substantial relief was obtained. By the autumn of 2007, my back deteriorated to the point where I can only stand or walk an average of about 5 minutes at a time. When I had no choice but to continue to walk (for instance, being in a small store like Aldi or Strack's), I break out in a cold sweat, my hands become clammy, and I become sick to my stomach, so: My husband must accompany me now to both Aldi and Strack's so he can push the cart while I carry the grocery list and use my walker to sit down from time to time during our shopping trip. On April 5, 2007 I tried to pick up my walker and put it into the truck myself, without my husband's help. After a couple failed attempts, I got it into the truck. Afterwards, I had sharp shooting pains up the right side of my neck and down my right arm. I also had a very angry husband to contend with! I have learned from this incident that I cannot put my walker into the truck alone. I have placed an oak stool in my kitchen so I can take frequent "sit down" breaks when I wash dishes, cook, pack my husband's lunch, etc. I have purchased a "shower chair". It's the kind with a seat that slides across chrome rails into and out of the tub. I sit on the chair outside of the tub, slide across into the tub, bring my legs into the tub one at a time from a secure, seated position, and stand up to begin my shower. I wash my hair and then I have to sit down to alleviate the pain in my back. I turn the water back on, finish my shower, and sit back down on the chair to slide out of the tub. This has been quite helpful, in that I don't have to ask my husband's help to shower anymore. I ask my husband to help me get dressed. He helps put my left sock on and get the left leg of my underwear and slacks on. Then I can put them on the rest of the way and finish dressing. On March 10, 2008 I went to a Pain Management doctor (Dr. Ungar) in Renssellear, IN who wanted me to get an EMG; since I have no insurance and no way to pay for his services now, I've got to wait to see whether or not I will qualify for Medicaid. In the interim, he gave me a prescription for Zanaflex - 4 mg. It reduced my pain by about 25%; while walking through Wal-Mart, I had to sit down twice, and while I broke out in a cold sweat from the pain, my hands didn't get clammy, and I was able to make it back to our vehicle, although still in substantial pain. I have pain in my back when I spend more than 1/2 an hour in bed, so I placed several pillows under my legs to provide elevation similar to the recliner, and so I get about 3-4 hours sleep in the bed each night. When the discomfort in my back becomes too intolerable, I move to the recliner in the middle of the night and finish sleeping. I'm already spending just about every waking moment in the recliner, and I really don't want to start sleeping in it full time, too. About the middle of March, 2008 I can no longer stand in church during the playing of the first two songs in the praise and worship portion of the service. As of March 31, 2008 I have restricted the times I ride in our family car (Chevy Malibu 4 door sedan). It is painful for me to enter and exit our car due to the painful twisting strain on my lower back of getting in and out of it. But it is still preferable to driving my Ford pickup, which rides rough and contributes to the pain in my neck, back, and head, as well as making my vision 'blurry' (well, wavy lines which obstruct my vision...not a good thing while driving). Sunday April 6, 2008 - I began having sharp shooting pains down my right arm when I played my tambourine in church. I have been playing the tambourine in church since 1974. It is something I greatly enjoy, but it is beginning to look like I may have to give this up as well. I also talked briefly to our Pastor about an alternative seating arrangement due to the hard wooden-backed pews causing me pain. Monday April 7, 2008 - I have been resisting taking daily showers because it was so painful to bend my head backwards to get it under the showerhead (to shampoo my hair and take a shower), so I asked my landlord to install a handheld shower so I wouldn't have to stand in the shower, and so I wouldn't have to bend my neck backwards to shampoo with the old showerhead. Tuesday April 8, 2008 - I had a talk with my Pastor about finding some sort of alternative seating arrangement for me because of my back pain. There is a chair in the Associate Pastor's office which I sit in when we pray which is padded on the back, and thickly padded on the seat. He's going to find another one for me that I can use to sit in the sanctuary during regular service times. Sunday April 13, 2008 - For the third Sunday in a row I have had to sit through most of the service with my eyes closed. About halfway through the past 3 services, I have had headaches due to the bright lighting and/or noise during the praise and worship portion of the Sunday service. Closing my eyes helps alleviate the pain, although it doesn't remove it completely; but I would say about 75% of it abates within the first 1/2 hour of keeping my eyes closed. Tuesday April 22, 2008 - This past week I saw Dr. Girn again about the headaches; he wanted to do a CT scan on my head, but I can't afford it. He "upped" my pain meds to the maximun amount allowed. After taking them for a few days, the headaches are held in check until later in the evening. Unfortunately, the bright lights still give me headaches, so today I have purchased a wrap around type of light-blocking pair of dark glasses to wear while riding in the car/truck and in church. Unresolved Difficulties I can't carry more than about 5 lbs. without pain. I can't sit in our church pews without pain. Exposure to daylight outdoors initiates a headache by the time I get home from a store, even though I wear “transition lenses” which turn dark in the sunlight. I can't sit outside for more than 1/2 hour at a time due to the "sunshine headaches". Riding in any vehicle causes pain in both my back and neck, resulting in headaches. I can't go to our friend's home because I can't climb more than one or two steps without being in severe pain. I can't stand in the foyer of our church and socialize with other members because of the pain while standing for more than 5 minutes. I can't vacuum because of the pain. I can't clean out my 'fridge' because of the pain of bending over for any length of time. I can't clean the front of my stove because of the pain of bending over. I can't clean my kitchen countertops as thoroughly as I would like because of the pain of standing more than about 5 minutes. Laundry causes me pain, reaching down into the washer tub to retrieve the clean clothes and put them into the dryer.
