How do I know if I'm a candidate for ADR surgery? | Dr. Todd Lanman

If you're thinking about what artificial disc surgery may do for you, consider that many of my patients never undergo surgery. If you suffer from chronic neck and back pain, I urge that you seek the advice of a doctor to discover all the many other treatment options available. But only if you see your doctor early.

Back and neck problems are nothing to take lightly. You should definitely not wait until you can't walk to get help. The earlier you seek advice from a physician, the more options you have and the better your outcomes. How do you know if it is time to call your doctor? If you have persistent aches in your shoulder or buttocks, tingling along your extremities (arms, legs), and numbness in the same areas plus your hands or feet.

If you sense weakness, it's really time to call because impinged nerves (caused by a disc herniation or bone spur) could be causing muscle loss which is a direct sign that you've may have already suffered some nerve damage. And there's nothing in medical science that can grow back damaged nerve. That's why I say that it is better to be proactive about back and neck pain. The earlier you seek a diagnosis, the more treatment options you have. The sooner you receive treatment, the better your outcomes.

Dr. Lanman is a board-certified neurosurgery specialist practicing medicine for 25 years with a private practice in Beverly Hills, CA. He specializes in the treatment of spinal disorders and is a leading clinical advocate for artificial disc replacement surgery. He is a professor at the University of California Los Angeles, and a member of the Cedars-Sinai Institute of Spinal Disorders.

As a leading innovator in the treatment of spinal disorders, as well as a media educator and contributor, Lanman has published more than ten peer-reviewed articles, as well as book chapters on topics relating to neurological surgery, and has presented more than two dozen papers at national and regional medical society meetings. He has been tapped by colleagues to be the principal medical investigator on a broad swath of clinical trials for motion preserving surgeries and artificial disc replacement devices, most recently the Prestige LP and M6, with the former recently receiving FDA pre-market approval in 2016 with his continuous support and advocacy.

Part of his constant advocacy for patients stems from his own experience as a patient. His unique insights helped him develop a program called "4D Health Process." The "process" helps him guide patients to think about their health more comprehensively and holistically. The process also incorporates some different factors including one’s age, daily lifestyle, nutrition, hormone status, physical exercise routine, and of course spine and joint health to paint a complete picture of one’s health from a four-dimensional perspective.

The "4D" program relies on his meticulous analysis of each patient's current physical condition, their lifestyle, and treatment goals. He uses his decades of knowledge and expertise to shift the emphasis for how we view healthy living, aging, and the treatment of spinal disorders. His unique medical treatment approach helps him map out an entire preventative and forward-thinking strategy to help his patients live an active, healthy life, with the full natural movement of their spine. His stated goal is to help patients be greater than "better."

Dr. Lanman graduated from Northwestern University School of Medicine, Chicago, IL with top honors and is a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. He completed a general surgery internship and neurological surgery residency at UCLA. He is an active member of many professional societies and organizations including the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS), International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery (ISASS), North American Spine Society (NASS), and Fellow American College of Surgeons. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Neurological Surgery, a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, and a Fellow of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (FAANS).

CREDITS

Editing: Ray Wyman http://www.raywyman.com
Management: Brandi Kamenar https://www.brandikamenar.com/