Question
QUESTION: I just got into a car accident a week ago, 3/2, and have been in a lot of pain with my neck and lower back.  Being that I am only 29 years old and don't want a lifetime of pain, I decided to be proactive and go to a pain specialist for an MRI to make sure there wasn't serious damage.  I just got the results today of my neck and I have a herniated disk (don't know if that is one or two they just said C4 and C5).  I haven't gotten the results of my lower back yet.  They said they recommend 3 Epidural steroid injections at the site.  They also said it is something I will have for life and might need shots for life.  I have NOT settled my case yet for the accident and I am really upset because I am a VERY active person/runner and I feel like I can never be that way again.  I wanted to know if you had advice on what to do..should I get the injections or should I do yoga?  I am scared of the injections and side effects. If I start getting them to I have to continue for life?  I just don't know where to go from here and I want to do the right thing now, before I regret this 10 years from now.  Thank you!  Rebecca (Boca Raton, FL)

ANSWER: Rebecca,
You are very smart for writing to me and asking me these questions BEFOREHAND and taking a proactive approach.  This is literally going to make all the difference in your LIFE.
I actually have a lot to tell you but I have to check on a few patients in a minute so I will get this started and then we can continue discussing.
First of all, it is highly likely that you will not have this problem for life and you will most definitely not need to take even 1 injection let alone take them for the rest of your life.  So I want you to know that there is hope and there is a much better way to correct this then you have been told.
Now you will need to have this corrected and you will need to go to a specialist, the problem is there is no one anywhere near you that can do this work properly.  The reason that I know is that my parents live nearby to you and I have not been able to find someone for them in the past 15 years.
So what we are going to discuss is most likely going to involve some degree of travel.  I am not suggesting that you pack up and come here to St Louis for your care.  There is actually a wonderful Doctor that can take care of you in Georgia so that is something that you will have to decide at some point soon, but I can tell you that what I am about to be discussing with you is the only thing that I know of that can actually correct the cause of your problem and allow you to live a super-healthy life.
I have to go and check some patients right now, but I would like you to think about what I said so far and let me know your level of commitment to this and if you want to learn more about this.
Yours in Best Health,
Dr Robert Arnone
Upper Cervical Specific Doctor
"Cervical Spine Specialist"
Arnone Family Health Clinic
711 Old Ballas Road
St Louis, MO 63141
314-995-5719
[email protected]

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QUESTION: Dr Arnone,

Thank you so much for getting back to me!  What you said gave me a sigh of relief.  Before I can think about traveling for therapy, etc I would like to know exactly what it is you are talking about doing, how long it takes, what doctors are used, etc.  I just need someone to explain what to do, if that makes sense.  Thank you again so much for writing me and taking the time.  Rebecca (Boca Raton, FL)

Answer
Rebecca,
I am talking about locating and correcting the cause of your abnormal health, how does that sound to you?  Is that something that you want or something that you want to think about and continue on the same road that you have been on, which we both know by your present health condition is not a good road.
If you were to come out for care, I would be the only doctor that you would be involved with and I am an Upper Cervical Specific Doctor or "Brainstem Specialist".  In simple terms, it means that I will look to monitor your brainstem function and measure the upper cervical spine misalignment.  Then we will adjust or re-align your upper cervical spine and set it back in to the correct position once again to restore proper brain-body communication.  No surgery , no medicine, simply, safely, and effectively re-aligning your spine at the location that runs everything in your body.
Its simple really, we are restoring proper communication to the cells of your body so that efficiency can return.
Make sense?
Dr Arnone
St Louis, MO 63141