May, 2009
Now I live with pain every day. Some days the pain is so intense I would like to stay in bed, but that can be just as painful. So, for me, there are two choices, I can let the pain take over and rule my life or I can learn to "rule" the pain. I choose the latter. Every morning when I get up, I struggle with my balance and the pain in my feet. However, it's a new day and I choose to make it the best that I can. I start my day with good food, prayer and my medication. The only medication I take is Gabapentin, which has helped to keep the worst of the pain in check. I still have sharp pains, numbness and tingling feelings in all of my limbs, back and hips; the medication simply makes it tolerable. The only time that it becomes hard to deal with is when I go past my "wall." Unfortunately, that isn't hard to do. It happens when I lift more than about 10 pounds, walk too far, stand or sit for too long, or do normal household chores. To most cooking is a pleasure; but when standing and lifting cause you pain, it goes from being a pleasure to being a chore. It may take me three days to vacuum, dust and clean my apartment, but hey it gets done. I do have increased pain in my feet, hands and back at the end of the day. So I have learned to skip a day in between. Even something as simple as going to the store for groceries and going up the stairs to my apartment has become a struggle for me. Now I go to the store several times a week, for shorter trips and so I have fewer items to carry upstairs. I have always enjoyed sewing, hand weaving, quilting and other crafts. Now instead of spending the whole day doing it, I spend thirty minutes at a time and rest in between. I do this because the crafting causes the pain to flair up in my hands and because I can't sit for more than about 30 minutes without hurting. I can still do the crafts that I enjoy; I just have to adjust how I do them. I have three grand-children, and because of the pain I deal with daily I can't get down on the floor to play with the youngest, or take my teen-aged ones to the mall for shopping trips, the prolonged walking and standing would have me down for days afterwards. I know....it seems like just living life causes me pain; and at times it does. But, as I said I chose to rule the pain not let it rule me. I have learned to adjust my activities so that I can still live life to the fullest of my ability. Not only do I enjoy attending church; but it is important to me to keep my life in balance. It is a struggle to be able to sit through the hour service. I do stand during the 45 minute Sunday school class just outside the door, this way I don't cause an interruption to the class. I do manage to sit for the next hour through Relief Society. Every one is considerate of my need to move about. I am also a living history re-enactor, of the French and Indian time period. As such, I have always loaded and unloaded my gear. Set up and covered my own lodge, carried fire wood, cut saplings and helped where ever else help was needed. Now I have to ask for help with everything including lifting the cooking pots from the fire. Not an easy task for someone used to being independent. My reenacting family has had no problems with my need for assistance and gladly helps me. But it is still a struggle for me to ask for their help. So being me, at my last event I still tried to do it myself. I paid for it with more pain and not being able to enjoy the weekend. I have had to learn to ask, and accept help when it is offered. As my friend told me once "after all we are family and this is what family does." By now you may be wondering if I’m truly experiencing all this pain how is it that I was able to type all of this? Well I haven't been. I learned to ask for help and I've dictated this to my daughter and she has typed it. I don't mean for this to sound like I am saying, "oh poor me." In fact I’m saying just the opposite. I can still do things, they just take a little longer and sometimes a little help, but I continue to do my best each day. With the help and support of, family, friends and Dr. Unger, who hears and cares, as well as medication, a good diet and my faith and prayers I will "rule" the pain, not be ruled by it. I will live one step at a time, one day at a time.
Thursday, February 5, 2009 Hello to all of you watching. I'd like to introduce myself. My name is Dorothy. I am 82 years old and I live in Rensselaer, Indiana. My back problems began about 9 years ago when I fell. At first the pain was not so bad, but it kept getting worse so I went to see my family doctor. He put me on pain pills and for a while they helped. As time went on, the pain continually got worse, so my doctor sent me to a pain doctor. He gave me an epidural and it did not help at all. Then he sent me to another one. He wanted to do more epidurals. I refused. He got ticked off and so did I. The pain was getting severe. It got so severe, I prayed to God to take me home. Then a pain doctor started coming once a week to our local hospital, so he sent me to see her. She done a lot of different tests and told me I had osteoarthritis in my back. She put me on morphine. What a blessed relief. I was on 2 tablets a day but as time went on, the pain started getting worse. My doctor put me in the hospital to run some tests. He told me there was a new pain doctor at the hospital and he was going to send him in to see me. It wasn't long till the pain doctor came in and introduced himself. He told me he was Dr. Julian Ungar. He asked me some questions then told me he would be back later to give me my shots. It wasn't long. He came back and gave me a shot on back side of my spine. In just a minute or so, blessed relief the pain was gone. Dr. Ungar opened an office in Rensselaer. I see him once a month to receive my pain shots. I'm not saying that I don't have a little pain and then because I do. My back will hurt a few days before its time for my shots but in a minute or so, no pain. For anyone who suffers from this type of pain, if he is close to where you live, I'd sure recommend you pay him a visit. It made a big change in my life when Dr. Ungar entered it. You won't be sorry. I wish all of you the best. God be with each and everyone who are reading this. God bless you and may life be good to you. - Dorothy
To people, living with pain is life changing. I am a 49 year old male that has been living with the pain for 20+ years. I was born in 1960, and have worked in industrial factories since I was 17 years old. In 1989 I was 29 and hurt my back on the job. I hurt my back really badly and needed back surgery. After surgery I was off work for a year. I went back to work in 1990 as a welder in a factory and worked for 10 years, and after 10 years of hard work, my pain was so bad and there was so much damage done to my back, I needed a second surgery in the year of 2000. At that time it was determined that I had suffered major nerve damage. My first surgery was done by a workman's compensation doctor and, my second, by a neurosurgeon. He told me I had major nerve damage and that my back was deteriorated 85%. He asked what my pain was from 0 to 10, I told him it was a 10. I had back pain, groin pain and pain radiating down my left leg. The neurosurgeon told me that all I could do was "grit my teeth and try to live with it." For 5 years all he could do was give me expensive, strong pain medication. In 2005, I got a new family doctor and she referred me to see Dr. Ungar, who specialized in pain management. So I made an appointment to come in and see him. We sat down and talked and I explained my situation to him. I came back in 2 weeks and he did a number of tests on me to find out what was wrong in my back (EMG and Nerve Conduction studies). He found that I had some nerve damage, which was contributing to my pain. We sat down and he went over all the test results and he explained what it meant and what kind of damage I had. He started treatment with therapy, medication for inflammation and then injections; and he said that we must start at the bottom of the ladder and work our way up until we find out what works for me, there is a lot of different medicines and different strengths of medicine. After two years, numerous injections, about 5 epidurals and a number of tests, Dr. Ungar told me that he is not going to give up on me and that made me feel good and I know Dr. Ungar is working hard and he is not going to blow me off and say there's nothing he can do for me anymore. So again, we sat down to talk about what to do and at that time we talked about an implant nerve stimulator, at this time we did not find anything that had been working. I agreed to try the stimulator and Dr. Ungar agreed to do the procedure. So in 2007, Dr. Ungar hooked up a temporary unit which he left hooked up for one week to see if it would work on my pain and to see if I liked it and if it worked he would have a permamnent stimulator implanted. I was very pleased with the results of the temporary stimulator. Two months later I went into the hospital and had the permanent stimulator implanted. It took the pain in my groin and left leg pain from a ten to about a six or seven; it didn’t eliminate the pain completely but it was such a relief that I haven't had in 20 years. During the temporary nerve stimulator procedure, Dr. Ungar did his part and found the correct nerve to connect the leads for the stimulation. After that there was an incident with the representative from the company. He turned his computer on and the electric stimulation current was too high and a pain shot into my right leg and foot. So back I now have pain in my right foot and toes. My right leg, foot and toes were always my good one. So once again, Dr. Ungar and I sat down to talk and figure out what we were going to do to get pain relief in my right foot and toes. It felt like they were broken. Once again we began numerous injections, 2 or 3 epidurals and I was not getting any relief from the pain. So after about a year and ten months, nothing was working and we sat down and spoke about a paralyzing injection. I was willing to try anything so I told him I wanted to try the injection. He said for most people it will last for 6 months, I had it done, my foot is dead but for the first time in a year and ten months I am pain free. When it wears off the pain with come back so if Dr. Ungar will give me another injection I will have it done. In closing, I must say Dr. Ungar, thank you for caring, for not giving up on me, for being honest, professional, friendly, working hard and most importantly not giving up on me and sending me on my way. To everyone living with pain, all I can say is find a good doctor, sit down and talk to him/her and be honest, don't be in a rush for your doctor to find treatment to give you pain relief, as it may take 1 week or 1 year so be patient and let your doctor do their job. So once again, I must say, Dr. Ungar THANK YOU, and some words from Dr. Ungar he said to me, "Whatever happens, it is in God's hands." - James
Dr. Ungar I would like to thank you for all you have done for me. The first time I had the pleasure of meeting you for carpal tunnel testing the questions you asked and the way you asked them helped to ease my nervousness and they seemed to be key questions to help you make the right diagnosis faster. You are one of the few doctors that will allow a patient to come in at the last minute if they are in extreme pain and in need of your services. I recall my back going out at work one day and I called your office and you had me to come right in. You examined me and gave me a shot to help me and then you scheduled for me to have testing done in which you found a protruding disc in my lower back was pressing on my sciatic nerve which was causing some of the excrutiating pain across my back and running down my leg affecting my walking. There were days I could barely get out of bed and had to slide off the edge of the bed and stay in a bent position because my back could not straighten for a few moments. I eventually went through a series of epidural injections and therapy to help correct the severe pains I was going through. You have no idea how overwhelmed I had been suffering with the pain. After the treatments and therapy you helped return my DIGNITY and SELF-ESTEEM !!!!! I have had several other medical problems that you noticed and if it was something that was not of your expertise you so kindly recommended the names of those who could help me. You have helped so many people with your kind words and wonderful life saving medical expertise. I have sat in the waiting room and listened to so many patients speaking so highly of you. Dr. Ungar you have a God given talent for reaching into the hearts and souls of so many people everywhere. You help to change the quality in peoples lives in ways you cannot imagine. You actually LISTEN to what your patients are saying and that is a big part of the healing process. God Bless You Dr. Ungar. Josephine
11.2.07 Dear Dr Ungar I just wanted to write this letter to you to tell you how much my wife and I appreciate you and all that you have done for us. We've never had a doctor quite like you. You are definitely the best we've ever had. There are very few doctors in the world that would consider the health of the patient over the wealth of their own pocket. You've helped us through so much. Without you, I don't think we would’ve made it. You are a hero in our mind and heart. When we were having a hard time, you were there to help us get through it. I've had doctors that have tried, but couldn't succeed. Then again, maybe they weren't trying. I'm not sure. You have succeeded and continue to do so. You don't ask for things that you know we don't have. You've been extremely patient with us, regardless of what circumstances were at the time. You have helped us out in more ways than we could even imagine. More than my heart could even try to express. My family is also grateful for all you've done. Not many people have that kind of respect for their doctor. I have the privilege to have respect for you. I don't just consider you my doctor, I consider you my friend. My appreciation for you couldn't be explained in words. All I can tell you is it is great to have you as my doctor and a friend. Thank you so much for your hospitality and taking such great care of us.
by Michael Goodson Our state’s problem with therapeutic massage Therapeutic massage is the practice of applying structured or unstructured pressure, tension, motion, or vibration — manually or with mechanical aids — to the soft tissues of the body, ...to achieve a beneficial response. Therapeutic massage is performed primarily by a professional. ---WikipediA Legitimate massage therapists are currently not licensed in Indiana. Yet, practically everyone else coming in contact with the public: doctors, nurses, physical therapists, barbers and beauticians are required to have a license. Why? For health reasons mostly; to insure that people qualified in their profession understand the rules that keep their patients/customers safe. Nineteen states have recognized this by requiring licensing. Yet, there are aspects of therapeutic massage that can affect a patient's health directly. Deep muscle therapy, which can alleviate pain, can also cause problems in a person taking coumadin, for example. It could possibly lead to death if the therapist doesn’t know what they are doing. Wouldn't you want to be assured that he or she know what they're doing? Unfortunately, Indiana has done nothing in this regard to protect Hoosiers. The last attempt to license therapists failed in the legislature. The incidents in Valparaiso, Dyer and Highland in the past year, revealed the troubling aspects that can come from not licensing therapists. If anyone can put up a shingle and advertise as "massage therapists," then it can lead to more unsavory activity, such as prostitution, as it did in these three towns. Linking the two is like comparing American schools with Madrasas. On the other hand, if you licensed therapists who must pass a standards test, then you protect the health of citizens, eliminating illegal businesses passing themselves off as something they’re not, and restoring the reputations of message therapists everywhere. My doctor has prescribed therapeutic massage to help alleviate the pain of arthritis. Insurance companies recognize it as an appropriate health therapy, and will pay for it. Then why can't Indiana recognize it as something that needs to be licensed, as many other states have done? After asking why certain legislators of our state have failed to support these bills, no rational explanation has been presented for choosing to vote against licensing. Why not support it? It could be they are uninformed about the true nature of therapeutic massage, and tend to avoid dealing with the concept based on the word's shady reputation. Well, they're our representatives, and they need to be informed if they are to make intelligent decisions affecting our lives. A few years ago, my fair town, Highland, refused a business license to a tattoo parlor, and separately, a massage therapist. Thinking both were things we wouldn’t want in our town, their applications were denied. Yet that same year, they saw fit to allow "Krazy Kaplan's" to come in with his garish gigantic balloons, and loads and loads of fireworks. Go figure. The therapist didn't give up, however. She opened after convincing the town that this was an appropriate business. The tattoo parlor hasn’t made it yet. Ironically, some states license those as well. By the way, my therapy has been very intense at times, but always very helpful in relieving my pain. Surgery is not an option at this time, and drug therapy is an unpleasant alternative. The difference between pain "killers" and pain "relief" is enormous. I wouldn't return if I didn't get relief. I owe it to my doctor, and to my therapist who is willing to study hard and pass a test, in an attempt to get the state to recognize the need for licensing, and finally do something about it.
Michael Goodson's column appears every other Thursday.
Testimonial from Deb Scott
My name is Deb Scott. On 11-15-2004 I had a hysterectomy. I awoke from surgery, and this would be how my road crossed with Dr. Julius Ungar. In life, we go through many trials, we cross bridges we'd rather let burn. I endured immense pain daily for far too long before I had the privilege to meet Dr. Ungar. It is now that I am able to say this. Actually, after my first meeting with Dr. Ungar, I was able to see I had met a fantastic individual, who indulged in his practice. This doctor is like no other doctor I had met. He works diligently, he is intuitive to the needs of his patients, at least it seems. Yet, I believe part of the intuitive ability is his ability to read reports of test, viewing x-rays, reading what other doctors had read, and then to actually make a medical diagnostic evaluation which not only made since to him, yet made all the sense in the world to me. Dr. Ungar knew more about my medical reports and care than I even knew, and I knew a lot,(Truly). What I had to pressure other doctors to look at (symptoms), he looked at without me asking. I learned he had stayed up the evenings before my appointment studying my medical history. I did not have to persuade Dr. Ungar 'something' was 'truly' wrong with me and that 'it was NOT in my head'. Dr. Ungar knew, and gave me options for a treatment plan! First, I would like to start with how I felt after my first step in the treatment plan, which is not typically where someone might begin, yet, it is the most rewarding thing I must share this joy at the start! I received an injection after tests were run at a prior appointment in his office, so my follow-up appointment with Dr. Ungar was to see how this went. I could not hold back the emotions inside me. I was overwhelmed with gratitude, relief (yes, I said R-E-L-I-E-F), abounding joy, appreciation, and sadness. I do not recall saying the words 'quality-of-life' prior in my vocabulary. Quality-of-life are the words I used to express how I felt. I never realized I had 'lost out on the quality-of-life' with my onset injury. With the first treatment being a success; allowing me to focus on the joys of life, not just the misery-of-my-pain, I realized the one thing my pain had robbed me of which is "quality-of-life"! As a patient of many doctors following my acute injury, I had fallen into deep depression, over medicated with dangerous, addictive drugs. I had come to realize (because doctors had advised me to wake up and realize. doctors had said welcome to your new life dealing with pain, pain the other doctors said I had NO reason to have.) I was to figure out a way to deal with 'living' with the immense pain I was enduring. I contemplated taking my life more than once due to the severity of my 'untreatable' pain. Pain medications are far more dangerous than many of us care to know, and when you 'NEED' the meds, it is irrelevant to us that they are, in fact, dangerous. We (pain patients) don't care of the dangers, because OUR PAIN is CONTROLLING US! We have NO CHOICE. Furthermore, when doctor's tell 'us', there is really nothing causing this pain, there is NO obvious reason our pain has not subsided – well 'we' just feel like BIGGER babies! Thank the God Lord for Dr. Julius Ungar! YOU will NOT go wrong Listening to this Doctor, now I must say this. ONE treatment is not all it took for me. I have been a returning patient, just because 1 treatment did not do the job for as long as 'I' think it should have, is NO reason for me to give up. Furthermore, Dr. Ungar HAS NOT given up on me as his patient, it's not like I get that very often, now for two years since my injury. Prior to my treatment, I was able to do my chores around the house for only 3 hours max per day. I could not do these chores in 3 hours consecutively, these hours were broken up. Lying down, and sleeping were my only rescues that worked. My life fell apart, as well as my loved ones that had to live with me through this. When you have various doctors calling you 'crazy' your family tends to turn on you. Dr. Ungar not only intuitively picked up on this yet shared with my spouse the seriousness of my situation. Dr. Ungar was also 'my mentor', someone that carried me along the way of understanding my conditions, empathy is projected in his care, bedside manner is genuine in his caring approach, talking to family members, when 'they' don’t hear us. I cannot describe in brief my wonderful experience with Dr. Ungar and his professional staff. Perhaps I will share more with you on this subject. Remember, if one treatment does not work, do NOT become a victim to your pain. Continue your care through Dr. Ungar. No one can get things perfect, right and correct the first time out every time, also remember there is a 'science' to our make up. Furthermore, realize you are NOT a science 'rat' working with Dr. Ungar. I say this from much experience, with numerous pain management Dr’s previously, prior to meeting Dr. Ungar, I had been to 3 other doctors. I had many injections, none of these injections worked quite as well, or should I say NOT at all. Also, I had complications, one of which was a spinal fluid leak. Now your thinking I went to some 'quack', well I’d beg to differ. I went to the state of the arts professional doctor, with the monitoring screens that show my spinal cord, injection was cautiously placed. I had three injections within 2 months, none lasted more than 3+ days approximately, yet the last injection resulted in a spinal fluid leak, which created more problems for quite some time. I ended up at an ER where I was given a shot, which calmed my 'EXTREME' headache. I was prescribed Amitrex, which did not help at all, from my family doctor following this situation. I lived with migraines' as a result for an awful amount of time, doubtless about 1 year. I have received 3 lower lumbar, and 1 cervical injections with Dr. Ungar, I have had NO side effects, except RELIEF. SMILES, HOPE, and this is why I felt it important to share this with you.
Corporate Officer, Valaparaiso Indiana Dec 2005 I was referred to Dr. Ungar after others had failed. His office is equiped with numerous diagnostic testing devices operated by highly qualified technicians to expedite a complete and accurate treatment plan. Dr. Ungar entered the room and introduced himself while his technician prepared for my first test. He diagnosed me with torticollis a rare movement disorder that causes my head to tilt involuntarily. It is socially disfiguring especially as a CEO. His office is immaculate and his staff are professional. He himself is brilliant. He has created a tailor-made treatment program for me to manage this disease including medicines, therapy and injections. My symptoms are under better control and, at times, completely resolved. He and I differ on one point, his kind, caring, compassionate, humble nature will not allow him to take credit for his success in treating me. He insists I am in God's hands and he is merely the messenger. I believe that God has directed me to him knowing he would have the ability to help and possibly some day heal me. My quality of life has improved dramatically, through this brilliant doctor's ability and encouragement to retrain muscle tissue movement from involuntary activity to some normalcy. God bless you all out there who continue to suffer.
Living With Pain by Michael Goodson The thin line between pleasure and pain is very acute. The same physical mechanism that informs you that something is good for your body, your nervous system, also tells you when something is bad for you as well. Unfortunately, time, injury or disease can knock things out of kilter, and pain persists. We visit the doctor to find relief, but what we often find is that we treat the symptoms, because repair of our physical mechanisms may be too difficult, if not impossible. Treatment of those systems might rely on diet, exercise and/or medication. This can be successful for an extended period of time, but eventually, because we have not "healed" the body, the pain returns. We grow disappointed by this, and assume that the diet or exercise did not work, and we abandon them. But not the medication. Yet, that is not satisfactory in itself, and so we continue this slide toward depression as time goes on. What we fail to realize is that we have not learned to live with the pain correctly. We must be willing to accept the fact that there is not a "cure" for our infirmaries, and must learn to adjust to our situation. Now, with a willingness to accept our condition, and having a clear picture of the limits of our diet/exercise/medication, we can learn to enjoy life a little better if we do not let things slide. We need to keep up with our diet and exercise, and rely less on medication, because, in the long run, these and physical therapy have been far more helpful to me than medication. I have been enduring chronic pain for well over twenty years; sometimes successfully, and sometimes not. I've learned that medication is not the answer to my problems, but only temporary relief. If I combine these four areas of treatment, then in the long run, I will need less medication. I know changes are difficult for people who are accustomed to being more active, but everyone needs to decide when enough is enough, and alter their life style when necessary. I no longer lift heavy boxes as I used to (thinking people would see me as weak) and then suffer the consequences all night long. After my heart surgery which only deteriorated my life style, I changed my diet, lost weight, exercised and lowered my cholesterol. I know now things are different. I wasn't willing to accept that fact for years. Now, I understand that I can manage my pain by watching my diet and exercising, while taking the minimum amount of medication. Although, I will point out that my wife thinks I should exercise a lot more than I do now. She also thinks that lugging 40 lb. bags of mulch is ok as well. But as for you and your quest to live with your pain, you need to write and follow your own prescription. It begins with doing the things your Doctor recommends to you without complaining about how it crimps your life style. If it means giving up ballet or bowling, then give them up. Thomas Wolfe once said that you can't go home again. Well, you can't retreat to the past to live as your younger self either. The new you will be the one doing something about your pain, not complaining about it. It's up to you. Good luck.
Living with Chronic Back Pain: A testimonial by Charles J. I'm writing this testimonial of my 10 years of experience of living and coping with chronic back and neck pain with the intention of helping and empathizing with others who are experiencing the same pain and anguish which I have had to endure with this condition. I also would like to describe my recent experience of the utmost quality of care and effective treatment which I received by Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon, M.D. Ph.D.and his friendly, knowledgeable staff at his office of Neurology and Pain Management in Merrillville, IN. The first symptoms I experienced with my condition was in July of 1993. I developed a "stiff neck" which continued to increase in pain and also began to radiate into my shoulders and arms until finally at the advice of an associate (friend), I sought treatment from a chiropractor. I don't know how many people reading this testimonial are familiar with chiropractic treatment, but what it consists of are "chiropractic adjustments" in which the chiropractor attempts to manipulate and "adjust" the vertebrae with the intention of moving the vertebrae back into proper alignment, with a hopefull prognosis that this will relieve pressure on the nerves branching out from the spinal chord in the area of the damage (stenosis), and will as a result alleviate the pain. Chiropractors also usually incorporate different types of physical therapy, in the course of the chiropractic treatment (i.e., electrical stimulation, message, trigger-point therapy), to relieve myofascial (muscle) spasms and pain as well. To give a brief synopsis (summary) of my experience with chiropractic treatment. After my first course of chiropractic treatments, (also receiving cortisone injections from my general practitioner (family physician) in the course of the treatments), over a course of 6 weeks on sick leave from my employer, the pain was alleviated, with a final diagnosis of myofascial pain and muscle spasms due to stress. However, over the course of the next two years returning to full time employment, the pain continued to recur resulting in the necessity of repeated chiropractic treatments and cortisone injections and lost time at work. Finally in 1995 my family physician recommended that I have an M.R.I., (magnetic resonance imaging, NOTE: you can access information on this type of test on the internet on various medical informational websites). The results of the M.R.I. demonstrated that I did in fact have a cervical (neck) herniated disc at the location of C-5 and C-6. Now the new diagnosis was "Cervical disc syndrome" or "Disc herniation" at the level of C-5& C-6, which was the actual accurate diagnosis. And which was attributed to "cumulative trauma disorder", caused from my occupational physical demands over a course of many years, and lifting excessive weights as a body builder, and "degenerative disc disease", which results from a combination of having one damaged disc (which of course is a weak point in the total spine). As a result other spinal discs in the same area are much more prone to deteriorate having to accommodate the strain of one damaged disc, and thus can become damaged as well. Age can also definitely be a factor with this chronic relative condition also. Many people don't realize what some of the possible damaging effects that one physical condition or weakness can have on other closely related physical parts of their anatomy. The same theory applies to physical problems causing emotional and psychological problems as well, or emotional and psychological problems causing diagnosable, legitimate physical problems by weakening their immune systems and inhibiting their body's ability to heal itself. The medical community is now realizing and accepting the potential of the "mind/body" connection more as fact and not just theory. My final assessment and opinion of chiropractic treatment is that it is an effective non-invasive strategy for "preventative" spinal health maintenance or simple misalignment corrections which can also cause debilitating pain at times. But if you have some type of serious damage with a spinal condition, chiropractic treatments will continue to only be a temporary alleviation of the pain, but will not be a permanent solution to the problem. Also I would expound that depending on the physical spinal damage an individual may have, chiropractic adjustments can actually cause more damage and pain, so my advice is to use caution and the advice of a qualified neurologist and/or neurosurgeon before you proceed with chiropractic adjustments with a seriously damaged spinal/neurological condition. A last suggestion I would add concerning chiropractors is to definitely ask for and listen to other peoples opinions regarding their experiences with chiropractors so you can be fairly confident that you will be under the care of a qualified, effective chiropractor, and not one that may do more damage than benefit to your condition. I know this from my experience with many chiropractors to the present date that this is in deed a fact I myself am continuing to search for an experienced, qualified chiropractor whom I can retain as a permanent health care provider, who will provide effective, quality care and moral support (which is important to me and does help a patient to keep a positive attitude towards their full recovery). Also referrals to other qualified and effective health care providers(neurologists, pain management specialists, neurosurgeons, etc.) to help cure a problem and not just temporarily mask the symptoms which many chiropractors do. Some chiropractors have a difficult decision in referring a patient to another physician because their ego restrains them from admitting that they can't cure the patient's problem themselves and need to seek help from a medical professional as well. To this date I have not found one yet that meets all this criteria in my 10 years of experience. It's also very helpful if your physician or chiropractor will help complete sick pay forms without any hassle or additional charges, which can be a great stress reliever to anyone who is on sick leave (disability) from their employer. And anyone who has encountered this experience should know that the stress and anxiety from scrutiny from an employer's medical departments and detailed, lengthy sick pay forms from their employer can actually exacerbate their pain and anguish, and any helpful and empathetic health care provider that takes care of these formalities without extra charges or pressure to the patient is a true blessing with just this selfless service in itself! And sometimes this immediate qualified response can prevent further delays in receiving sick (disability) pay which can be a very extended period of time while all the bills still continue to arrive on time and are expected to be paid on time or your credit will be reported delinquent and tarnish your credit point rating. This is just another part of the "anguish" of living with a health problem such as this unless you have a qualified, empathetic, and caring health care professional who you have chosen to manage your treatment plan and help you take care of these details so you can concentrate all of your energies on getting well and not harassment from any other medical bureaucracies involved. To continue on with my experience, from the year 1995 to 1999 I continued to have recurring neck, shoulder, and arm pain in which at least once a year I was absent from work on disability for a month or two at a time and many times absent for a one or two days at a time usually going through more chiropractic adjustments, physical therapy, and cortisone injections, and taking prescription pain medications and muscle relaxers which can also make you feel miserable and unable to drive a vehicle or work safely and only provide temporary relief from the pain. And for most of you who have gone through this chronic dilemma, know how it is to have many of your fellow employees ridiculing and heckling you for missing a lot of time at work like there's really nothing wrong with you and you're just simply taking extra days off of work to have more leisure time. And at the same time your employer as well may be giving you verbal and written warnings, and days off for discipline in which can ultimately lead to suspension and/or termination or they expect that every time you report off a day you have to see a physician and bring documentation as to your present health condition preventing you from reporting to work any given day or days so that you are excused for the absences. This in itself can cause an additional financial burden when you're already receiving less paid earnings on your checks for having to miss work so often for a health condition which repeatedly causes your paychecks to be a day or two short of income earnings, and then you have to continually pay additional physicians fees as a compounded burden. At that time I made the decision to apply for F.M.L.A. (Family and Medical Leave Act), in which your family doctor will complete a form which your employer is required to provide to you, which gives them documented confirmation that you have a chronic condition which your physician is validating to your employer for you, which will then allow you up to 12 weeks of excused absence for a chronic health condition or even if you have several conditions that you can take this leave time at random and you don't need to go see your doctor every time and have documentation for the absence to be excused. Which again relieves some financial burden by not having to pay for an office visit each time just for written documentation from your doctor so you won't have excessive unexcused absences on your work record, which also eliminates the threat of disciplinary action taken against you.. But you do need to report to your employer each time that you take any F.M.L.A. absence of leave time, so they can keep a record of it as excused absences, it's as simple as that. And this will not go against your attendance record as unexcused absences. I strongly recommend to anyone with a chronic health condition, or anyone with a family member with a chronic health condition that causes them to have to take a lot of time off of work to care for a family member, to take the time to apply for F.M.L.A. to save themselves any further hassles or threats of discipline or termination from their employer. You can find all the detailed information you need pertaining to F.M.L.A. on the internet by simply typing in F.M.L.A. in the search field on your I.S.P.'s home page, or at your local library, or your own employer's employment office should have a brochure or booklet of information also free of charge. And it's the same scenario when your on sick leave from your employer, even if you‘re fortunate enough to receive 60%-70% of your usual average wages you still have the constant stress and pressure of paying all your bills which are usually based on your full income, which can cause late fees and delinquent accounts being reported to the credit agencies if you can't pay all your usual bills on time. Also when you finally are ready to report back to work, once again you have to listen to all the ridicule and harassing, embarrassing comments from fellow employees about you being on sick leave for periods of time, saying things like how "they've had other such severe health problems, but they still came to work". Or making comments out loud in the presence of many other people like "Oh Ya, I heard he just took a long vacation in the Bahamas because he had a "hang nail, there's nothing wrong with him". This definitely demeans your moral outlook and attitude when you hear this is what the people think of you that you have to work with every day. Some people may be just "joking around", and some of the people are completely serious, and you can't tell for sure either way, at times, depending on the person making the comments. But this is just one more psychological distress that a person such as myself with these chronic conditions has to continually tolerate and live with that others (especially family members and peers at work), aren't even aware of or just take for granted that it really means nothing to the person with the chronic condition, but it does, and is sometimes very deeply hurtful and demeaning. Finally in 1999, after another relapse of severe pain in my neck, I once again went to a chiropractor for spinal adjustments, and took muscle relaxers and pain medications, (and on sick leave from work again), but it didn't seem to give me much relief from the pain at all. So the chiropractor ordered another M.R.I. The results demonstrated that I now had a fully ruptured disc at C-5&C-6. As a result, I had a copy of the report sent to my family doctor (general practitioner), and he referred me to have a consultation with a neurosurgeon, as his recommendation. So I cooperated with his recommendation and did have a consultation with a very prestigious and reputable surgeon. At that time the surgeon stated that he wouldn't recommend surgery and of course I agreed because surgery should only be pursued as a last plan of action because it's invasive and has considerable risks. Also there's no guarantee that it will correct the problem completely and it can in fact cause a worse condition and more pain as well. Another treatment approach I considered at that time is called "Prolotherapy", which involves administering 40 to 120 injections of natural "proliferants" to the affected area of pain over a given period of time. Prolotherapy is based on the concept that by injecting the affected area of pain with irritants of various extracts (Sylnasol, Sarapin, dextrose) that it will actually promote or "proliferate" new tendon and muscle tissue growth and strengthen damaged areas with a desired result that the pain will be alleviated. I won't elaborate any further on this since I opted not to pursue this as a means of treatment. Quite frankly I wasn't to keen on the idea of receiving 40-120 injections in my back with no fairly definite prognosis that it would correct the problem either. And there is very limited facilities or health care professionals available that administer this treatment option. For any further information on this subject you can either research it on the internet or look for a book on Prolotherapy at Barnes & Nobles. I also thought I should mention that at that time I did experiment with some various other natural or "Homeopathic" remedies or supplements such as glucosamine and chondroitin, but none of them ever seemed to have any noticeably long-term positive effect on my condition or relief from pain, although I have heard testimonials from various other people with a condition similar to mine that have had some measure of success with this approach of treatment. Then in the year 2001, I had the misfortune of injuring my back (spine) even further in the mid-back (thoracic) area, by moving some rather heavy furniture which I shouldn't even have been doing with a herniated disc in my neck. As a result in this instance I tore some ligaments, tendons, and muscle tissue in the middle of my back and re-aggravated the herniated disc in my neck once again. This time after many spinal adjustments by my chiropractor were not having much of a positive effect, my Doctor referred me to a pain clinic where I was given several injections by a pain management specialist. The injections did seem to have some success at alleviating the pain for a period of time. But I now had another area in the middle of my back as well as my upper back that caused me intermittent pain in which I continually had to visit my chiropractor for adjustments and physiotherapy to help alleviate the pain and I had to be absent from work disabled for periods of time until I would recover sufficiently. The last episode I've had to endure started in May of 2003. I had two incidences happen to me which had both areas of my back aggravated and in pain at the same time. First I bumped my head on a low branch on a tree limb cutting the grass aggravating my upper back, then I had a syncope (fainting) episode from a blood pressure condition and took a bad fall injuring my mid-back again. Once again I started treatment with multiple visits to my chiropractor with very minimal relief from the pain. Until finally my family doctor (general practitioner) ordered another M.R.I. and the results demonstrated that I now had a ruptured disc, a herniated disc, and a bulging disc all in my cervical (upper) spine and multiple torn ligaments and tendons in my mid-spine (thoracic). I was then referred to a Neurologist named Dr. Julian Ungar after my employer's plant medical department suggested that I see a Neurologist and have an E.M.G. test performed on me to determine the extent of nerve damage I may have in my spinal area. The first thing I would mention regarding my experience with Dr. Ungar's practice is that he allowed me all the time I needed without rushing me and gave me his undivided attention to listen to my entire experience and history of my condition to help him determine the best treatment plan possible for success in alleviating my pain with long term results as the goal. Also he gave me the distinct impression that he was definitely a highly competent, responsible, caring (concerned), and friendly physician to interact with as a patient. These can be some of the most difficult traits for a patient to find in a doctor. Many doctors simply do not practice with this level of care and patience. He even immediately referred me to another very good cardiologist specialist to properly take care of my blood pressure condition while I was under his care so I wouldn't have any more fainting (syncope) episodes cause me any further injuries. One other detail I should mention is that he had no objection to communicating with my employer regarding my condition and verifying my temporary disability to my employer's plant medical dept. which relieved a great deal of pressure from my employer so I could give my attention to my treatment plan without any added stress. This can make a significant difference in the healing process. Well, his first preliminary plan of treatment was to order E.M.G. and N.C.S. tests to be conducted by his diagnostic technicians to determine any level of nerve damage to my spinal area. As for my assessment of his diagnostic staff, I've never experienced such a staff of professional services unprecedented in comparison to any other medical facilities I've been treated at in general than I've ever experienced before in my ten years of the pain of this health condition. With which he has some of the most competent, qualified diagnostic technicians for optimal accurate results. Until I was finally referred to Dr. Ungar's neurology practice and his convenient collaboration with the Grand Park Surgical center where he performs some of his treatments, which is located in the same building just adjacent to his office for the comfort and convenience of his patients. And Dr. Ungar utilizes various other facilities with the most advanced instruments and technology to perform his various neurological procedures to the benefit of his patients successful treatment and recovery. He also utilizes some of the most advanced neurological diagnostic testing on the cutting edge of medical technology ultimately for the most accurate diagnosis possible to treat each patient for their individually precise diagnoses and treatment plan. I've never been more impressed with the competence, ability, and effectiveness of a physician with all of my experiences with my serious spinal condition and pain until I was under Dr. Ungar's care. To address the actual treatment phase of my experience with Dr. Ungar's practice, after all the testing was completed it was determined that I needed multiple epidural and trigger-point injections in my upper and middle spinal areas to achieve optimal long term results. But Dr. Ungar had the knowledge, expertise, and the latest instruments in medical technological advancements to find just the exact points necessary in which to administer the injections to finally give me complete relief from the persistent, chronic pain! And I felt no pain from the injections either. The anesthesiologists he employs for his treatments know just the correct types of anesthesia to use and in the precise dose so you don't feel any pain from the injections, you don't even remember receiving the injections, and you don't feel any adverse affects afterwards either. It's nothing short of a "win-win" situation as the saying goes with advocates of successful techniques in various disciplines.! He also implements and is affiliated with referrals to Holistic, Ayer Vedic, and Homeopathic services for people who choose to correlate alternative medicine techniques with his medical treatments for various health problems to the benefit of treating the "whole person" for continuing future health maintenance. He also has a very experienced and qualified physical therapist to incorporate into his various treatment plans depending on the patients needs as well. And if he finds that you have other health problems where he may feel other areas of expertise may be essential to your individual healing process, he has a network of excellent referral physicians available to him which he did refer me to for successfully treating other health problems that needed attention as well. There's one last extraordinary experience I had at Dr. Ungar's office that I thought I would mention which amazed me. When I arrived for one of my appointments at his office I noticed immediately that there was cake and coffee and a fresh fruit dish sitting on a table in the waiting area. I assumed that it was for a party for an employee's birthday or something of that nature. Much to my surprise when I finally asked the office receptionist what the celebration was about she told me that it was for a young lady who was under Dr. Ungar's care for a period of time with a serious health condition that several other doctors had miss-diagnosed. But Dr. Ungar and his team of medical professionals had finally properly diagnosed and treated her and she was fully recovered. So Dr. Ungar gave her a little going away party to celebrate her recovery, with other patients in the waiting area invited to participate and enjoy some deserts as well! I've never experienced this kind of unparalleled attention and care of any doctor to their patients satisfaction and happiness in all my life experiences with any other doctor! It was amazing and I told others in the office that I just couldn't hardly believe that a doctor could have that level of care and enthusiasm towards a patient's satisfaction of recovery, but he did. In closing I thought I should mention that in my ten years of experience with my back problem I have done a considerable amount of painstaking research to educate myself regarding my spinal problems to try to understand exactly what was causing the problem. Also I would always request copies of any tests doctors ordered to diagnose my problem and I would read and evaluate them thoroughly myself so that maybe I could make some decisions of my own as to what other alternatives I could try to alleviate the chronic pain. I would recommend to anyone to take this same approach to their own back problem. And as a last thought of encouragement I do feel empathy for those who suffer with this type of health problem and pain with all the troubles and inconvenience that come with it also such as I have. I also would highly recommend that you contact Dr. Ungar's office for an appointment and evaluation at the contact phone numbers listed on his website, where ever is the most convenient location available for you. It has been the best, most effective care I've received from any doctors that I've experienced in all the ten years I've had my back problems and chronic pain. And I owe a great deal of gratitude and appreciation to Dr. Ungar and his staff for their effective help! And it also has improved my attitude towards my disposition and full recovery possibilities immensely. You're not alone and there is hope for effective treatment for your pain and I'm a living testimonial that it's the truth!
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Neurology & Pain Management
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This began slowly over the last 10 or so years. Now and again, I would have a sharp pain in my hands, feet, legs or arms, but wouldn't give it much thought. Then about 8 months ago the pain became worse; it started lasting longer and became stronger.
Sincerely
